CLASSROOM shortage is expected to ease up in the provinces of Rizal and Bataan as well as in Tobaco City as their respective local government units have signed a memorandum of agreement with the Department of Education to build a total of 196 more classrooms this year.
The provincial government of Rizal through Governor Casimiro Ynares III has allocated over P172 million to build 129 classrooms in key priority areas in the province. Bataan, through Governor Enrique Garcia has committed some P43 million for 46 classrooms while Tobaco City Mayor Cielo Kristel Lagman-Luistro alloted P10 million to fund the construction of 21 classrooms in the city.
DepEd will match in equal amount the funding release of each LGU under the DepEd-LGU Counterparting for Classroom Construction Program.
Classroom shortage is a perennial problem in the Philippine public school system owing to the unabated population growth such that the department has to accommodate at least a million new entrants to public schools each year. The introduction of universal kindergarten in all public schools as part of the proposed K to 12 education reform program also resulted to the sharp demand for classrooms across the country.
“While we are challenged by the classroom shortage that needs to be addressed promptly, we are also buoyed by the increasing number of partners from the government and the private sector which help DepEd in steadily closing resource gaps in basic education,” said Education Secretary Armin Luistro.
Under the counter-parting program, the initial 50% of the building cost will come from participating LGUs which give priority to areas experiencing acute shortage. The release of DepEd’s 50 percent counter-part funds will be made upon receipt of certification from LGU’s that their 50% share has been fully spent and that the construction is 50% complete as certified by DepEd’s schools division superintendent.
DepEd early this year had signed a memorandum of agreement with the League of Cities, League of Municipalities and League of Provinces of the Philippines and the Department of Budget & Management for the implementation of the classroom construction counterparting scheme.
The DBM will assist the DepEd in identifying the appropriate funding sources under its budget and facilitate the release of allotment upon submission of required documents.
To date, DepEd has already signed an agreement with the LGUs of Camarines Sur, Albay, Dipolog City, Ligao City and Iligan City to build 570 additional classrooms.
