Legarda pushes class size reform for better teaching, learning

Senator Loren Legarda called for urgent action to address overcrowded classrooms in public schools, stressing that excessive class sizes affect both the quality of learning and the working conditions of teachers.

While the national average student-to-classroom ratio has improved, the national figures do not tell the whole story. A study published in 2025 by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), supported by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), found that the ratio declined from 39 to 32 students per classroom in public elementary schools and from 54 to 44 in junior high schools in 2021. Yet many schools remain severely overcrowded, with congestion particularly pronounced in the National Capital Region, CALABARZON, SOCCSKSARGEN, and BARMM. In some communities, a single classroom may still have more than 60 learners.

“Hindi lamang numero ang usapin dito. Kapag napakaraming mag-aaral sa isang classroom, mas nahihirapan ang guro na mabigyan ng sapat na oras at atensyon ang bawat bata. Apektado ang kalidad ng pagtuturo at pagkatuto,” Legarda said.

Research cited in the PIDS–EDCOM II study supports this concern. Smaller classes are associated with better classroom experiences, greater opportunities for individualized teaching, and an improved ability of teachers to assess how well their students are learning. The study also underscores that class-size reduction must be balanced against the substantial resources required for additional classrooms and teachers.

To address the problem, Legarda filed the proposed Public School Class Size Act (SBN 2397), which establishes a standard class size of 35 learners and a maximum of 50 learners, subject to phased implementation and temporary exceptions.

The proposed limits are intended to prevent class sizes from reaching levels where meaningful teacher-student interaction becomes increasingly difficult. Overcrowding forces teachers to divide their limited time among too many learners, while more classroom time may be consumed by managing a large class rather than addressing individual learning needs.

“Ang gusto natin ay simple: walang batang matabunan dahil napakarami nila sa classroom, at walang gurong mapipilitang hatiin ang sarili sa napakaraming estudyante. Ang bawat bata ay dapat may pagkakataong mapakinggan, magtanong, maitama kapag nagkamali, at matulungan kapag nahihirapan,” Legarda said.

Legarda likewise emphasized that setting a class-size limit cannot be separated from the longstanding shortage of classrooms and teachers. “Hindi natin maaaring basta magtakda ng limitasyon nang hindi tinutugunan ang kakulangan sa silid-aralan at guro. Kailangang sabayan ito ng malinaw na plano, sapat na pondo, at tuloy-tuloy na suporta sa ating mga paaralan,” Legarda said.

The bill provides for phased implementation over five school years and directs the Department of Education, together with the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and local government units, to develop a National Classroom and Teacher Complement Plan. Teachers handling more than 35 learners will also receive additional compensation in recognition of their increased workload.

“Sa isang classroom na siksikan, madaling maging numero lamang ang isang bata – isa sa apatnapu, isa sa limampu, o isa sa animnapu. Pero bawat isa sa kanila ay may pangalan, may pangarap, at may sariling pangangailangan sa pagkatuto. Walang batang dapat matabunan sa dami ng kanyang mga kaklase, at walang guro ang dapat kapusin sa oras at pagkakataong gabayan ang bawat isa. Kung seryoso tayo sa kalidad ng edukasyon, dapat tiyakin nating sa bawat classroom, may pagkakataong maturuan nang maayos ang bawat bata,” Legarda concluded. (30)