Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM
Background of the Study Educational advancement must reach every learner whoever and wherever they are, despite distance and their situations. Article XIV, section 1 of the 1987 Constitution stipulate that, “The State shall protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all”. There are many areas that do not have complete elementary schools. Among the many reasons cited for these are the inaccessibility of certain localities due to geographic condition, the uneven distribution of pupils in certain grade levels, the pupil proportion per teacher is too small for the establishment of a complete elementary, the lack of classrooms, and the lack of teachers in some areas (Pascua, 2011). In response with the government’s thrust, DECS Order no. 38, s.1993, known as “Improving Access to Elementary Education by Providing all Grade Levels in the Public Elementary Schools through Combination and/or multigrade classes” was implemented. According the DepEd, multigrade school usually consists of two classes with each class consisting of a group of pupils -45-belonging to two to three different grade levels like grades 1, 2 and 3 or grades 4,5 an 6 with each class handled by only one teacher known as a multigrade mentor using appropriate agency measures that often stress basic literacy skills like reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic (3 Rs) coupled with health and livelihood education activities. Bilbao (2007) cited that, teaching multigrade classes is not only hard work; it also entails knowledge and skills in performing the task. The pre-service training of the teacher did not provide for teaching strategies and methodologies in multigrade teaching. In addition, Pascua (2011) said that a multigrade classroom involves children with different skills,