Central Visayas needs over 1,000 classrooms to accommodate the growing number of students in the coming schoolyear.
Department of Education regional director Carolino Mordeno said that 1,000 classrooms for high school students and 500 classrooms for grade school pupils are needed in the region.
He said that there is an expected 1.2 million students or a two-percent increase in school population in the next schoolyear so that more classrooms are needed for the opening of classes next month.
Also, the teacher-to-student ratio of 1:50 indicates overcrowding so that they have to come up with a ratio target of 1:45.
An appropriation of P2 billion for classrooms is part of the national government’s 2007 budget, Mordeno said.
Although the beneficiary schools were already identified under DepEd’s School Building Program, Mordeno said they will review the list and conduct inspections to ensure that only those who need the classrooms will be given priority.
They will base their decision on school population records in the basic education information system.
Another problem that they aim to address in the coming schoolyear is the delay in the implementation of the projects. Since most of construction works started late, prices of supplies and materials have eventually increased prompting contractors to withdraw from the agreements.
With DepEd implementing half of the construction projects starting this year, Mordeno said they will strive to hasten the completion of the facilities.
According to DepEd-7 records, schools under the priority listing or SBP 2004 have not been implemented yet.
It includes 25 new schools for both elementary and high school in Cebu’s first district, 17 each for the second and third districts, 21 for the fourth district, 15 for the fifth district, and five for the sixth district.
The new structures including the repair of 28 others are worth P50.558 million.
Mordeno said that the problem on lack of classrooms will also be addressed with the help of different non-government organizations, which have helped with the Brigada Eskwela aside from donating funds for the construction of new classrooms.
He said that dilapidated classrooms have been repaired and cleaned up through the Brigada Eskwela, one of DepEd’s projects to prepare schools for the school opening. — Jasmin R. Uy/MEEV