CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter provides a review of the relevant literature on the effects of double

shifting of classes on students’ academic performance. It aims to provide a

comprehensive understanding of the research conducted in this area, identify key

findings, and highlight knowledge gaps. The review will concentrate on studies related

to the double-shift system, and factors affecting academic performance in a double-shift

system.

Double-shift system

The Double shift system is defined by UNESCO-IIEP (2008) as schools cater for

two entirely separate groups of pupils during a school day. The first group of pupils

usually attends school from early morning until mid-day, and the second group usually

attends from mid-day to late afternoon. The double-shift system in the Philippine

education was introduced through the Department of Education order (DO) No. 62,

series (s). 2004 and was reiterated in DO NO. 54 s. 2008, with the aim of (A)

addressing the classroom shortage and (B) reducing class sizes. By dividing the

students into the morning (7:15 am to 12:30 pm) and afternoon groups (12:30 pm to

5:30 pm), it allows schools to accommodate more students without requiring additional

classrooms (Bray, 2008). However, classroom shortages are still rampant even with the

implementation of the double-shift policy, as the number of enrollments is steadily rising

each year.
 Classroom shortage is a significant problem for the educational institutions in the

Philippines, especially with the implementation of K-12 programs (Gumarang Jr. &

Gumarang, 2021). The lack of suitable classrooms poses a challenge to schools,

affecting the quality of teaching and the learning environment (Kombo and Yagin, 2009).

The purpose of this review is to explore various aspects such as the impact of

classroom shortages on teaching strategies, student experience and overall quality of

education. 

Instructional strategies and impact on student experience

In a case study conducted by Combo and Yagin (n.d), one elementary school

encountered classroom unavailability, which led to her temporary introduction of two

shifts. This study explored student and parent perspectives on dual tuition. While most

students rated the lessons positively and saw benefits such as longer rest and recovery

time, parents expressed concern about the short contact time for each subject.

However, Santoro’s (2017) study demonstrated the ability of 5 th grade English teachers

to use productive teaching strategies despite the absence of desks. Teachers

encouraged student interaction by constantly changing seating arrangements to ensure

an engaging learning environment and emphasized the importance of adaptability to

overcome classroom limitations. 

 
Identification of problems in the education system: 

Gumarang Jr. and Gumarang (2021) identified several problems in the Philippine

education system, such as overcrowding of classrooms, allocation of teachers to non-

specialized subjects, and poor quality of education. These issues compound the

challenges associated with class shortages.

Approaches to overcome the classroom shortage

To address class shortages and streamline course planning, Combo and Yagin

(undated) proposed his two-step approach utilizing particle swarm optimization (PSO)

and integer linear programming (ILP). Bottom. Her research aimed at minimizing

conflicts and creating schedules with optimal use of space. The results showed that the

PSO-ILP approach provided a more optimal schedule in terms of conflict minimization

and space utilization compared to another approach using simulated annealing and

steepest descent. Lack of classroom space remains a major problem in the Philippine

education system, affecting teaching strategies, student experience and overall quality

of education. Temporary solutions, such as two-shift sessions, may have some

advantages, but also raise concerns about reduced subject contact time. Moreover,

addressing the underlying problems of the education system, such as overcrowding and

teacher staffing, is critical to improving the quality of education. Innovative approaches,

such as the PSO-ILP method proposed by Combo and Yagin, offer promising strategies

for optimizing course schedules, maximizing space utilization, and have the potential to

mitigate the impact of classroom shortages. Provide a solution. 

Identification of Problems in the Education System

Gumarang Jr. & Gumarang (2021) identified several problems in the Philippine

education system, including overcrowded classrooms, teachers being assigned to

subjects outside their expertise, and poor quality in instruction. These issues further

contribute to the challenges associated with classroom shortage.

Approaches to Address Classroom Shortage

In an attempt to address classroom shortage and optimize course scheduling,

Combo & Yagin (n.d.) proposed a two-phased approach utilizing Particle Swarm

Optimization (PSO) and Integer Linear Programming (ILP). Their research aimed to

generate schedules with minimized conflicts and optimized room utilization. The results

indicated that the PSO-ILP approach produced more optimal schedules compared to

another approach utilizing Simulated Annealing and Steepest Descent, in terms of

conflict minimization and room utilization.

Classroom shortage remains a significant concern in the Philippine education

system, impacting teaching strategies, student experiences, and overall educational

quality. While temporary solutions such as double-shift sessions can offer some

benefits, they also raise concerns about reduced contact time for subjects. Additionally,

addressing the underlying problems in the education system, including overcrowding

and teacher assignments, is crucial for improving the quality of education. Innovative

approaches such as the PSO-ILP method proposed by Combo & Yagin (n.d.) provide
promising strategies to optimize course scheduling and maximize room utilization,

offering potential solutions to alleviate the impact of classroom shortage. 

Contact time

The contact time between teachers and students has become a major factor

affecting the students academic performance. A study by Kurebwa & Lumbe (2015)

investigated the challenges of double shifting in Gweru Urban Primary schools. They’ve

found that 100% of the interviewed teachers expressed that contact time posed a great

challenge with double shifting in Gweru Urban schools. Teachers emphasized that they

could not cover all the curriculum subjects with the given time frame. Furthermore,

teachers revealed that some of the subjects were hurriedly taught, resulting to some

students struggling to understand the lessons.

Dual-shift schools enable more children to attend school, but results on children's

achievement in dual-shift schools are inconsistent, with some countries has been

criticized because it is hampered by reduced teaching hours (UNESCO Education for

All Global monitoring Report,2010). However, due to different circumstances and scarce

resources, such policies may be temporarily necessary to ensure education for all. In

such scenarios, policy effectiveness depends on efficient management and

implementation of the system (Bray, 2008). Claudia P. O. R. (2018) did a quasi-

experimental study on how shifting school shifts affects students' performance in

disciplines such as Quantitative Reasoning, Science, and Reading. To assure

comparable groups, they employed a research strategy known as Propensity Score

Matching.

The data came from schools with varying shifts: single shift schools (Full-time,

Morning, or Afternoon) served as controls, and double shift schools (serving different

pupils in both Morning and Afternoon shifts) served as the experimental group. Data

was gathered using national databases and standardized assessments. When

compared to children in single shift schools, students in double shift schools improved

by 2% to 6% in Quantitative Reasoning, 1% to 5% in Science, and 1% to 6% in Critical

Reading. Test results in single-shift schools were lower.

In conclusion, the amount of contact time between teachers and students has

emerged as a significant factor influencing students' academic performance. The study

of Kurebwe & Lumbe (2015) revealed that students are having a hard time to grasp the

lessons because teachers can’t cover all the subjects with the limited time frame. But on

the contrary, a quasi-experimental study by Claudia P. O. R. (2018) showed that

students in double shift schools has higher results in Quantitative reasoning, Science,

and Critical Reading compared to students in single shift schools.

Sleep quality

Raposo et al. (2023) states that school shifting can affect the sleeping time of

students and their academic performance particularly the 6th and 7th graders of public

schools in the city of Recife, Brazil. The study demonstrates that students who shifted

from morning to afternoon benefited from an improvement in Portuguese test scores of

up to 13.51 points and that the opposite change, from afternoon to morning, causes a

drop in the performance of up to 11.88 points. The study shows that school shift change

causes a modification in the adolescents’ waking and sleeping time habits and that the

quality of sleep appears as one of the main mechanisms explaining the relationship

between sleep and academic performance. Studies demonstrate that in Brazilian high

school students frequency of short sleep was lowest in the afternoon shift and highest in

the morning shift and full-day students (Felden et al., 2016; Alves et al., 2020).

Currently, double-shift schooling systems where two populations of students are

divided into morning and afternoon blocks are used in over 45 nations across the five

major continents. "Double-shift schooling and student success: Quasi-experimental

evidence from Europe" is the title of research by Lusher & Yasenov (2015) that

investigates if there is a decline in student performance, particularly in the afternoon

shift. From 2008 to 2014, the researchers concentrated on a group of middle and high

school students. Each student was given a cohort depending on their academic

interests. Additionally, the students were required to attend lessons with others from

their cohort by the researchers.

Moreover, the data gathered comprised a complete list of raw, pen-to-paper

grades received on all homework, quiz, and exam assignments. Each assignment

received one of five integer grades, ranging from 2 (lowest) to 6. Raw grades were not

curved or edited upon being graded. 3 Grades are normalized to a mean of zero and a
standard deviation of one within a class, 4 where class is defined as a combination of a

course (e.g. 10th grade Biology for science cohort) and school year (e.g. 2009–

2010).During the time of their study, a doubleshift schooling system type was adopted

where pupils, by cohort, alternated between morning and afternoon blocks each

month.The schools' other features remained consistent. includes the professors and the

arrangement of courses within blocks who was the lecturer. Cohorts from high school

were divided into morning blocks, which lasted from 7:30 AM until 1:20 PM, during

September and the ‘‘even’’ months (October, December, February, April, and June),

while middle school cohorts attended the morning block in all remaining ‘‘odd’’ months

(November, January, March, and May). The results of the research show a small but

significant decline in students performance in the afternoon shift, with a projected 0.029

standard deviation loss in assignment grade.

In conclusion, the study by Lester Lusher and Vasil Yasenov contributes to the

discussion over policy and research on this issue and offers causal evidence of the

effect of double-shift education systems on student performance. The study contributes

to the expanding body of research on the trade-offs and difficulties involved in ensuring

that all students have access to a high-quality education

In conclusion, sleep quality research studies conducted by Raposo et al. (2023)

and Lusher & Yasenov (2015) highlighted that quality of sleep plays a crucial role to the

students academic performance in a double shift system. Where afternoon shift

students has lowest frequency of short sleep and has a decline in students academic

performance.

In the study titled “An investigation into the management implications of double‐

shift schooling in the Khomas Region in Namibia” the study found that the students

arrive at school feeling tired and exhausted. Additionally, studying and learning in the

afternoon during hot summer days becomes challenging for them. Their attention span

is short, making it difficult for the afternoon staff to maintain their focus during the

teaching and learning process. Many students also struggle to arrive on time for classes

as there is no one at home to remind them. As a result, they miss out on extracurricular

activities. The lack of socialization among teachers and students leads to a diminished

sense of belonging within the school community. Despite these negative experiences,

all three participants acknowledged that the academic performance of students in

double shifts is comparable to those in single shifts.

Both morning and afternoon teachers often express dissatisfaction with the

condition of the shared classrooms. The afternoon teachers frequently find the

classrooms dirty and untidy. Another issue highlighted by the findings is that teachers

complain about others tampering with their teaching aids, such as posters. The morning

shift teachers cannot leave their work on the chalkboard overnight because the

afternoon session needs to clean it for their own use, or vice versa. Mr. Tjeripo and Mrs.

Somerset also face difficulties in personally knowing all the students from both shifts

due to the large student population. This makes managing discipline more challenging.
 In the same study, one of the main issues with double-shift schooling is the

school equipment, including furniture and buildings, deteriorates rapidly. According to

the participants, maintaining the facilities becomes a major challenge. Since two

different groups of teachers and students use the facilities, they wear out more quickly

compared to schools with only one shift. Another problem is that the afternoon teachers

rarely have clean classrooms because cleaning is done in the afternoon after the

session. Mr. Tjeripo believed that the increased usage of the facilities leads to higher

maintenance costs and often requires replacing them earlier than usual.