Government vows to fill in education resource problems

June 1, 2011

MANILA — As the government scales up its preparations for the opening of classes next month, the government made another pitch of filling up the essential learning resource gaps.

“These shortages have been the perennial problem of the basic education system. While interventions are now in place, we cannot stop from there. We will continue to explore different avenues to make ends meet,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said.
The Philippines’ public educational system suffered a decline in quality over the past decades, attributing to lack of government attention in solving classroom and teacher shortage, among others.
While waiting for these problems to be solved, Luistro said they wanted to ensure that school opening for some 22.5 million students will move smoothly.
This year, active involvement from the different DepEd field offices is encouraged.
Specifically, the regional directors and schools division superintendents will also have their own command centers to encourage parents and communities to bring school-aged children to public elementary and secondary schools.
Likewise, all regional directors and school division superintendents are directed to designate from their senior staff at least two action officers who will oversee regional and local concerns and coordinate these concerns with the central office.
Hotlines will also be set up to receive calls, text and fax messages, and e-mails on complaints, requests and suggestions and a help desk to accommodate walk-in concerns.
For its part, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported the completion of 2,488 new classrooms nationwide.
Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the repair of potholes and pedestrian lane repainting works along national roads near school sites continues, as well as line canal de-clogging and cleaning operation to avoid occurrence of flood.
To promote public health and sanitation safety, the department has also completed the construction of 76 toilets inside the schools nationwide and the removal of unsafe signage and billboards located within the school vicinities.
DPWH district engineering offices are currently in the process of identifying waterless school communities for the allocation and provision of rainwater collection facility to provide a potable water source.

Source: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/breaking-news/2011/05/31/government-vows-fill-education-resource-problems-158539