THE IMPACT OF CLASS SIZE TO GRADE 7 STUDENTS IN
GENERAL EMILIO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
CHAPTER I
The Problem And Its Setting
I. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Class size pertains to how many students inside a classroom, specifically either
the average number of students being taught by individual teachers in a classroom or
the average number of students being taught by teachers in a school or education
system. Class size can be a huge factor for students to lose interest in studying, as well
as evaluating school’s effectiveness.
Most likely, the ratio of students per classroom is estimated as minimum of 45
and maximum of 60 students. The maximum of students should be divided accurately
with the right distribution and have a pattern for example is a grade basis. As of stated
in 2013-2014 worsening shortage of classrooms and teachers.
Based on data culled from the Department of Education, public schools are
facing a shortage of 46,567 teachers and 32,844 classrooms in school year 2013-2014.
(Santiago, 2013)
Mateo said that before, the teacher-pupil ratio at 1:45 but for school year 2017-
2018, the teacher-student ratio is 1:31 for the elementary level, 1:36 for Junior High
School level, and 1:31 for Senior High School level. DepEd made this clarification in
response to House Bill 473, or An Act Regulating Class Size in All Public Schools and
Appointing Funds Thereof, which proposes that a “class to be handled by one teacher
shall be fixed at a standard size of 35 learners, with a maximum of number more than
50 students.” (Hernando-Malipot, 2018).
In order to adjust a growing school-age population, the Department of Education
has deal with these shortages by allowing extremely large class sizes. In the urban
centers, it is no longer uncommon to see teachers handling classes with 60 to 80
students. According to data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics, classrooms in the Philippines are among
the most crowded in Asia. The country’s public elementary schools’ average class size
of 43.9 is far bigger than Malaysia’s 31.7, Thailand’s 22.9, Japan’s 23.6, and India’s
490. In public high schools, the country registered an average size of 56.1, higher than
Malaysia’s 34, Thailand’s 41.5, Japan’s 33.9, and India’s 39. (Llego, 2019)
Teachers' view of class size has always been clear. Teachers believe that
smaller classes "provide better quality and a richer environment for pupils, while making
teaching more enjoyable for the teacher." Substantial research has been conducted in
the U.S. on class size. Although most of the studies have attempted simply to use test
results as a measure of the effectiveness of class size, there does appear to be some
consensus on the following three points: smaller class sizes result in higher
achievement among students who are economically disadvantaged; smaller class sizes
result in students with lower academic ability doing better; class size might affect
student attitudes more significantly than it affects achievement. (What is the effect of
class size on student learning?, 2019)
History of GEANHS, it was one of the public schools in Imus City, Cavite. At the
year of 1996, General Emilio Aguinaldo National High School-Imus was founded
through the efforts of former Governor Ayong Maliksi. The school began its operations
with only 3 teachers: Mrs. Cayetana Gelbolingo; Mrs. Crisanta F. Caudal; and Ms.
Marites R. Peñaredonda. There were only two buildings to accommodate 156 students.
And at the year of 2006, GEANHS' TEC spearheaded the improvement of the entrance
arc and stage. Barangay Captains of Imus collaborated to provide lighting facilities to
the covered court. By the year of 2015, PAGCOR Building was inaugurated. (About:
General Emilio Aguinaldo National High School, 2019)
Established in June 1973, General Emilio Aguinaldo National High School
(GEANHS) has a current total student population of 1,041. There are 27 male and
female teachers providing education for the students while 5 more non-teaching staff of
GEANHS also provides assistance and guidance. The school campus is quite spacious
and about one half of which is devoted to 21 classrooms and 4 offices. However, with its
current population, the classrooms and school premises can be considered as
congested at any time. Fifty (50) or more students make up one class. The past few
years, the school administrator, teaching and non-teaching staff at GEANHS in Gen.
Emilio Aguinaldo, Cavite, have witnessed and observed how the number of students
increased through the years. (Rogel, 2012)
According to Mr. Jay-R Soberano, General Emilio Aguinaldo National High
School’s guidance counselor, the total number of enrollees as of September 30, 2019 in
Grade 7, there are 1,437 male and 1,263 female students with the total of 2,700 not
including the number of students in Special Education (SPED) which is 38, corresponds
with 44 classrooms, S.Y 2019-2020. (Soberano, 2019)
Today’s General Emilio Aguinaldo National High School’s population of students
extremely increased compared to their number of students before.
General Emilio Aguinaldo National High School (GEANHS) has a current total
student population of 9,708. The lowest number of students in Grade 7 inside a
classroom is 31 while the highest is 67 which is twice the normal average number of
students. Based on our own observation and opinions when we saw the list of numbers
of Grade 7 students in General Emilio Aguinaldo National High School, we conclude
that it is not equally distributed in each classroom and it did not even follow the normal
teacher-student ratio. They should have the limit number of students by each grade
level, so that some of the students’ learning may not be affected. The impact of class
size to grade 7 students in GEANHS have many causes and effects that others should
be aware.
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