Western Visayas ready for school opening despite classroom shortages
ILOILO CITY — The Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 has assured the public that shortages in classrooms and teaching personnel will not disrupt learning for nearly one million students expected to return to public schools in Western Visayas on Monday.
DepEd-6 Public Affairs Officer Hernani Escullar Jr. said the region still lacks around 5,000 classrooms, a challenge he described as a long-standing nationwide issue.
“This will not hamper the education of our children,” Escullar told the Inquirer, noting that school administrators have been converting available spaces such as conference rooms and open-air stages into temporary learning areas to accommodate students.
The region also has 46,484 Department of Budget and Management-approved teaching positions, although 1,557 plantilla posts remained vacant earlier this year. Escullar said the number has since decreased as hiring and deployment continue.
To address staffing gaps, local government units are providing additional teachers through their Special Education Fund (SEF).
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Multi-shift
DepEd-6 said it remains committed to maintaining national class-size standards and will continue implementing multi-shift classes in schools with limited classrooms or teaching personnel.
Under the arrangement, students may be divided into morning and afternoon sessions to maximize available facilities while keeping class sizes within prescribed limits.
Escullar said DepEd is also working with local governments and the Department of the Interior and Local Government to accelerate classroom construction, with LGUs taking the lead in building projects while DepEd provides technical standards and oversight.
“Our priority is to ensure that every child has access to quality education despite these challenges,” he said.
