by Franklin P. Gumapon
DIPOLOG CITY, Feb. 22 (PIA) – To get the public elementary and secondary schools in the province ready for the next school year, the provincial schools division headed by Dr. Elsa Refugio-Cruz is now in the process of conducting a series of planning workshops for school heads to come up their respective school improvement plans (SIPs).
All elementary and secondary school heads are required to submit their SIPs which will present their needs vis-à-vis the measures to address them.
It was learned that the common problems confronting the public schools in the province are the lack of teachers, dilapidated school buildings and laboratory facilities especially in newly-opened high schools.
Secondary school heads complained that teacher items for high school teachers are not enough. A number of high school teachers are “job order” employees of the provincial government, each receiving a monthly pay P4,000.00 only. “Many of them are already five to 10 years in service,” said a school head.
The secondary school heads also disclosed that many of their teachers are teaching subjects not their major/specialization. Teachers majoring English, Filipino or Social Studies have been forced to teach mathematics, chemistry or physics for lack of graduates from these fields. To them, this hampers quality education.
In a related development, the provincial schools division is now preparing for the national achievement tests for Grade 3, Grade 6 and fourth year high school students on March 2, 8 and 9, respectively.
All grade 1 and 2 teachers shall also undergo English proficiency test on March 26. (FPG/PIA-Zamboanga del Norte)