DepEd blames DPWH priority shift for lack of classrooms

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) in Central Luzon has blamed the shift in the priorities of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to building roads that has caused the delay in the completion of some 73 more classrooms in the region.

“The construction (of schools) has been rather slow because the DPWH’s priority is on roads and bridges,” said DepEd Central Luzon regional director Beatriz Torno in a forum with the Pampanga Press Club here.

She said that because of this, many schools remain under a two-shift system wherein two different classes are held per day, one class in the morning and another in the afternoon sharing the same room.

“At least, this is more acceptable than Metro Manila, where a room is shared by three classes,” she said.

Torno noted, however, that there is no shortage of teachers in Central Luzon and that the ratio of one teacher per 35 students has already been achieved.

At the beginning of this school year last June, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said DepED was addressing the shortage in classrooms, and that some 85,000 classrooms were expected to be added this year.?Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio of ACT Teachers said the government has failed in the construction of nearly 82,000 classrooms.

Education Undersecretary for Planning and Field Operations Jesus Lorenzo Mateo said, however, that currently, there is a classroom for every 45 students.

Latest DepEd figures indicate that this school year, 22 million students enrolled in public schools and four  million in private schools.?In public schools, 2.2 million were kindergarten pupils, 12.2 million elementary students, 6.4 million junior high school (Grades 7 to 10) students and 1.3 million senior high school (Grades 11 and 12) students.?In private schools, 243,818 were enrolled in kindergarten, 1.2 million in elementary, 1.3 million in junior high school and 1.2 million in senior high school.?The DepEd said 149,614 junior and senior high school students in the technical and vocational (tech-voc) track will go to state universities and colleges and to local universities and colleges; while 641,584 are enrolled in the Alternative Learning System or ALS.?