Stefany May P.

Indico
09263252600
stefanyindico@yahoo.com

Phy
sical
Facil

Int
rod

They say, school is the second home for the learners. They spent most of their time

learning and playing inside this learning institution. The learners with the aid of the teacher
tried to develop different learning domains. Added to that, teacher alone cannot be give an
assurance of a 100% of learning. Learning will be meaningful if physical appearance of the
environment is well planned and executed. From each details like colors, space
measurement, location and equipment.
People from Education Sector, personnel of Department of Education together with
Physical Facilities and School Engineering Division Office of Planning Service come up
with a manual that will serves as a guide in creating an atmosphere and environment for a
deep learning. This module has everything needs to build a learning center, from, location,
school mapping, site development planning, sample perspective view of a learning center
down to its floor plan. It covers from Pre-School (Nursery and Kindergarten) to High School.
In connection with that, this report, focuses on Pre-School environment.
Moreover, creating and developing environment for young learners in Pre-School
needs special attention with compared to higher grades. Therefore, hands-on planning a
learning center for Pre-School is a necessity.

Hi
ghli

A. Environmental Teaching

Educational Facilities

It refers to the physical properties of the school.

A.K.A School Plant or Physical Facilities of the School

Importance of Educational Facilities

They provide housing for the school.

Facilitating agents for all educational activities in school

Take note:

Safe, secured and satisfactory for educational facilities

Prerequisites in opening for new school.

Basic Principles on Educational Facilities

Primary Function is to provide the proper school environment that is most conducive to
effective teaching and learning.

Functional and effective Educational Facilities are:

Developed

Operated

Managed

Maximize in the collaboration in school planning design

(Consultative planning, design and project implementation)

Build a proactive facility management program.

Plan a school as a neighborhood-scaled community learning centers.

Plan a school as a neighborhood-scaled community learning

centers.

Location

Variation of Services

Environment

Accessibility

Community Centers

B. School Mapping
School Mapping is a dynamic process of planning the distribution, size and spacing of schools and
physical facilities requirements for optimum utilization and benefit.
It is a process of identifying current inadequacies in distribution and of providing appropriate types and
patterns of school plant.

It is a continuous process involving the uninterrupted recording of basic information required for analysis
of the school map at any given point in time.

School Mapping Process

A. Specific Areas for Expansions

1. Rationalization of existing facilities by:

Locating existing schools and its vulnerability
Locations of new schools-outside hazard zone(PAGASA)
Shifting, closure, amalgamation/integration of institution
Optimum utilization of buildings, furniture and equipment
2. Provision of new or additional facilities by:
Opening of new schools or upgrading existing ones
Providing additional teaching and non-teaching staff
Providing additional buildings, furniture, equipment in institutions
B. Initial Steps in School Mapping
1. Diagnosis of the Existing Situations
Environment and Geographic factor
Demographic Factor
Economic
Educational Factor
Political Factor
Man Power Factor
2. Projection of Future Requirements
Estimating the number of Enrollees
Determining the capacity of existing schools and its catchment area
3. Drawing up of perspective school map
School map is not final not unless it has been considered and discussed by the authorities
Results and outputs shall be encoded and shall form part of the Management Information
System
Continuous monitoring and evaluation of these is important
Geological and hydro-meteorological hazard maps should be used in site location,
planning and implementation.

Basic data needed for the conduct of School Mapping

o

Education Data

Annual Statistical Report

Geological Distribution of Schools

Site and Catchment Area conditions

Population Data (Analysis of the Census)

Other Planning Data

General rural and urban development policies

Social Facilities

Expected Results of School Mapping

o

School buildings requiring repairs

Schools requiring additional classrooms

Opening of New Schools

Phasing out of existing schools

Resource Allocation

Environmental Mapping

Methodological Stages in the Preparation of the Detailed School Mapping

C. School Site Development Plan/Planning

A schools site is one of the factors that can either enhance or hinder the implementation of
its instructional and non-instructional programs. The site is also one of the factors that can
determine how useful a school plant can be to the members if the local community.
Minimum Standard Requirement for School Sites (Elementary)

Alternatives

Mode of Acquisition
o Purchase
o Donation
o Contract of Usufruct
o Expropriation
o Barter or Exchange
o Presidential Proclamation
o Gratuitous Conveyance
School Site Development-Its main function is to show the school site in its present status and
the current program period.
o Principles in the Preparation of the Site Development Plan- all physical structures
with similar functions shall be grouped together.
o Layout of Buildings and Other Structures-is critical in preparing the Site
Development Plan. School buildings shall be oriented in accordance with the sun path
or the east-west course of the sun during the day.

o 3. Arrangement of Buildings-Buildings shall be arranged to facilitate cross

ventilation.
o 4. Site Limitations. When there are site limitations, such as the unfavorable area
and/or shape of the site, prevent the proper solar orientation of buildings, economical
alternatives shall be resorted to. For example, trees near the building are effective for
minimizing the direct entry of sunlight into instructional spaces.
o 5. Acoustic Barriers. Plant tree and shrub barriers between building and street, if
feasible. Trees and shrubs between the buildings and street will serve as acoustic
barriers.
o 6. Sun Path. Study variations in the sun path between June 21 and December 21,
especially at 12:00 oclock noon must be noted as lower latitude sites get more sun on
the north side on June 21.
o 7. Local Wind Patterns. Cross Ventilation. If available, request from PAGASA, or
any agency, specific monthly rose wind diagram or monthly wind patterns for a
particular site or region.
o 8. Sun screens- It may be necessary to design temporary or permanent sun shade
elements
o 9. The distances between buildings shall be such that ventilation is not obstructed,
natural illumination is not impeded and sound does not carry into nearby buildings.
8M
o 10. The recommended setback of the school from the street line is five (5) meters to
sufficiently reduce intrusive sound.
o 11. There should be provision for open space in each school with an area big enough
to hold the total population of the school. This shall serve as temporary evacuation
site in cases of emergencies
Site Development Planning
1. Procedure in Site Development Planning
a. The plan shall be drawn on a tracing paper measuring 500 mm x 750 mm.
Any white sheet of paper maytemporarily be used.
b. It shall be drawn to a scale as follows: 1:500 for sites of two (2) hectares or
less, and 1:1,000 sites of more than one hectare.
c. The following technical description shall be indicated on the plan:
(1) Bearings of the property line
(2) Distances between corners
(3) Boundaries of the lot
d. The plan shall show:
(1) The direction of the North
(2) Relative position of existing features in the site such as creeks,
large trees, etc. which shall be allowed to remain
(3) The relative positions and description of existing buildings and
structures
(4) Relative position of existing circulation elements and hazardous
areas. Open spaces as temporary evacuation sites.
(5) Contour lines if possible
(6) The present and future needs of the school in terms of school
buildings/classrooms
e. Existing structures such as buildings, walk, playground, etc. shall be clearly
shown in solid lines and the proposed structures drawn in broken lines.
f. At the bottom of the plan is a title block bearing the following information:
(1) Name and address of the school
(2) The official who prepared the plan

Names and signatures of recommending and approving official

Example:

External Areas in School:

Agricultural Area

Playground Area

Athletic field

School Site Beautification:

School Gate

School Fence

Flagpole

Signboard

Minimum Standards for Instructional and Administrative Spaces for Preschools

Preschool education is recognized as a stage where early childhood development has long been felt. The
present standards for preschool education consider the child, the teacher and the school with the support of the family
in maximizing the childs potentials and his capacity for learning.
Nursery (Pre-Kindergarten)
Nursery is the level of education below kindergarten, the admission age for which is at least three (3) years
but not more than four (4) years old. As stated in MEC Order No. 24, s. 1978 dated July 26, 1978 the following
standards for the organization and operation of Nursery classes are required:
Class Size maximum of 15 children to a class

Class hours 2 hours daily

Physical Structure floor area of at least 7m x 9m in a 500 to 1,000 square meters lot
a. Toilet and washing facilities must be adequate enough to serve the number of enrollees.
b. Hazards to safety of small children must be looked into such as wells, diggings, stairways, pools, electric
installations, etc. to minimize or eliminate accidents
c. Activity Centers
Listening/Speaking and Acting area
Reading corner
Housekeeping area
Aesthetic Center
Work area
Health/Cleanliness area
Playground
School Site (for Kindergarten only)
DECS Order No. 107 s., 1989 dated November 10, 1989 stated the Standards for the Organization and
Operation of Preschools (Kindergarten Level). These are:
Min. lot area 500 square meters (sq. m.)
(for not more than 4 classes) classroom 140 sq. m. (min) playground 360 sq. m.
Equipment
a. Playground and Garden
b. Classroom Equipment and Fixtures
Health Facilities and Provisions for Safety
At least one (1) toilet seat
First aid kits must be available
A rest area
Proper and adequate lighting and ventilation
there should be natural and electric lighting
for a 7 x 9 classroom, at least two (2) 40 watt fluorescent lamps and one (1)wide window
* Electric fans to allow cross ventilation.
Activity Centers or areas which may contain the following or their equivalent:
* Personal Care and Grooming
mirror, comb, towel, toothbrush, soap, toiletries, etc.
* House and Garden Care
garden tools (shovel, spade, pails, sprinklers, sandtable, cleaning tools, etc.)
* Communication Skills Corner
books (two books per child) story books, science/nature books, Filipiniana, etc.

* Sensory-Perceptual and Numeracy Skills Corner

Science and Mathematics Corner(counters, beads, number cards, nature tables, etc.)
Motor and Creative Development Corner
percussion instruments (bamboo castanets, coconut maracas), tambourine, tape recorder or phonograph
DepED Order No. 93, S. 2009 (September 10, 2009) PreSchool Building Program, prescribes the
Classroom and Furniture Design for Pre-school (including floor plan and furniture designs).

Conclusion
Physical Facilities refers to a detailed physical structures of a school.
It provide the learning centers a most conducive to effective teaching and learning.
It deals with the future status of a school, for upgrading, for closure or for creation of
new school.
It guides an individual who wish to have his own school.

Recommendation
I recommend to have a further readings about the topic.
I recommend to focus on the other grade levels physical environment to have a
comparison.
I recommend to have an updated Physical Facilities Manual if possible.
I recommend to have a school visit to see and check the physical appearance of a
school.

Reference: