DepEd addresses perennial school opening woes
San Jose, Antique -- The usual classroom, textbook and teacher shortages that accompany any school opening in the country is expected to be a thing of the past as the government included these perennial problem among its priority concerns this year.
In a status report on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's priority projects and concerns released last Tuesday, Cabinet Secretary Ricardo Saludo said a total of 412,707 classrooms are now ready for use in the coming school year.
Classroom shortage in Antique is not a problem, because of the implementation of the Third Elementary Education Program (TEEP) and the Secondary Education Development and Improvement Program (SEDIP) disclosed Victor de Gracia, Asst. Schools Division Superintendent.
The province is a recipient of the multi-million TEEP and SEDIP projects, with the former already completed and the latter still on going up to March 2008.
These major projects de Gracia said have various components that would address not only the perennial school opening woes, but a more comprehensive coverage to ensure quality education. Among these components are school buildings/classrooms, library, Home Economics building, industrial arts building, Science Laboratory, Faculty rooms, water supply and toilets. Included also are trainings for teachers, teaching materials/textbooks and other important needs.
Eng'r. Antonio M. Sta. Maria, SEDIP Consultant of the Department of Education here, said that as of May this year 77 Secondary schools were already completed, another 17 schools are under construction to be completed this year 2007.
There are still 39 schools to be included in the SEDIP project, making a total of 133 secondary schools all in all. The funding sources are the Japan Bank for International Corporation (JBIC) - P140 million, the Government of the Philippines - P70 million, and P70 million equity of the Division of Antique generated from the Office of the Congressman with the biggest equity from Provincial Government and the local government units, Sta. Maria added.
(PIA)