EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Definition:
The term educational facilities refer to all physical property of a school,
consisting of the grounds, buildings and various facilities within the school grounds
and inside the school building.

Importance|:
Educational facilities is an indispensable component of an elementary school;
It does not only provide housing for the school but also serves as facilitating agent
for all the educational activities that take place it.
THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PROGRAM

An educational facilities program is basically a comprehensively-planned set of

decisions for action which are directed at the achievement of specific goals
within specified time frames. It should be an integral part of the educational
facilities program.
The program should be planned within the framework of well-defined
educational objectives.
The formulation of decisions for action should take in account for the total
educational program for the community as well as new trends and developments
in education which influence the nature of the school program and the
corresponding requirements in physical facilities.
For optimal effectiveness, decisions for action incorporated in the educational
facilities program should be categorized according to short-ranged, mediumranged, and long-ranged time frames. It should be borne in mind that once an
elementary school is established, it is expected to continue operating for
generations for generations; if not permanently, it is educational facilities should
be programmed according in terms of such definitions.
SCHOOL MAPPING

School mapping is the process of planning the location, the distribution, size
and spacing of schools. Its primary aim is to give all pupils access to
education and to match the distribution of schools to the distribution of the
potential population to be served. (SLP, local school planning)
The process of school planning covers the following specific areas for
expansion and improvement of facilities;
a. Rationalization of existing facilities
b. Provision of new additional facilities
The initial step in school mapping is to make a survey of the following
situation in order to obtain all information about the network of schools and
their physical resources and means considering the following factors;
a. Environmental factors
b. Demographic factors
c. Economic factors
d. Educational factors
e. Political factors
f. Manpower factors
School mapping at the local level can be done in these stages; diagnosis of
the existing situation, projection of future requirements, drawing up
of perspective school map
After a comprehensive diagnosis, it is necessary to make projections to
identify the potential demands. Simultaneously, it is necessary to draw up
perspective school maps involving ; estimating the number to be
enrolled, determining the capacity of existing schools and defini9nf
their catchment area.

The school map produced should not be regarded as final unless it has beebn
considered and discussed by central administrators, authorities, teachers,
parents, etc.
Continuous monitoring and evaluation of these plans are also very important
at trhe implementation stage.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY RELATIONS

In the light of community concept and the non-formal education program of

Deped, the public elementary schools have broadened the scope of their
educational activities and services to include out-of school youths and adults in
the community where the school is situated. These educational developments
point out the following implications for the school facilities program:
a. The educational facilities program should be planned to produce equipment,
furniture and other physical resources required for both school and
community educational programs.
b. School facilities program should be designed satisfactorily for school and
community use by considering both child and adult needs.

ERGONOMIC FACTORS:

Ergonomic factors pertain to the laws of work or theories of energy

expenditures; it involves the study of efficiency of persons in their working
environment.

ANTRHOPOMETRY

Anthropometry is the science of measuring the human body, its parts and
functional activities.

For the purpose of designing and sizing school facilities, two types of bodypart measurements are required;
a. Static measurement- measurements based purely on the dimensions of
body parts
b. Dynamic measurement- measurements based on what can be performed
Basically, two methods are used in taking part-body measurements:
a. Measuring actually each of the whole range part-body dimensions
b. Measuring only the standing height and then deducing the part-body
measurements from it by using a system of proportions which relates
part-body measurement to standing height.
THERMAL CONTENT
To be thermally comfortable, the internal climate in school should be cool,
pleasant and satisfying. Thermal comfort in school is obtained either by
artificial means or by natural ventilation.
VISUAL COMFORT
Visual comfort in school is indicated when pupils and teachers can carry on
classroom work without unnecessarily straining their eyes or experiencing
visual discomfort. Good lighting, whether by natural or artificial light, is
characterized by the quantity and the quality of illumination
Quantity of light the recommended illumination levels for classrooms are
as follows;
ACOUSTIC COMFORT
A good environment for acoustical comfort in school requires that noise be
controlled to proper levels so that every child in a class can hear clearly what
is being spoken by the teacher above all other sounds inside and out of the
classroom.
Acoustic comfort may be achieved by:
a. Locating the school in a quiet neighborhood
b. Locating the building at a reasonable distance from the street
c. Proper zoning of the school site
d. Grouping of buildings

SAFETY
Every teacher or school official should recognize that welfare of the pupils is
his first and foremost concern and responsibility. Hence, the educational
facilities program should include adequate provisions for ensuring safety in
school against accidents, fires, earthquakes. Typhoons, health hazards,
human and animal intruders.