Separation anxiety, overcrowding greet students as SY 2025-2026 classes start nationwide

The second day of School Year 2025–2026 opened with emotional scenes at various public schools, as young learners—especially those in kindergarten—struggled to separate from their parents. 

At President Corazon Aquino Elementary School in Quezon City, several students cried and refused to let go of their guardians at the school gate according to an Unang Balita report by James Agustin.

Teachers and school staff had to gently coax the children into joining their classmates. This behavior, separation anxiety, is common among preschoolers during the first few days of the academic year, according to educators.

To help ease the transition, some parents positioned themselves on a nearby footbridge—just to get a glimpse of their child entering school safely. Many waved and exchanged reassuring smiles until classes officially started.

Face-to-face classes remain the primary learning modality, with schools adjusting schedules to manage large student populations. At President Corazon Aquino Elementary School, class schedules were divided into morning and afternoon shifts: kindergarten, grades 2, 4, and 6 in the morning, and grades 1, 3, and 5 in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, in Cagayan de Oro City, Tuesday marked the first day of classes due to a local holiday on Monday. As early as 5:30 a.m., students were seen entering City Central School—the city’s largest public elementary school with nearly 8,000 enrolled students.

According to GMA Regional TV’s James Paulo Yap, the school administration said there were no major issues on the first day of classes.

Minor confusion arose among students who had difficulty finding their classrooms, but teachers quickly addressed the matter. Classes officially began at 6:30 a.m., and late enrollees will still be accommodated until the end of June.

Due to the volume of students, the school implemented class shifting for grades 1 to 3. Morning sessions run from 6:30 a.m. to 12 noon to maximize classroom use.

However, in CAA Elementary School in Las Piñas—the school with the highest number of students reported so far—Principal Ronaldo Lara confirmed an enrollment of more than 10,200 students, with numbers still rising.

“More or less 10,200 and still running po,” said Lara.

(We currently have around 10,200 students, and enrollment is still ongoing.)

To address classroom shortages, the school implemented a unique solution: dividing classrooms with partitions so two classes can be held in one room, particularly for Grades 1 and 2.

“Ang mga classrooms po namin talaga kulang... naglagay akong partition sa classrooms,” he explained.
(We really lack classrooms... so I installed partitions.)

Each partitioned room accommodates a maximum of 30 students per class. Lara said this innovation allows the school to maintain manageable class sizes without compromising the number of sections offered.

Beyond crowd management, safety has also become a top priority. Lara noted their plans to implement security upgrades, including handheld metal detectors, following a stabbing incident near a local high school late last school year.

“Although elementary kami, hindi ko sine-set aside na possible din mangyari sa amin,” said Lara.

(Even though we’re an elementary school, I’m not ruling out the possibility that something similar could happen here.)

He initially considered installing mall-style walk-through detectors but opted for handheld devices due to space constraints at the school gate.

The Department of Education has encouraged schools to strengthen security measures following isolated incidents of violence, highlighting the need for proactive prevention across all education levels. —Sherylin Untalan/KG, GMA Integrated News