Private sector investment in the public school system has reached P5.8 billion in October 2012, up from P3.4 billion in 2011, the Department of Education (DepEd) revealed on Wednesday.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that the bulk of donation is in the form of school buildings amounting to P1.7 billion which translates to 3,184 classrooms.

“We are indebted to our private sector partners who continue to invest in education knowing fully well its power to transform the lives of many Filipinos,” Luistro said.

DepEd feted its education partners through simple recognition rite for the private sector, non-government organizations and individuals at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan, DepEd Central Office yesterday.

Under DepEd’s Adopt-A-School program, private corporations and individual donors are invited to donate to public schools to bridge education resource gaps. In exchange, donors can avail of tax rebate from the government.

According to Luistro, not all donors avail of tax incentives.

“This proves that their bigger motivation is to give back to society,” he added.

Some of the support provided by the private sector to public schools are classrooms, furniture, infrastructure including toilets, hand washing facilities, school stage, fence and drainage system, feeding program, computers and technology support, school supplies, training and development, health and nutrition, direct assistance to students and teachers, reading program, and DepEd-GASTPE scholarship grants.

“We believe that donors continue to give to DepEd because they are confident that their donation will be put to good use,” the DepEd chief said.