DepEd to prioritize building of classrooms in disaster-prone areas

The Manila Times

DepEd to prioritize building of classrooms in disaster-prone areas   Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas, concurrent deputy spokesman, said that they will prioritize the construction of classrooms in areas heavily affected by natural disasters. Over P10 billion from the proposed 2024 national budget will be used to build 7,000 classrooms. Around 24.6 million students are enrolled, but more are expected to come in as some schools are taking a while to submit their figures.   VIDEO AND INTERVIEW BY EZRAH RAYA  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net  Follow us: Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion  Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital  Check out our Podcasts: Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer Stitcher: https://tmt.ph/stitcher Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein  #TheManilaTimes #DailyNews #DepEd #Building #Classrooms #Budget

Transcript

00:00 I'm Ezra Raya and this is the Manila Times.

00:03 In the midst of several issues surrounding the education sector,

00:06 a new school year has begun.

00:09 The Department of Education has reported a drop in the number of enrollees for school year 2023 to 2024.

00:17 Meanwhile, the department is also dealing with an accumulated shortage of classrooms at 159,000.

00:24 This school year, the government is set to test the new decongested K-10 program

00:29 or the Matatag curriculum.

00:31 All while the DepEd is being investigated by the Commission on Audit.

00:35 And of course, the ongoing turf war between city governments of Makati and Taguig.

00:40 The department has stepped in to mediate the transition, affecting around 45,000 students.

00:46 Now, these learners have received their complete school supplies

00:50 and some of them even received both from Makati and Taguig city governments.

00:55 Here with us today is Department of Education Assistant Secretary and Deputy Spokesperson,

01:01 Francis Bringas.

01:02 Welcome to the Manila Times, Asek.

01:04 Asek, tell us how did the opening of classes go

01:08 and what is the current number of students enrolled nationwide?

01:11 Well, generally, our opening of classes yesterday was smooth and orderly,

01:18 except for some areas where we have weather in advance.

01:21 So the schools had to adopt alternative deliverables.

01:25 Most of these areas in the northern part of Luzon,

01:29 some in the southern part of Luzon, and in the Visayas region.

01:34 But generally, it went well and all our 24 million,

01:39 more than 24 million for both public and private schools,

01:42 trooped to our schools yesterday.

01:45 That's more than 24 million enrollees.

01:49 Just like what Usec said, there are late enrollees.

01:53 So, Asek, is there a drop in the number of enrollees?

01:58 Because I remember the department said they were expecting around 28 million students,

02:03 but now we are up to more than 24 million.

02:06 What factors can this drop be attributed to?

02:10 And that is for all the levels.

02:13 We have public, private, local universities and colleges.

02:19 We have the state universities and colleges, including our alternative learning system.

02:23 But as of today, since we only have 24 plus million,

02:27 we are looking at it as the schools have not yet completely uploaded their data

02:32 to our learner information system,

02:34 because the number that we are releasing are actually coming from the consolidated number

02:38 from our centrally managed learner information system.

02:42 And it takes some time for our schools to really upload the complete enrollment data,

02:47 considering that this is online as well.

02:49 And considering also that we are still accommodating late enrollees.

02:54 So within the week or in the next week, we will be expecting an increase in the number.

02:58 So Asek, it's too early to tell, to say that there is a drop in enrollees.

03:03 So it will be until next week.

03:05 On another question, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said

03:12 the proposed P758 billion budget for DEP-ED for 2024 is not sufficient.

03:17 So how much will be the sufficient budget for DEP-ED

03:22 and how much of this budget will be dedicated to the building of classroom?

03:26 Because as you know, there is a current shortage of 159,000 classrooms.

03:31 Yeah, we recognize the current shortage of classrooms that we have.

03:35 But in the budget that we have proposed to the Department of Budget and Management,

03:40 we actually have a higher budget that we propose.

03:43 But the NEP that came back to us is that amount that you mentioned, around P758 billion.

03:49 But we also have another wish list, which we are again submitting

03:53 to Congress and the DBM actually for consideration.

03:57 But with the approved NEP for the department, around P10 billion plus will be allotted for

04:04 new construction of classrooms and that is only good for over 7,000 classrooms nationwide.

04:10 So definitely in the short term or in the midterm,

04:14 we will not be able to meet all these backlogs in our classrooms.

04:18 But as mentioned by the Secretary in the budget hearing earlier,

04:21 because we cannot be assured of this in the midterms, we are looking at exploring and

04:27 pursuing really a two-track of our delivery of our curriculum that is using the traditional

04:33 way and then exploring and going into the digital and technology-enabled delivery of our curriculum.

04:41 So we are going to institutionalize blended learning starting this school year.

04:45 That's good to hear, Asek.

04:47 So which areas or which regions are you looking at to build those initial 7,000 classrooms?

04:55 Well, we have a priority listing in the department.

04:59 It's actually a long list that we have.

05:01 But given the fact that we have been ravaged by so many climatic disasters and typhoons and so on,

05:09 we are really prioritizing those areas that are heavily affected by these natural disasters,

05:14 including those schools whose classrooms are still makeshift or non-standard classrooms,

05:20 because our aim is to be able to put a standard classroom in all these areas

05:25 so that we will be able to provide our learners a roof and not only temporary learning spaces,

05:32 but standard classrooms.

05:33 So we have a priority listing that we have with our strand that takes care of our

05:38 school infrastructure and facilities.

05:40 So will Bulacan be part of this priority list?

05:44 Because currently they're still flooded and some reports would say that they are taking shifts

05:49 in their classes.

05:52 Yes, definitely Bulacan is part of the priority because of the current flooding that we had,

05:57 but they will be categorized under the rehabilitation and repair,

06:00 specifically major rehabilitation or major repairs of classrooms.

06:05 And that is outside the 10 billion fund that I mentioned earlier,

06:09 because our basic education facilities fund covers new construction,

06:13 major repairs, Gabaldon buildings, and Las Mal schools.

06:19 Yes, sir. Lastly, for Makati and Taguig, now that the school supplies have been distributed

06:26 and DepEd have mediated between the two local governments and all students have begun their

06:31 classes, will the DepEd move to buy or rent these 14 schools from under Makati City government

06:38 for an official transition to Taguig?

06:40 For actions like that, that entails a budget allocation,

06:46 presently in our proposed 2024 budget, we don't have a line item for renting,

06:50 listing, or buying private properties or private schools that have closed to accommodate our

06:55 public schools. But that is also a direction that we are looking at in the long term.

07:00 So we will consider that and then we will also see the viability of such

07:04 proposals if there are going to be some proposals to that matter.

07:10 Alright, lastly sir, will there be additional budget to monitor sexual harassment and grooming

07:20 in some schools that have been reported?

07:23 Our budget for activities like those or programs that are supportive of

07:28 activities like those are actually lodged in our Bureau of Learner Support Services,

07:35 which is under the operations trend and it covers the offices of the Learner Rights and

07:41 Protection Office, we have youth development programs or youth formation division,

07:46 and other support services that are related to health issues and bullying, harassment,

07:55 child abuse and the like. So they are incorporated or integrated in our

07:59 Bureau of Learner Support Services allocation.

08:03 Another one, sir. For the school calendar, so a lot of before we moved the school calendar to

08:11 August, given the amount of typhoons that goes through the Philippines by the time of June or

08:17 July, so now the concern is it's hot every May, which is the summer time. So is the department

08:26 looking to adjust the school calendar for this school year?

08:31 We are not yet looking positively at a June opening for next school year, of course,

08:37 because our current school year, which opened yesterday, will end in June 14.

08:41 So we cannot sacrifice the two-month vacation for learners and for teachers as well,

08:46 just to be able to open in June next year for 2024-2025. Although we have already explored

08:52 the possibility of transitioning gradually into a June opening, because we are trying to consider

08:59 all factors aside from climatic conditions, we are also considering factors as benefits of teachers

09:04 for the two-month proportional vacation pay that is after every school year. And we are also looking

09:10 into budget allocation or budget availability, given the fiscal space that we have, budget

09:17 availability for possible payment of overtime pay, if ever we are going to shorten the entitlement

09:24 of two-month vacation for teachers. Thank you so much for that. Department

09:28 of Education's Assistant Secretary and Deputy Spokesperson Francis Bringas.

09:33 Maraming salamat po, Aze. Maraming salamat, Ezra.

09:37 Thank you.

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