DepEd assures no tent classrooms this year

High school students of Gothong National Highschool attend classes under tents from the Cebu City government in this November 2013 file photo.

The provincial office of the Department of Education (DepEd) assured that there will be no more tent classes this school year.

“Our private donors, non-government organizations and even the provincial government, have already turned over those constructed and repaired classrooms,” Dr. Arden Monisit, DepEd Cebu provincial superintendent, said.

The DepEd central office allocated P108 million for the construction of new classrooms and school buildings.

Another P90 million was set aside for the repair of schools.

Based on DepEd-7 records, 357 classrooms were destroyed by recent calamities. Damaged school rooms numbered 1,051.

Newly constructed classrooms are insured by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

“In case there will be another calamity that might damage our schools, then we can use the GSIS insurance for immediate repair and construction aside from the central office’s allocation,” Monisit said.

Last school year, Cebu had nearly 500,000 students both in elementary and high school.

Monisit said there were no cases of students getting sick after attending classes in tents for more than a year.

“We discouraged holding classes outside classrooms. In fact, those newly constructed classrooms also have electric fans,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Monisit encouraged students, their parents and teachers to join the one-week “Brigada Eskwela” cleanup and repairs of classrooms from May 18 to 23.

Monisit also said each student will help plant 10 trees every year.