Feasibility Study on Expansion of Sinalhan Senior High School into an Integrated High School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

In the conduct of this study, we have learned about the attributes affecting access to education and how expansion of the existing barangay school can contribute to the solution.

METHODS

Data on students who are Sinalhan residents were requested from two (2) neighboring public secondary schools. Data on population of graduating students of Sinalhan Elementary School (SES) was requested from the school. Community profile was also gathered through the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) Census through the Office of the Barangay Captain.

RESULTS

SES produces at least 250 graduates annually. About 75-80% of these enroll in the public national high school located in the neighboring barangay. And an estimate of 15-20% of these graduates preferred the annex school located in the heart of the city town proper. These two schools have a distance of about one to two kilometers from barangay Sinalhan resulting to additional transportation cost for the students. Commuting to the adjacent barangay entail most students to take two tricycle rides. Moreover, due to the annex school's limited capacity it has since implemented zoning in accepting enrollees and consequently limited the entry of students coming from Sinalhan. CBMS also revealed that there are 328 barangay members aged 12 to 15 years old who are not attending high school.

DISCUSSIONS

The results validate the need for the expansion of Sinalhan Senior High School into an integrated high school offering grades 7 to 12. This will increase educational opportunities for the youth of the barangay and contribute to the decongestion of the annex school. Moreover, it will assist in achieving the national standard of 45:1 student-classroom ratio which is a contributing factor in the delivery of quality education.