Mayor Lani implements the Ideal 1:45 teacher to student ratio in Taguig public schools
Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano launched the Taguig Learners Certificate (TLC) scholarship program that intends to reach the ideal class size of 45 students in public schools to be funded through the city government’s P1.121 billion education budget for 2011. The program aims to decongest public high schools by transferring selected 1st year school students to private schools within Taguig City.
The Taguig Learners Certificate (TLC) scholarship program, which would serve as vehicle for the voucher system that stands to benefit some 1,500 public school students from 8 public high schools to be transferred to 27 private high schools in Taguig.
Public Secondary Schools Enrolment Data for School Year 2011-2012 showed that there are 34,205 high school students in Taguig. The average number of students per class in the city’s 12 public high schools is 68. This number is beyond the Department of Education’s (DepEd) target class size of 45 students.
Mayor Cayetano said that it is high-time that the problem on student-teacher ratio is addressed.
“Lessening the number of pupils per class in public schools would help the children understand their lessons better. The pupils will learn more, making them more beneficial to the community and their country,” Mayor Cayetano explained.
In 2009, Taguig gained notoriety by placing second to the last in the field of 16 City School Divisions in the National Capital Region (NCR) with its performance in the Achievement Test.
The congestion or overcrowding of students inside public school classrooms was blamed for this poor performance, as well as previous administration’s lack of programs for the improvement of education at public schools. Data from the Taguig Local School Board bared that there were only 138 teachers in the city before Mayor Lani took her post. This was quickly addressed upon her assumption as mayor when she tapped an additional 162 teachers.
Acting as the local government’s partner in the effort is the Association of Private School Administrators (APSA), which will be tasked to recommend before DepEd which accredited schools would be included in the program.
Any student who would be chosen under the TLC can expect utmost support from the city government, Mayor Cayetano’s spokesperson, lawyer Darwin Icay, assured.
“P10,000 would be set aside as tuition for the student. The LSB will add P5,000 which would be used to cover the cost of books and other school materials. Since this is a scholarship program, the chosen student must take it upon himself or herself to study hard to remain qualified under the TLC,” Icay clarified.
Aside from this program, Mayor Cayetano allotted more than 200 million for public school buildings and 100 million for scholarships. The young Mayor vowed to throw her full support to the education sector, saying that good education would lead to breaking the chains of poverty of her constituents.
FILIPINO VERSION:
Inilunsad ni Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano ang Taguig Learners Certificate (TLC) scholarship program upang maipatupad ang 1:45 ratio ng isang klase sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa Taguig na popondohan sa ilalim ng P1.121 billion education budget ngayong 2011 na may layuning bawasan ang bilang ng mga estudyante sa public school sa pamamagitan ng paglilipat sa tukoy na bilang ng mga mag-aaral sa pribadong paaralan.
Ang Taguig Learners Certificate (TLC) scholarship program na magsisilbing behikulo ng voucher system na nakatakdang pakinabangan ng 1,500 estudyante na kasalukuyang 1st year high school pampublikong paaralan na ililipat sa pampribadong paaralan.
Batay sa Public Secondary Schools Enrolment Data sa School Year 2011-2012, ang kabuuang bilang ng high school student sa Taguig ay 34,205. Sa bilang na ito ang average na dami ng estudyante sa 12 public high school sa lungsod ay 68. Ang bilang na ito ay malayo sa target class size ng Department of Education (DEPED) na 45 sa bawat klase.
Ayon kay Mayor Cayetano, panahon na para kumilos at harapin ang problema tungkol sa student-teacher ratio.
“Kung mababawasan ang malalaking bilang ng mga mag-aaral sa bawat klase sa mga pampublikong paaralan ay mas mauunawaan ng mga bata ang itinuturo ng kanilang mga guro. Tataas ang antas ng kaalaman ng mga estudyante na magpapa-unlad sa kanilang sarili, pamilya at maging sa ating bansa,” paglilinaw ni Mayor Cayetano.
Taong 2009, nalasap ng Taguig ang pinakamasamang performance nito sa National Achievement Test nang pumangalawa ito sa huli sa16 na City School Division sa National Capital Region (NCR).
Isinisisi ito sa mataas na bilang ng mga mag-aaral sa bawat klase sa public school. Isinisisi rin ito sa kawalan ng programa ng dating pamunuan para mapabuti ang edukasyon sa mga pampublikong paaralan. Batay sa datos galing sa Local School Board ng lungsod, bago nahalal bilang alkalde si Mayor Lani ay 138 lamang ang bilang ng guro sa Taguig. Kagyat na sinolusyunan ang problemang ito at pagkaupo nito sa puwesto ay nagdagdag kaagad ng 162 na guro.
Makakatuwang sa programang ito ng pamahalaang lungsod ang Association of Private School Administrators (APSA) na siyang magre-rekomenda sa Department of Education (DEPED) kung sinu-sinong accredited schools ang isasama sa programa.
Ayon kay Atty. Darwin Icay, tagapagsalita ni Mayor Cayetano, sinumang estudyante na mapipili para sa TLC ay makatitiyak ng ibayong suporta mula sa city government.
“P10 libo ang ilalaang pondo para sa matrikula ng estudyante. May dagdag pang P5 libo na manggagaling sa Local School Board (LSB) bilang pantustos sa gagamiting mga aklat at iba pang gamit pang eskwela. Dahil sa ito ay scholarship program lilinawin ko lamang na obligasyon ng mga estudyanteng mapapasailalim sa TLC na mag-aral nang husto para patuloy nila itong pakinabangan,” paglilinaw ni Atty. Icay.
Bukod pa dito naglaan na din si Mayor Cayetano ng mahigit 200 milyon para sa public school buildings at 100 milyon para sa scholarships. Tiniyak ng alkalde na makaaasa ng todong suporta mula sa kanyang administrasyon ang sektor ng edukasyon dahil sa paniniwalang ito ang puputol sa tanikala ng kahirapan.