15,000 new classrooms in 2025 via public-private partnership - DepEd
Metro Manila, Philippines - Public-private partnership (PPP) projects will help build at least 15,000 classrooms next year in a bid to address the classroom shortage, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.
On Friday, Dec. 20, the DepEd signed a $1-million technical assistance deal with the PPP center, which serves as the central coordinating and monitoring agency for such projects.
The agency said 1,600 schools across nine regions and over 600,000 students will benefit from the agreement.
The education sector has a backlog of 165,000 classrooms.
“To tackle these challenges, the agency is reviving its PPP initiatives for school infrastructure while exploring innovative PPP models for other educational facilities, such as bundled campus development, school libraries, and other essential infrastructure,” DepEd said in a press release.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the deal will improve the learning environment.
The DepEd said new classrooms will be equipped with sustainable energy, internet connectivity, and water systems.
In September, the Commission on Audit said only 3 percent of the target classrooms under then Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte.
A teacher group earlier opposed the agency’s initiative, describing it as a “dangerous step towards further commercialization of public education”.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers noted that the long-standing problem of classroom shortage should be addressed by budget increase. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier pledged to reinstate the P10-billion cut from the DepEd’s 2025 spending plan as approved by Congress.
“Kung totoong priority ng gobyerno ang edukasyon, bakit hindi nila direktang pondohan ang construction ng mga classrooms? Bakit kailangan pang umasa sa private sector?” Vladimer Quetua, ACT chairperson was quoted as saying in a press release.
[Translation: If education is truly a priority for the government, why don't they directly fund the construction of classrooms? Why does it still rely on the private sector?]
NewsWatch Plus correspondent Lance Mejico contributed to this report
