ATTENDANCE AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN DOUBLE-SHIFT CLASSES: IMPLICATIONS TO GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING

The study was undertaken to determine the effect of double-shift classes on attendance and academic performance of junior high school students in a national high school and the common problems and reasons for cutting classes of students in the double-shift class. A test on the significant difference on the academic performance and attendance of students attending traditional and double-shift classes and students attending morning session and afternoon session was also conducted. This study utilized the descriptive method of research through the survey questionnaire to gather pertinent data. Records were obtained from the Educational Management Information System (EMIS), guidance office, and class advisers. The study involved 1200 junior high school students. Computer generated random sampling were applied to determine the 600 participants from selected sections of grade 7 to 9 enrolled in traditional classes and another 600 participants from double-shift classes. Results revealed that there were more male students enrolled in the three grade levels in the junior high school program. In terms of academic performance, junior high school students enrolled in the traditional classes have higher grade weighted average (GWA) than those students enrolled in the double-shift classes. Absenteeism is also more rampant in the double-shift classes compared with the traditional classes. Factors affecting academic performance in double-shift classes were the lack of time to clean the classrooms before the afternoon session commences, noisy classroom, lack of enough time to review for the next subject, and lack of free period to conduct library research or group discussion. Factors affecting attendance were transportation, proximity (distance) of home to school, and peer influence (pressure). Students were found to classes because of boredom and difficulty in class and the too many tasks at home. There was no significant difference on the academic performance and attendance of the junior high school students in double-shift and traditional classes. The academic performance and attendance of the students in the morning shift is just the same with the academic performance of students in the afternoon shift. However, junior high school students enrolled in the traditional classes performed better than those enrolled in the double-shift classes.