Six high schools from different provinces in the Philippines vie for being the first two schools to have the Best Innovative Practices in Managing Large and Extra Large Classes in teaching science and mathematics.
Andres Bonifacio Integrated School in Mandaluyong City, Bacong National High School in Zamboanga del Norte, Looc National High School in Rizal, and San Isidro National High School in Makati City will battle out in being the best school in managing large classes. Classes with students numbering from 50 to 70 are categorized as large classes.
Las Pinas East National High School goes head to head with Navotas National High School in becoming the best school in managing extra large classes. Classes with more than 71 students qualify as extra large.
All six schools will be awarded P100,000 to implement the proposals in managing large and extra large classes they submitted to the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI). The schools were awarded P50,000 during the proposal congress held at the William G. Padolina Hall of DOST-SEI and the remaining P50,000 will be given at the start of the third quarter. After two quarters, the students subjected to the implementation of the innovation will be assessed to determine the effectiveness of the innovation.
The six schools were culled from 35 public and private high schools which submitted proposals on how they intend to innovate their practices in teaching science and mathematics.
Dr. Filma G. Brawner, Director of DOST-SEI, said she is optimistic that the search will bring about the creativity and innovativeness from the school administrators and the teachers in managing large classes.
“Arresting the problem of large and extra large classes does not rest in providing more classrooms alone but also coming up with innovative ways in teaching, especially in science and mathematics,” she said.
Classroom to pupil’s ratio in high schools in the Philippines bleeds to 1:54, as per Department of Education data.
Brawner expressed optimism that through the Search for Innovative Practices in Managing Large Classes, schools will be able to improve the quality of teaching and learning science and mathematics in public and private high schools with class sizes of more than 50 students.
We want our teachers to be inspired in creating and applying innovative practices, sustain school-community support in managing efficiently and effectively the varied digital and non-digital learning resource environment, and share collaboratively with the school and community the use of best practices in teaching and learning science and mathematics in public and private secondary schools,” she said.
The two winning schools in the Large Class and Extra Large Class categories will each receive additional P100,000 and a plaque of recognition as prizes to help improve further their large class teaching practices. -30- Mark Ivan Roblas, SEI S&TMedia Service
