DepEd to evaluate aging classrooms

“Demolishing these classrooms would not be automatic once they turn 50 years old. We would assess the actual condition of these classrooms. If these old classrooms are still stable, we would extend their useful life,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said yesterday.

AFP / Arnold Almacen

MANILA, Philippines — Classrooms existing for 50 years will be assessed by the Department of Education (DepEd).

“Demolishing these classrooms would not be automatic once they turn 50 years old. We would assess the actual condition of these classrooms. If these old classrooms are still stable, we would extend their useful life,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said yesterday.

“If there are repairs that need to be made, whether big or small, we would immediately conduct the repairs. The demolition and changing (of the classrooms) are only reserved for those structures that are really no longer safe and no longer practical to fix,” he added.

Citing data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education, the DepEd said there would be 51,222 classrooms existing for 50 years by 2028.

Under the DepEd’s evaluation framework, classrooms in good condition continue to be used and maintained, extending their operational lifespan by about 15 years.

In the agency’s budget, funds allocated for maintenance and other operating expenses are used to add 10 years of serviceability to facilities requiring basic maintenance and repair.

Structures requiring significant work undergo repairs that are technically feasible and safe, extending operational life by five years.

Facilities considered structurally compromised or beyond repair are scheduled for demolition and replacement.

Based on its long-term planning, the DepEd projects 18,132 classrooms per year may require replacement between 2026 and 2030 and 18,380 classrooms per year between 2031 and 2035.

Education budget  inadequate – Diokno

Key DepEd programs that need substantial funding have been stripped of allocation in the 2027 national budget, prompting a lawmaker to denounce the “inadequate funding.”

Rep. Chel Diokno cited, among others, the Last Mile Schools program, an initiative that provides resources and facilities in schools in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, which “received zero allocation again.”

Other programs include the proposed increase for the school-based feeding program, learner support programs and support to operations – all of which requested additional allocation, but were “not granted” funding.

“I urge my fellow lawmakers to allocate sufficient resources where the need is greatest and where they can have the greatest impact on the lives of the Filipino learners,” Diokno said.

While some programs received additional funding, the amounts remained significantly below their proposed increases, he noted.

Diokno said the education budget did not grow at all in the House version, which was unacceptable, especially with the learning crisis that the country continues to face. –  Delon Porcalla