The Department of Education is eyeing constructing more school buildings for next year to address classroom shortage, its spokesperson said.
"That (construction of new school buildings) is one of the priority projects of this administration. We really want to address the shortage of infrastructure. That's why we are asking for additional budget for construction of new classrooms," DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said.
"We are still asking for more budget in terms of construction of new classrooms, in terms of repair of classrooms, and in terms of school furniture" he added.
The Education department earlier said there is still a shortage of around 40,000 classrooms all over the country. But with the budget of P86.5 billion, only 34,000 classrooms could be constructed by next year, it added.
Poa, however, stressed that the agency cannot solve these perennial problems overnight.
"But we have to remind the general public that even if we really want to finish the construction of additional classrooms in just a year that will not be realistic because we have budget constraints and we also have to consider the absorptive capacity of DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) in putting up these school buildings," he explained.
Poa noted that the agency is now doing some intervention measures to address the perennial problems with infrastructure and school furnitures.
"We are now pursuing the deliveries of additional school furniture. But, of course, that will not solve everything," he said.
