A Comparative Study on Single-Shift and Double-Shift Schedule of Classes in the Division of San Pablo City

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The increase in enrollment every year has posted a bigger demand for classrooms and other facilities. According to Benjie Valbuena, the national chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Philippines (ACT-Philippines), classroom shortage in the Philippines is at 113,995 as of the 2017 opening of classes. To address this, Department of Education through D.O. 62, s. 2004, and reiterated in D.O. 54, s. 2008, emphasized the need for all public schools suffering from shortage of classroom to strictly employ the double-shift policy. At present, six (6) out of fourteen (14) public secondary schools in the Division of SanPablo are implementing the double-shift policy while eight (8) follow the single shift policy. This study aims to compare the academic performance of students attending classes with single and double shifts and determine their perception on attending either single shift or double shift classes.

METHODS

Using two-stage random sampling, four hundred (400) students were equally selected from single and double shifting schools. Four (4) schools were selected from each domain. Fifty (50) students comprised each school with every 5th student selected as respondent. Twenty-five (25) respondents were selected from each session from the double-shift. This study used a descriptive research design. Validated researcher-made questionnaires were administered to determine the respondents' mean perception and general average for the first quarter were compared using t-test.

RESULTS

The results showed that the perception of respondents is the same on motivation, relationship with peers and study habits. They are amenable to changing or keeping their current class schedule. There is no significant difference between the academic performance of the respondents from the two domains.

DISCUSSIONS

Respondents from both single-shift and double-shift schools strongly agree that their class schedule motivates them to attend their classes every day. They also tend to have better study habits. Likewise, they have better relationships with their classmates in their current schedule. However, respondents from both single-shift and double-shift schools collectively responded "Fair" when asked if they want to keep their current schedule. Since the results of the study showed no significant difference between academic performance of students from single shifting and double shifting classes, schools should embrace the implementation of double shifting schedule of classes and educate the students about it being a viable solution to classroom shortage.