NAGA CENTRAL SCHOOL I HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The “Escuela Comun” was the first school established in Naga which was instrumental in introducing another foreign tongue, English, in the educational system of the place. Located in front of the Naga Cathedral, it has for its main battery of teachers some American Soldiers.
In 1901, the Philippine Assembly in its first session approved the bill sponsored by Representative Isauro Gabaldon. Educators at that time tried their best to get a slice of the appropriation for their own respective communities. Mr. Frank L. Crone, a Thomasite, and Superintendent of Schools of Camarines Sur, got the lion share of the P 1 million which he used in the construction of the first school building in Naga sometime in 1909. Mr. Mariano Dy-Liacco, Sr. was the contractor of the main building of the Naga Central school which was completed between August and September 1911.
The “Escuela Comun” evolved into different names: The Naga Grammar School, Naga Elementary School, Naga Community School, and the Naga Central School I and Naga Central School II.
The first pupils of Naga Central School were those from the Escuela Comun. Through the years, Naga as a town became the center of education and commerce. People from far flung places of the province flocked to Naga for better education. Thus, the school population grew from the very few pupils and teachers at the beginning of its existence to its present population of sixty seven teachers and two thousand five hundred children. Credit can be attributed to the able management of the district supervisors and twenty seven school principals in succession who worked on the problems of accommodation and instruction to make Naga Central School what it is today.
The Naga Central School is a part of the Barangay Peñafrancia. Its buildings are sprawled over a 2,015 square meter area along Jacob Street and is bisected by Ocampo Street. The Naga Central School site is bounded on the Northeast and Southeast by the property of the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur, in the Southwest by the Colegio de Sta. Isabel and in the Northwest by property of private residents.
The Naga Central School I have produced prominent community leaders and professionals who excelled in their respective fields. Alumni who in there own way have contributed such in the making of Naga, “The Heart of Bicol”. The school has continuously committed to the government thrust toward the attainment of quality education.
With a burgeoning population of 2,908 pupils, the school has buildings that house 62 classes. Its teacher-pupil ratio of 1:45 in primary grades and 1:47 in the intermediate is fully staffed with 72 teachers.
In its objective of developing the holistic Filipino Youth, NCS I aimed to achieve varied academic and non-academic goals/skills in the field of education. It can be reckoned for exceptional recognition that has represented both the Division of City Schools and Region V in all subject areas including Sports Development, Campus Journalism and co-auricular/extra-curricular activities like scouting and PYAS. Support from different government agencies, in its approach to the educative process was also availed of. Thus series of pupils seminars, symposia and tours were ventured.
To better equip its staff, faculty development was also given preferential attention by the school administration under the leadership of its School Principal, Miss Francia D. Oporto. It has participated in the Expo ’98 Centennial Tour, a commemorative highlight for Philippine Centennial Year of Freedom. In service training, seminars trainor’s training.
Both academic and non-academic activities can never be realized in isolation by educators and so the PTA has done a very crucial role in the development. Under the leadership of the PTA president Dr. Romulo Nacional Sr. the school was able to solicit from Governor Luis R. Villafuerte for a new NACITEA Hall. The said building will be a two-story edifice which will be multi-purpose. The construction is still on-going up to this time and will be completed this coming school year.
Naga Central School I, the pioneer and biggest public elementary school in the City of Naga, with its record of achievements, regard with enthusiasm the challenge of the next millennium – to develop – pro-God, pro-people and pro environment youth of this community who are ready to care for the next generations after them, who adhere to peaceful, orderly, and progressive community, and who are ready to hold with valor and dignity the ensign of freedom and democracy of this nation.
