Differences Between Private and Public School

Teachers in both public and private institution differ in many aspects.  Certain aspects have been used in comparing and contrasting in both areas such as the class size. On the other hand, the availability of instructional materials utilize by the teachers was also included on this matter. Hence, differences and similarities are discussed on these two perspectives.

1. Class size or population 

Class size is one of the major differences between public schools and private schools. The class size in urban public schools can be as large as 50-70 students (or more) while most private schools keep their class sizes closer to an average of 25-40 students, depending on the school. Blythe Grossberg (2017) opines that it is important to note that some schools will publicize a student to teacher ratio, in addition to, or sometimes in place of, an average classroom size. The student to teacher ratio is not the same as the average classroom size, as the ratio often includes part-time teachers who may serve as tutors or substitutes, and sometimes the ratio even includes non-teaching faculty (administrators, coaches, dorm parents) who are part of students' daily lives outside the classroom.

2. Availability of Instructional Materials 

                                          

Second, the availability of teaching or instructional materials does matter on the quality of education that teachers can provide and students can receive. In the Philippine education, advanced and high-end instructional materials, especially technologies, are mostly not available to all public schools throughout the archipelago. While in metro cities, public school students enjoyed using those technologies in learning, schools in remote areas and isolated parts of the country are still into traditional methods. Meanwhile, most of the big private institutions were able to acquire those latest educational technologies used in classroom instruction because private institutions can finance themselves in purchasing those tools while public schools merely rely on the government or any sponsoring agencies in acquiring those tools.

3. Teacher's Salary 

                                                   

Lastly, in the compensation that teachers received monthly does differ as well in the two categories. It is expected that teachers in most private schools received lower compensation compared to teachers in public schools. At some point, salaries in public schools depend on the educational attainment attained by teachers through post-graduate studies level and greater benefits await them in the future such as health insurance and pension which the private schools cannot match with.

Concisely, to be a teacher requires a great sacrifice. For most fresh graduates who dwell in private institutions to gain experience before settling down to public schools, we must value every experience we had as teachers regardless if we are in the public or private school since we are here for the transformation of the society. We are called to instill lifelong learning, starting from the simplest knowledge and goes beyond to the most complex. Those sophisticated tools in learning are just extra add-ons in learning but what is the most essential is our presence and the way how our learners or students feel every time that they enter the school.

References

Grossberg, B. (n.d.). Public vs. private schools: 5 major differences.

          Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/major-differences-between-public-and-

          private-2773898

Odiya, J.P. (2009). Availability and use of instructional materials in the teaching.

           Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10570/1690