Imagine the sight of a teacher projecting her voice across a group of students seated on the grass and seeking shade under a huge mango tree. This is a sad reality in some public schools.

The lack of classrooms affects public high schools and Remedios E. Vilches-San Lorenzo National High School of Barangay Suclaran, San Lorenzo in the island province of Guimaras was not spared.

Remedios E. Vilches-San Lorenzo National High School caters almost 1000 students coming from Barangays Aguilar, Gavan, Cabungahan, Suclaran, M. Chavez, Libas, and Cabano.

Years before the implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS at the municipality of San Lorenzo, Guimaras, students and teachers have to hold their classes either under the shade of a tree, makeshift classroom or inside the gymnasium.

Some were having their classes inside makeshift classrooms made of sawali but without flooring. When it rains, the ground gets muddy. In such cases, the teachers would advise the students not to wear their school shoes because of the mud.

The teachers did not play blind on the state of the classroom in the national high school. The students’ span of attention and interest were so short because of the classroom’s condition.

Teacher Enrequita Rivera said they could not get the full attention of the students because of their discomfort while inside the makeshift classroom. It was not conducive for learning. The sawali-walled classroom without flooring was not a delight to the students.

Kon mag-ulan, galutak siya. Kaluluoy gid ang mga kabataan. (When it rained it gets muddy, I pity the students).”

The lack of classroom became a major concern of the school’s management since there is an increasing number of enrollees every school year. The increasing number of enrollees could be a positive indicator should there are available classrooms to accommodate them.

Some grade levels would even take turns on holding classes in just one room. Worst, a classroom is crowded with 120 students with one teacher alone discussing her lessons to them.

This problem did not escape the attention of the residents and barangay officials of Barangay Suclaran. After all, they have members of their family enrolled at the national high school.

Since, the community are given the opportunity to identify and implement their own projects under Kalahi-CIDSS, Barangay Suclaran prioritized the construction of three classrooms.

Barangay Captain Felicitas Vilches hinted that the bayanihan system in the construction of the classrooms contributed to the completion of the structures. It also provided the locals with jobs as paid laborer.

“Nagshift-shift ang mga laborers halin sa barangay. Damo bi ang nag-apply nga laborer para sa pagpatukod sang eskwelahan, para hindi magsunggod ang mga tawo, gintaw-an gid namon sang equal opportunities ang mga pumuluyo nga gusto sang ubra (Laborers from the barangay take turns during the construction. There are number of workers who applied for work and to avoid disagreement, we gave equal work opportunities to all of them),” Vilches said.

The classrooms were completed as scheduled. It brought joy among the students, parents, teachers and residents of Barangay Suclaran.

Each have their stories to tell while they were holding classes under the mango tree and makeshift classrooms.

“Sang una budlay gid kay magtindog ka sa tubang sang mga estudyante, hindi ka na kalakat kay 120 students ang gaginutok sa isa ka classroom (Before, it was really hard to stand in front of 120 students. Teachers can’t walk as much as they can because of the very limited space),” recalled Rivera.

“Budlay gid sang una. Limited ang amon maubra kon limited man ang amon space for teaching. Mag-groupings budlay kay wala gid space, kis-a sa sagwa nalang ga-groupings, (It was really difficult before. We have very limited space. And that also limits our teaching ability. It was very challenging to perform groupings. Sometimes, we just held our groupings outside the room),” said Venus Magan, Master Teacher I.

Principal Sarah Ganancial said with the new classrooms, the students would not want to transfer in other classrooms. They want to stay inside the newly built classroom.

She extended her heartfelt appreciation to the people involved in the realization of the project. “Students now feel much accommodated since the classrooms are well ventilated.”

The principal added that students are more encouraged to study more because of the conducive classroom. “The gratitude we feel is beyond the words ‘Thank you.’ The community and the parents are very much thankful for giving us three classrooms. It gives comfort to students.”

This is how the classes under the mango tree and makeshift rooms and inside the gymnasium end at Remedios E. Vilches-San Lorenzo National High School.#