Central Visayas faces 11,000-classroom shortage

Local

CENTRAL Visayas is facing close to 11,000-classroom shortage, according to the Department of Education-Central Visayas (DepEd-7).

Dr. Arturo Bayocot, regional director of DepEd-7, told members of the Cebu Provincial Board (PB) that Region 7 is in need of 10,845 classrooms.

Aside from the classroom shortage, the region also has over 23,000 classrooms that need repair, higher than the over 14,000 that are in good condition.

"You notice that in the entire region, we have 14,592 classrooms in good condition, classrooms that are quite okay, they are functional. But if you look at the classrooms that are needing repair, that's quite high. That's 23,842," Bayocot said during the PB’s regular session on Monday, July 6.

Bayocot said DepEd-7 has proposed 2,726 classrooms to be constructed, which was endorsed to the Regional Development Council (RDC-7). He explained that, with the limitations of the budget, they have to propose the projects gradually.

He also admitted that the process of proposing classrooms is not simple, noting that the agency is always dependent on the action of the Central Office.

"As far as our level is concerned, we have already completed and submitted our validation with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and DepEd regarding the school sites and the required number of classrooms," Bayocot said.

DepEd has recently implemented three schemes of construction this year, wherein classrooms can be built through LGUs, through DepEd itself, through DPWH, or under a public-private partnership.

For classrooms that will be shouldered by the LGUs, Bayocot said they are waiting for the final list this month, as promised by DepEd.

Out of the over 10,000-classroom shortage, 5,466 are from the Cebu Province Division.

Dr. Senen Priscillo Paulin, Schools Division Superintendent, said that, from the total 14,183 classrooms in the Cebu Province Division, 6,261 need minor repair while 4,155 need major repair.

Central Visayas has 3,643 schools, wherein 2,844 are public schools while 796 are private institutions.

Meanwhile, Bayocot updated the provincial board members on the newly hired personnel of DepEd in Central Visayas.

This year, DepEd created 32,165 teacher items shared among 18 regions in the country, a significant increase from the 10,000 items created in previous years.

Out of this number, 2,586 were given to Region 7. Cebu City got the largest allocation with 973 new teaching items.

Bayocot said the school division offices are already done with the recruitment, selection, and hiring and are currently in the appointment stage.

Bayocot and Paulin were invited by the provincial board to attend its regular session so local legislators could be apprised of the current condition of classrooms, schools, students, and teachers in Cebu.(MyTVCebu)