LIMAY, Bataan – An Aeta school at the foot of Mt. Natib in Barangay Duale here has only three teachers handling classes for 132 children from pre-elementary to Grade VI.
The all-female teachers of Kinaragan Elementary School where the chirping of cicadas was loudly heard on Tuesday handle combination classes. There is only a teacher each for Grades I and II, III and IV and V and VI.
More than a week after classes started no one still looks after pre-elementary school children.
“Mahirap ang combination classes. Dapat i-focus ang isip ng mga bata na kapag nasa isang blackboard ako, para sa Grade V ako; at kapag sa kabilang blackboard ako, para sa Grade VI naman ako,” said teacher Blesilda Ambrocio.
In a math class for both grade levels, a Grade VI pupil raised his hand to answer a question posed by the teacher for Grade V children. In one classroom are 20 pupils from Grade V and 13 from Grade VI.
“Sana mabigyan kami ng one-is-to one teacher sa bawat klase para makapag-focus sa learning ng mga bata,” Ambrocio said.
She has been teaching at the Aeta school not only for the natives or the “kulot” but of some children of Aeta and “unat” parents as well as a few purely of “unat” parentage since year 2000.
“Adjusted na ako sa mga batang kulot kaya lang ang karaniwang problema pa rin nila absenteeism dahil sa kakulangan ng pagkain,” Ambrocio said.
She said that children have to wait for their parents to bring home food.
Edina Adion who handles Grades I and II started teaching in the Aeta village only this school year. She teaches 25 children enrolled in Grade I, and 15 in Grade II.
“Hindi ganito sa pinanggalingan kong school pero OK lang dahil wala sa kanilang magtuturo,” she said when asked how she felt.
Rowena Santiago, a veteran in the school like Ambrocio, teaches Grades III and IV.
