At least 17 public schools in this city with limited classroom resources have adopted the Department of Education’s (DepEd) double shift policy to accommodate all learners for full face-to-face classes starting Wednesday.

These include 13 elementary schools and four high schools, based on the report of the Schools Division Office of Bacolod City.

“In most of our elementary schools, our problem is we have shortage in classrooms that’s why we are implementing the double shift,” Lila Arro, education program supervisor, said over DepEd-Bacolod’s radio program.

Under the double shift system, two separate groups of learners will use the classroom on a school day – usually in the morning for the first group and in the afternoon for the second group.

Arro noted that for every grade level, particularly from Kinder to Grade 3, each classroom can cater to a maximum of 35 learners only.

“We need to double shift to divide the number of learners to make it manageable,” she added.

Included are Banago Elementary School (ES) I, Antonio L. Jayme ES I, Jose J. Gonzaga ES, Jose R. Torres ES, Emilia J. Garcia ES, Iluminado S. Nessia ES, Rodolfo A. Medel Sr. ES, Vista Alegre-Granada Relocation ES, Estefania ES, Sum-ag ES, Isla ES, Cabuguason ES, and Handumanan ES II.

Arro said that among the high schools, there is a shortage in classrooms and chairs, and also in teachers, but the local government unit has provided learning support aides to augment the schools’ workforce.

This can be attributed to the significant increase in the enrolment of Bacolod City National High School (BCNHS), especially among the senior high learners, and also of Romanito Maravilla Sr. NHS in Barangay Estefania.

“The increase in enrolment has also brought a significant increase in the need for classrooms and chairs that’s why they need to double shift,” Arro said.

Also implementing the double shift sessions are Barangay Singcang-Airport NHS and Handumanan NHS.

Meanwhile, the Progreso Village NHS in Barangay Vista Alegre, which caters to Grades 7 to 10 students, will still adopt the blended learning modality due to a significant lack of resources, being a last mile school, or a new construction project in the last four years, and with less than four classrooms and less than five teachers.

“This is one of the last mile schools of DepEd-Bacolod. This is a new school at the relocation site and it has just been completed. It has only one building set to be turned over by the local government,” Arro said.

Considering this, the Progreso Village NHS still needs 15 teachers and 29 classrooms.

Arro said that under blended learning, the students would attend school through a combination of modular and face-to-face instruction. (PNA)