DepEd: 673 schools still unable to start classes

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 700 schools have yet to open their doors to students due to the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon last week, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said yesterday.

Based on data released by the Department of Education (DepEd), 673 schools in four regions have yet to start classes due to the need to repair and prepare schools for classroom instruction after sustaining damage from Carina’s impact.

Most of the schools that have yet to open are in Central Luzon, one of the most heavily affected regions, with 356, followed by Metro Manila with 171, Ilocos region with 86 and Calabarzon with 60.

“The number has dropped to 600 from the initial number on Monday which was about 1,000 schools that postponed the opening of classes. So now it’s only 600,” Angara told reporters during the launch of the Brigada Pagbasa Partners Network in Mandaluyong City.

“I think (opened schools) are already at 99 percent. So the 600 that have yet to open represent about one percent,” he added.

Earlier, the DepEd anticipated some 47,000 public schools nationwide to officially open their classes last Monday.

While it did not specify whether floods or landslides caused the damage, the agency said that the cost required for reconstruction and rehabilitation is pegged at P630 million.

Some schools are also still being used as evacuation centers, according to the DepEd.

It also reminded schools to provide students instructional support should they be forced to stay in evacuation centers for one week or more during times of disasters.

To prevent prolonged onsite class disruptions during the rainy season, the education department also earlier asked local government units to no longer use public schools as evacuation centers during typhoons and other calamities.

While the DepEd only allows the use of schools as evacuation for a maximum of 15 days, some regional and division offices go past this moratorium at the request of local governments.

As of 2019, buildings being used for educational purposes had outnumbered actual structures dedicated to evacuees during natural calamities.