Some teachers at Freswota School have raised concerns that they are unable to meet required teaching contact hours after the school reduced class time due to classroom shortages.
The school has over 2,000 students enrolled, with reports indicating that some classrooms now accommodate between 40 and 80 students.
One teacher, who requested anonymity, said under the current arrangement a teacher is only able to teach about five hours per week, while the required contact hours range between 18 and 21 hours weekly.
The school principal, Joses Seth, said the school administration introduced a half-day system this year, where classes 1 – 6 attend three hours in the morning while year 7 – 9 attend in the afternoon. Year 10 run normal classes.
The new operation began following damage to several classrooms caused by the 17 December earthquake back in 2024.
With limited classroom space, the school has been forced to operate with large class sizes.
A reliable source confirmed that classroom numbers do not meet the recommended teacher-to-student ratio of 25 to 30 students per class.
A class reportedly have up to 80 students, while primary classes average around 60 students, with most classes ranging between 40 and 50 students.
Teachers say the overcrowding presents serious challenges for both teaching effectiveness and student learning.
Parent Florence Manwo, who has two children attending the school, said she does not agree with the new half-day arrangement.
“I pay full-day school fees, not half day. As a parent, I don’t know whether my children are learning anything because there are over 50 students in one classroom. I don’t know how one teacher can manage more than 50 students at once,” she said.
She is calling on the school to consider taking concerns raised by parents.
Principal Seth confirmed that the temporary arrangement will remain in place for six months under an agreement with the Shefa Education Office. He said once funding becomes available from government development partners, renovations can proceed and the school can return to normal operations.
Director of Education Services under the Ministry of Education and Training, Nanise Lapi, explained that changes in class levels and increasing student numbers began in 2023 when the Government introduced junior secondary levels into primary schools.
She said Provincial Education Boards are responsible for school planning within their provinces, including assessing population growth and determining which schools should focus on primary, junior secondary, or higher secondary levels.
Freswota School remains one of the largest bilingual schools in Port Vila, serving more than 2,000 students.
