MANILA, Philippines — The lack of school infrastructure and resources is the “most pressing issue” faced by the Philippine education sector, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said on Monday.
As she presented the Basic Education Report 2023, Duterte revealed that while there are a total of 327,851 school buildings in the country, there are only 104,536 that are in “good condition.”
Meanwhile, there are 100,072 schools that need minor repairs; 89,252 that require major repairs; and 21,727 that are set for condemnation.
“The Department is not blind to the reality that there is a need to build, repair, and maintain school infrastructures to accommodate the growing number of learners all over the Philippines,” Duterte said in her speech.
She cited as “significant roadblocks” the school infrastructure the calamities that hit the country, such as typhoons, earthquakes, landslides, floods, and “even armed conflicts.”
“Our schools are not calamity-proof,” Duterte said.
She noted that over 17,000 classrooms in the Visayas damaged by Typhoon Odette in 2021 are still up for repair and replacement, and a total of P9.82 billion is needed.
She then said DepEd had allocated a total of P15.6 billion for the new construction of classrooms and school buildings for 2023.
READ: DepEd proposes P86.5-B budget to address classroom shortage