Enhancing School Efficiency through an Automated Class Scheduling and Academic Calendar Management System for Senior High and Tertiary Department at St. Clare College

Abstract

In educational institutions, the creation of class schedules is a complex and critical administrative task. The manual process currently employed at St. Clare College is time-consuming, prone to human error, and often results in conflicts such as double-booking of rooms and instructors, as well as uneven distribution of teaching loads. To address these challenges, this study aimed to develop the Automated Class Scheduling & Calendar Management System, a web-based application designed to streamline the academic scheduling process.
The system was developed using PHP for the backend, MySQL for database management, and JavaScript for dynamic frontend interactions. The core of the system utilizes a Heuristic-based Greedy Algorithm to automate schedule generation. This algorithm employs intelligent sorting strategies, such as grouping subjects by MWF/TTH patterns based on year level, and applies constraint satisfaction techniques to handle teacher preferences, room availability, and conflict detection. A key feature of the algorithm is its Load Balancing heuristic, which prioritizes teachers with the least workload to ensure an equitable distribution of teaching hours.
Testing and evaluation of the system demonstrated that it successfully eliminates 100% of scheduling conflicts and significantly reduces the time required to create the master schedule. The system provides a user-friendly interface that improves data accuracy and operational efficiency. The researchers conclude that the Automated Class Scheduling & Calendar Management System is a viable solution for modernizing the administrative operations of St. Clare College, offering a scalable and efficient alternative to manual scheduling methods.