League of Cities supports senior high school implementation

MANILA, Philippines - The League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) has pledged to support the implementation of the additional two-year senior high school scheme under the government’s K to 12 program.

The LCP, headed by Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, yesterday led the signing of the commitment and support to the program during its general assembly in Quezon City.

Department of Education (DepEd) SecretaryArmin Luistro, who attended the event, urged local officials to work “in tandem” with the national government in the implementation of the senior high school.

Luistro also urged local executives to ensure that all school-age children are attending school.

“We could not have achieved and accomplished anything without the help of the local government,” he said. “We are at the last mile in education reform. I hope that cities are the first ones to reach the finish line.”

Luistro said the country will need around 30,000 additional classrooms once the program is fully implemented by 2017.

During his speech, Luistro said they are finalizing the list of senior high schools in every city, adding that even the smallest municipality will have its own senior high school.

Luistro has assured the public that the budget for the construction of the new classrooms has been appropriated, saying funding for the first 10,000 classrooms was included in the department’s 2014 budget.

He said DepEd also expects Congress to approve the funding for the remaining 20,000 classrooms in the 2015 budget.

Luistro said the additional classrooms would be used by the projected 650,000 students per level who will enrol in Grades 11 and 12 in 2016 and 2017.

Last month Luistro issued a department order for the inventory of all public school buildings starting Dec. 1.

He said the inventory is necessary “to establish accurate and comprehensive data on school buildings in all public elementary and secondary schools.”