Busu Secondary School’s Principal, Mr. George Noble, has voiced worries over the burgeoning student population in classrooms, citing its detrimental impact on academic performance.
According to Noble, classrooms are overcrowded, surpassing their intended capacities, which jeopardizes students’ educational outcomes.
“The high number of students in classrooms hinders effective supervision and assessment by teachers,” stated Mr. Noble.
He emphasized that the increased student-to-teacher ratio makes it challenging for educators to provide individualized attention, especially to slower learners, thus impeding overall academic progress.
Several schools in Lae city also echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the alarming rise in student-to-teacher ratio.
Teachers are compelled to distribute tasks to students without adequate time for personalized assistance or supervision.
Furthermore, limited space exacerbates the situation, hindering teachers’ mobility within classrooms. With insufficient room to maneuver, educators are constrained to deliver lessons and assign tasks without the opportunity for active engagement with students.
“In the past, the student-to-teacher ratio was manageable at around 1 to 35 or 1 to 40. However, this figure has surged to as high as 1 to 50 or 1 to 60,” Mr. Noble remarked.
A teacher-to-student ratio of 1:40 allows for more personalized attention and assessment, enabling educators to address individual learning needs.
The escalating student numbers presents a pressing concern for educational institutions, emphasizing the urgent need for interventions to alleviate overcrowding and ensure optimal learning environments for students.