A school in Davao City is set to implement shifting of classes due to lack of classrooms as the 2024-25 school year starts in the last week of July.  

The school administration of Mulig Elementary Schoon in Toril District has decided to implement class shifting for Grades 1 and 2 due to the increasing number of enrollees and residential areas in Barangay Mulig.  

The morning shift starts at 6 a.m. to 12 noon while the afternoon shift starts at 12 noon to 6 p.m.  

“Naa tay shifting aside sa regular tungod sa nagkadako nga mga number of enrollees nato diri sa Mulig Elem. School. So, nagdecide ang atoang school administration nga naa tay emergency class o shifting class karon nga school year,” Mulig Elementary School Master Teacher I, Nichochar Jiji Emperado, said.  

As of this writing, 75 percent of the expected 600 learners have enrolled.  

According to the Department of Education-Davao (DepEd-11), the Davao City Division has the highest number of enrollees as it targets 500,000 learners this school year.  

DepEd-11 said the enrollment target for the entire region is 1.5 million, which is higher than the 1.4 million last school year.  

“Actually, meron talaga palaging kakulangan. ‘Yung ating budget kasi is a reactive type. Kagaya ng binanggit ko kanina ang atingprevious enrolment ay 1.4M, ‘yun ‘yung atong planning parameter. It reacted to the previous data,” DepEd-11 Director, Allan Farnazo, said.  

Farnazo said actual classes will begin on Monday, July 29, 2024.  

“That all schools are ready on day 1. That on day 1, we will begin with lessson 1,” Farnazo added.  

With the inadequacies the schools are facing, DepEd-11 is hoping that the planning direction will improve, which will give consideration on the expected increase of enrollment, among others, to match the resources that have to be prepared.