DepEd: Much more needs to be done

VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte yesterday said progress has been made in addressing problems in the basic education sector since last year but acknowledged much more needs to be done.

Duterte made the remarks during the presentation of the DepEd’s Basic Education Report 2024 in Pasay City.

During last year’s presentation of the Basic Education Report 2023, Duterte unveiled the Marcos administration’s MATATAG Agenda which aims to address challenges and issues in basic education, including inadequate resources and infrastructures in public schools.

Yesterday, Duterte said the DepEd has built a total of 3,637 new classrooms while 6,203 classrooms are currently under various stages of construction.

Another 811 classrooms are under various stages of procurement.

Duterte said by the end of the first semester of 2024, the DepEd hopes to complete the construction of 4,000 classrooms.

“We have made progress but clearly, this is not enough,” Duterte said, adding that DepEd is working with the Department of Public Works and Highways to fast-track the construction and completion of school buildings and other infrastructures.

A month before the opening of classes last year, DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas said classroom shortage in public schools hit 159,000, up from the previous year’s 91,000.

But Bringas said the 159, 000 is an “accumulated’ shortage over the years and includes the 440 classrooms damaged by typhoons and other natural calamities this year.

During the Senate hearing on the DepEd budget for 2024, Bringas said the department would need at least P397 billion to address the current classroom backlogs.

Each classroom costs around P2 million.

Duterte said school infrastructure is not limited to concrete walls.

“We recognize that technology plays a huge role in improving education. With that, we have also prioritized the provision of internet connectivity in our schools,” Duterte said.

She said 25 public schools have been chosen to be part of the proof-of-concept being conducted by Starlink to provide satellite internet connectivity, while 305 more are provided fiber optic internet connections.

Satellites have also been provided