SEN. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino yesterday said the country’s classroom shortage should be solved now, stressing that unless addressed immediately, the problem may be carried over into the next five administrations.
In his opening statement during the Committee on Basic Education hearing, Aquino said the classroom shortage is just one of the many problems besetting the education sector, which must be addressed immediately.
“I think we’re all in agreement today that there is an education crisis. Kung hindi tayo magtutulungan para masolusyunan ang bawat isyu na nagpapalala sa krisis na ito, lalong maaapektuhan ang mga kabataan at kababayan natin (If we will not help each other to solve every issue in this crisis, our countrymen, especially the youth, will be further affected),” Aquino said.
“Kapag hindi natin mahahanapan ng solusyon ang backlog ng classrooms, we’re looking at not just years, but decades. Siguro mahigit pa sa limang president ang lilipas bago natin mahabol ang kakulangan na ito kung hindi natin mamadaliin (If we do not act fast to solve the classroom backlog, we’re looking at not just years, but decades. Maybe a span of more than five presidents is needed before we can catch up with the shortage if we do not act immediately),” he added.
He said that according to the Department of Education, there is a backlog of around 165,000 classrooms, but believes it could be more since there are classrooms which need to be renovated, especially those built in the 1960s, aside from others which have become dilapidated after being used as evacuation centers.
Aquino said another problem confronting the education sector is overcrowded classrooms and a lack of chairs, which resulted in some 1.5 million students becoming “aisle learners” as they sit on classroom aisles during classes.
“Hindi rin natin nabibilang ang kulang sa mga classrooms kung saan may double shift o triple shift na mag estudyante. One hundred sixty-five thousand ang kulang o hindi pa nagagawa. Pero ilang libo pa kaya ang sira, siksikan o kailangan ng mga estudyante para sa shifting? (We have not yet counted the classrooms that have double shifts or triple shifts for students. One hundred sixty-five thousand [classrooms] is the backlog that has not yet been constructed. But how many thousands more need renovation or how many more do students need so there won’t be shifts in classes?”) Aquino said.
He said another issue is the “bottlenecks,” noting there are many delays and outdated regulations in the construction of classrooms.
He said the DepEd cannot impose classroom specifications, noting it will be dependent on the type of community or “buildable space” where classrooms will be constructed.
“Hindi pa kasama sa mahabang listahan ng bottlenecks ang delay sa budget release at isyu ng land ownership (The long list of bottlenecks does not include delays in budget release and issue of land ownership),” he added.
Aquino said the most important issue that must be addressed is the difference in pricing in constructing classrooms.
“Iba-iba ang presyo sa paggawa ng classrooms. ‘Yung presyo ng DepEd ay P2.5 million, ‘yung presyo naman ng DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) ay P3.5 million pataas. Bakit magkaiba ang presyo? At saan napupunta ang pera kung 847 classrooms lang ang naitayo noong 2024? (There are different prices in the construction of classrooms. DepEd says it is P2.5 million…The DPWH says it is P3.5 million or higher. Where did the funds go if only 847 classrooms were built in 2024?),” he said.
During the hearing, Aquino learned that the partnerships between the private sector and local government units can lead to the construction of a classroom for P1.5 million to P2 million.
“Hopefully, we can move forward and really provide the best value for our students. Kung magagawa natin ito at P1.5 million to P2 million, parang dumoble ‘yung kaya nating mabuo na classroom. I think this is something we can all get behind (Hopefully, we can move forward and really provide the best value for our students. If we can make it at P1.5 million to P2 million, we can double the number of classrooms we can construct),” he said.
He said that the partnership can complete classrooms in less than a year compared to the “years” it takes the national government to finish similar projects.
Aquino tackled his proposed Senate Bill No. 121 or the Classroom Building Acceleration Program (CAP) Act, which seeks to authorize capable LGUs and private sector entities to build classrooms in compliance with national standards and guidelines within their jurisdiction, with funding support from the national government.
CBCP SOUNDS ALARM
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) yesterday sounded the alarm over the worsening crisis in the education of Filipino children, saying it puts at risk the nation’s future.
In a statement, the CBCP said it is concerned about the poor condition of the youth in terms of getting adequate education and learning.
“We reflected together on the serious challenges facing our people and nation. Among the most urgent of these is the crisis in the education of our children. A crisis rooted in severe stunting and malnutrition, low participation in child care and development, and the high number of children who are functionally illiterate,” said the CBCP.
Citing the report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), the bishops lamented that 48 percent of Grade 1 to 3 students are not prepared for their grade level; 80 percent of Grade 3 students struggle with multiplication, division, and geometry; and 30 percent are not functionally literate.
The CBCP also noted that 5,800 barangays nationwide still lack child development centers, despite the law mandating them since 1990.
“We must recognize this as a crisis that demands urgent and serious action. To delay, ignore, or fail to respond to the basic needs of our children is to delay the progress of our nation’s future,” said the CBCP.
Because of this, the bishops urged national and local governments to prioritize and fully fund programs that improve the nutrition of pregnant women and children aged 0-4, especially by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for poor and marginalized families.
The CBCP also urged the government to intentionally expand access to early childhood education, thereby ensuring that every child, regardless of economic status, has a guaranteed opportunity for early stimulation (ages 0-2) and early education (ages 3-4).
It said it is also imperative for the State to invest in establishing child development centers and early learning opportunities in every barangay, and prioritizing municipalities with low-income communities.
Similarly, the CBCP called on all Catholic institutions and organizations to launch comprehensive awareness campaigns about stunting by refocusing parish feeding programs on the earliest years of childhood.
They also pushed for the establishment of early education programs for children aged 3-4 in parochial schools, where no community daycare/child development center exists.
Lastly, the CBCP said Catholic organizations must also form active partnerships with local governments and community leaders to act together, especially in areas with the highest stunting rates. – With Gerard Naval
