Mindanao's multi-grade schools to get more funds for basic education needs

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines — At least 510 multi-grade (MG) schools in six regions of Mindanao have been selected by the Department of Education (DepEd) to be provided with P38 million fund aid for school year 2012-2013 to help uplift the basic education needs of rural school-age children.

The DepEd explained that an MG school usually consists of two classes with each class consisting of a group of pupils — 45 — belonging to three different grade levels like Grades 1, 2 and 3 or Grades 4, 5 and 6 with each class handled by only one teacher known as a multi-grade mentor using appropriate agency measures that often stress basic literacy skills like reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic (or Three Rs) coupled with health and livelihood education activities.

Through an MG school the DepEd is able to offer all the six grade levels in small schools located in mountain or island villages to enable local children to finish a complete elementary education.

The DepEd stressed that an MG school is necessary in far-flung areas of the Southern Philippines as the number of local pupils does not warrant the creation of a separate grade level for each group and the hiring of additional teachers for each level. The ideal DepEd teacher-pupil ratio per grade level is 1:40.

DepEd Region 9 director Walter Albos reported here that a directive he received from Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the 520 selected MG schools in the country’s second largest island region are broken down to 100 schools each in Western Mindanao, Northern Mindanao (Region 10) and Caraga (Region 13), and 70 MG schools each in Southern Mindanao (Region 11), Central Mindanao (Region 12) and Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Luistro’s order, Albos said, earmarked a fund subsidy of P7,500,000 each for Regions 9, 10 and 13 while it allocated P5,250,000 each for Regions 11, 12 and ARMM.

The DepEd chief stipulated that the fund assistance to the MG schools shall be utilized exclusively for:

• Improvement of the learning environment through the development, procurement and production of print and non-print instructional, supplementary reading and reference materials.

• Professional development of teachers and school heads through conduct of trainings, participation of conferences, seminar-workshops, educational visits to schools with known best MG education technology.

• Purchase of pupils’ learning kits and school supplies, support to pupil development activities such as participation in academic contests and leadership training.

• Support to feeding program of the school.