SAN JOSE, Antique — With student enrollment expected to surpass 7,000 this school year, Antique National School (ANS), the province’s largest secondary school, is racing to build 10 makeshift classrooms to accommodate the overflow of learners.
ANS Principal Roger Jomolo said the school is converting its old gymnasium and kitchen facilities into temporary classrooms, particularly to serve the Grade 8 level, which is projected to have about 1,000 enrollees alone.
“From over 6,000 students last year, we anticipate more than 7,000 this school year… We’re doing our best to create learning spaces before classes begin,” Jomolo said in a Thursday interview.
To make the makeshift classrooms functional, Jomolo appealed to stakeholders for armchair donations, noting that the school needs at least 300 more: “We are appealing for support as part of Brigada Eskwela.”
Apart from Grade 8 learners, ANS also requires additional classrooms to implement the newly structured daily Values Education classes.
The classroom shortage is not unique to ANS. Whelannie Tolentino, Education Program Specialist II at the Department of Education (DepEd) Antique Division, earlier confirmed that at least 35 secondary schools across the province are struggling with inadequate seating and classroom facilities.
“More armchairs are needed by the schools because of their increasing enrollment,” Tolentino said, adding that DepEd is actively reaching out to private donors and partners to help bridge the gap through Brigada Eskwela.
