Solon skeptical of DepEd’s claim in resolving classroom shortage

Grade 2 adviser Abiguel Cabral teaching in a class of 29 boys and 3 girls in Commonwealth Elementary School, Quezon City on the first day of classes.  LYN RILLON/INQUIRER

MANILA, Philippines—A lawmaker has questioned the Department of Education’s (DepEd) claim that it has plugged the 66,800 shortage of classrooms.

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Pangasinan Representative Kimi Cojuangco said the figure is based on the shortage of classrooms back in 2010. The government has claimed to have built 66,813 classrooms, thus plugging the 2010 backlog.

“If you look at the figures  it’s as if we don’t have a backlog. But this is based in 2010,” said Cojuangco, who chairs the basic education and culture committee in the House of Representatives.

“Between 2011 and 2014 …why are there still complaints about lack of classrooms and overfilling of classrooms?” she added.

She said her committee is still waiting for DepEd to give a more updated figure.

Cojuangco added that the statistics should be updated because the number of school children increases every year.

“You cannot say there is no backlog because there are no figures from 2011 to 2014. Of course, the number of school children increased. There are many migrants to the National Capital Region,” she said.

Cojuangco said she would ask the DepEd to submit achievement reports before the opening of classes.

According to DepEd, it has a budget of P336.9 billion in 2014, or 14.86 percent of the total budget. Of this, at least P37.6 billion were set for construction of regular classrooms.

Primary and secondary schools opened on Monday, June 2, nationwide.

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