Australia turns over classrooms to Jolo schools

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Australian government formally handed over the 24 newly rehabilitated classrooms to 6 public elementary schools in Jolo, Sulu, early this week, according to officials.

The 24 newly rehabilitated classrooms were funded by the Australian government under its Basic Education Assistance for Muslim -Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM) to help alleviate poverty and peace in the region, according to Kevin Corbin, BEAM-ARMM program director.

The new classrooms, formally turned over Monday to the Department of Education (DepEd) ARMM Districts of Sulu division, can accommodate more than 5,000 school children in the next 3 years was part of the Australian government commitment under the BEAM-ARMM program to provide children in the region access to education.

The public schools that benefited from the program include Bakud Elementary School (BES), Hji. Gulamu Rasul, Hji. Hassiman, Hja. Taiba Abubakar Shuck, Tanjung and Jati Elementary Schools, all in the four Jolo DepEd-ARMM Division of Sulu.

Corbin said the project is also in support of President Aquino’s thrust of investing in the Filipino people, specially in the Muslim region, that used to be described as the poorest in the country that was rigged by corruption under previous administrations.

“The program is designed to contribute to the alleviation of poverty and the emergence of peace in ARMM through targeted investments in basic education,” he said.

Corbin said the the newly-rehabilitated classrooms also aims to reduce the high classroom-to-student ratio to a more manageable level.

Atty. Jamar Kulayan, DepED-ARMM secretary, said that the ARMM regional government is doing its best to upgrade the facilities of all schools in the region.

Kulayan, who led the ARMM government in the turn over, said that aside from repairing the classrooms, DepEd-ARMM will be providing the province of Sulu with 1,340 chalkboards through its “Pisara ng Pagbabago Program.”

He shared that DepED-ARMM is putting up a division library and Instructional Materials Development Center (IMDC) here where teachers can easily access lesson plans, workbooks and other reference materials, which will be provided by BEAM-ARMM.

“The IMDC shall be equipped with computers, internet connection, and photocopiers,” said Kulayan.

BEAM-ARMM will also construct 60 more classrooms in Sulu in the next few months to augment the number of classrooms in the province.