Classroom repairs will miss school opening on June 2

With three weeks to go before  the start of the school year, the Department of Education (DepEd) will finally bid out to contractors the partial rehabilitation of public schools in north Cebu damaged by  Supertyphoon Yolanda.

Most of the projects will be finished in August though.

“If you look at the rate of repair and  time constraints, we can’t make it in time for the June 2 opening of classes. For new construction,  we can  probably finish  in August,” said  Romualdo Abella, physical facilities coordinator of DepEd-Cebu Province.

He explained that the budget was only approved recently.

DepEd has allocated P14,992,765 for the repair of the first batch of classrooms to be repaired in 11 public schools.

At least  318 elementary schools and 61 secondary schools, with a total of 2,194 classrooms in northern Cebu need repair.
“I hope  people understand.  Repairing  2,194 classrooms and building  357 schools is no a  joke,” he said.

Some  classes in northern Cebu will have to be  conducted under tents, he said.
He cited Bagay Elementary School and Dalingding Elementary School both in Medellin town.

In June, most classes  of affected schools will still be  conducted in half-finished rooms or makeshift buildings.

Schools that are included for bidding are Manahao Primary Schools (Sogo), Doong National High School (Bantayan), Malingin Elementary School and Looc Primary School (Daanbantayan), San Remegio National High School and Luyang Elementary (San Remegio) , Hagdan Elementary School , Langub Elementary School, and Kinatarcan Elementary School (Sta. Fe) and Kodia Elementary School (Madridejos).

Seven bidders from Cebu will participate this Monday but Abella encouraged other bidders who are interested to participate.

“We have chosen these schools because these were not given attention unlike others that were helped by some Nongovernment Organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders,” Abella added.

Based on their office records,  318 elementary schools and 61 secondary schools in North Cebu will undergo repairs.
Abella said he didn’t know when the budget for the next batch of classrooms will be released.

One cause for the slow pace of repair and reconstruction, he said, is that  the assessment and pledges of  NGOs to help   did not specify the schools.

“We are also waiting for the NGOs who have pledged. We want them to identify the schools”  to avoid overlapping with other parties.
Dr. Arden Monisit, superintendent of DepEd- Cebu Province, said they lack teaching and learning materials because these were damaged during the  typhoon.

He said he expects 100 percent  student attendance  in June.

“After the supertyphoon, 96 percent came back to school and the rest transferred to other schools,” Monisit told Cebu Daily News. / With a report by Xavier University Intern Irish Maika R. Lam