More school rooms needed in Negros Occ.

BACOLOD CITY—Negros Occidental public schools need 1,138 additional classrooms, public school officials disclosed in a hearing of the provincial board on Wednesday.

The reports of the public school officials show that the province lacks 731 kindergarten classrooms while the elementary and high school levels need 187 and 220 classrooms, respectively.

Fifty-eight school officials, led by the heads of seven of nine  school districts in Negros Occidental, gave their reports at a hearing of the provincial board committee on education at the provincial Capitol.

Dr. Juliet Jeruta, superintendent of the Negros Occidental schools division, reported that they lacked 483 classrooms for kindergarten, 129 for elementary and 172 for high school.

The Negros Occidental division covers areas that have not obtained their autonomy, such as Himamaylan, Sipalay, Talisay and Victorias cities and 19 towns, Jeruta said.

On the other hand, Kabankalan City has a shortage of 58 classrooms for kindergarten, 15 for elementary and three for high schools, said schools division superintendent Elisa Broñola.

La Carlota acting schools division superintendent Portia Mallorca told the provincial board that they needed 18 more classrooms for kindergarten and nine for high school.

In the San Carlos City schools division, the shortage is 65 for kindergarten, one for elementary and two for high schools while Escalante City needs 28 more classrooms for kindergarten, three for the elementary level and eight for high school.

In Cadiz City, 43 classrooms are needed for kindergarten, 19 for the elementary level and 18 for high school while in Bago City, 36 are needed for kindergarten, 20 for the elementary level and eight for high school.

While the hearing was a good venue for airing their concerns, Jeruta admitted that the needs of the public schools were the primary obligation of the Department of Education.

However, they were also encouraged to ask for assistance from the local governments, foundations, nongovernment organizations and even the parents, she added.

Negros Occidental Board Member Pedro Zayco, chair of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan committee on education, said they held the hearing to determine how to respond to the needs of public schools in the province.