3 schools in Mandaue shift to modular distance learning on Monday

| CDN Digital photo

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Three schools in Mandaue City shifted to modular distance learning on Monday, Sept. 30, after cracks were found on some their buildings following the 5.1 magnitude earthquake that hit Poro in Camotes Island on Sunday, Sept. 29.

These are Tingub Elementary School, Tabok Elementary School, and Canduman National High School. The rest of the 48 schools here conducted face-to-face classes.

Atty. Marinel Oro, the information officer of the Mandaue City Schools Division of the Department of Education, said that school officials were directed to immediately inspect the structural integrity of their buildings.

READ: Classes suspended in some Cebu areas after magnitude 5.1 quake

They were also instructed to submit their reports to the division office later today. After which, the division office will forward said reports to the Office of Building Official (OBO)  for assessment and confirmation.

Unsafe

OBO will determine if the concerned school buildings remain fit for occupancy or if these will have to undergo repair.

READ: Magnitude 5.0 earthquake hits Poro, Camotes

Buildings that are declared unsafe will be abandoned, Oro said.

Later on, they will have the abandoned building demolished for the construction of a new one.

“Thankfully, for next year naa tay available nga funds under the SEF (Special Education Fund) if ever naa tay need for that,” Oro said.

READ: EXPLAINER: Earthquake terms you need to know

Pending the construction of a new school building, the affected schools will have to maximize the use of its spare rooms like the computer laboratory, library, and faculty room to hold classes.

“I-convert gyud nato kay priority man gyud nato atoang mga bata nga magklase gyud sila. So, mapangitaan ra na og paagi sa atoang mga eskwelahan if ever maabot ang ingon ana nga situation nga naa tay classroom nga dili na magamit,” Oro added.

New classrooms

Before the magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit on Sunday, Oro said they already identified schools in the city that are in need of new classrooms.  These include Don Calixto Yongco Sr. Elementary school in Brgy. Tawason and the Tipolo National High School.

“Kani lang sila matagaan sila kay naay available nga lot nga pwede nato magamit immediately ba. By, next year pwede na ta maka start. For the rest, naa man sad tay request to the central office for school buildings. Naa sad tay ingon ana nga project gikan sa central office ug sa SEF. Hopefully, by next year mahuman ni nato sila tanan,” Oro said.

Mandaue City is setting aside P700 million for its Special Education Fund in 2025 budget. Of the amount, P80 million will be allotted for the distribution of free school supplies while P90 million is for the construction of new classrooms.  Another P50 million will be set aside for the installation of solar panels and lights, among others.

The city’s SEF also includes the P60 million budget for the Mandaue City College.

Oro said that this is going to be the biggest allocation from the city so far.