DepEd: Classroom shortage still at 165,000
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara on Monday said the classroom backlog nationwide still stands at 165,000—a problem expected to have once again an impact when the incoming school year starts.
Three weeks before School Year 2025-2026 opens on June 16, Angara admitted that some public schools may again need to implement shifting of classes—some double, others triple, even—due to the lack of classrooms.
'We're now at around 165,000 [classroom shortage] and growing kasi hindi na kakayanin nung current budget to meet the ano eh… It would take us 30 years, probably, if we work with the current budget,' Angara told reporters.
(We're now at around 165,000 classroom shortage and growing because the current budget will not be able to meet the need to construct these. It would take us 30 years, probably, if we work with the current budget.)
'Buong bansa kasi ang kakulangan eh especially in populated areas like Region 4-A and NCR, grabe 'yung… All the cities actually all over the country, mataas ang backlog,' he added.
(The classroom shortage is all over the country, especially in populated areas like Region 4-A and NCR, it's serious... The classroom backlog in all the cities in the country is high. There are hundreds of thousands per city.)
School Year 2025-2026 is set to open on June 16, 2025 and end on March 31, 2026.
Angara underscored the need to provide a strong internet connection in key areas so that 'independent learners,' particularly incoming senior high school students, may be able to study at home, just like in other countries.
Under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), P28 billion was appropriated in DepEd's budget for the basic education facilities, which includes P7.18 billion for the construction of new kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school buildings.
It also includes a P6.13 billion budget for the rehabilitation, renovation, repair, and improvement of the school buildings under the 'Repair All Policy."
'Para 'yung mga kailangan talagang nasa loob ng classroom, kailangan kausap talaga ang mga teachers, 'yun 'yung mga Nursery, Grade 1, Kindergarten dahil 'yun palang ang natututo at kailangan matuto magbasa, kailangan matuto magsalita. 'Yan talaga kailangan nasa loob ng classroom,' he explained.
(This is so learners who really need to be in classrooms and learn directly from teachers—those in Nursery, Kindergarten, and Grade 1—will be able to occupy the classrooms instead.)
Angara on Monday afternoon attended the launch of Generation Hope—a partnership of several brands with DepEd to help address the urgent need of building more public school classrooms in the country.
The DepEd chief emphasized that such a partnership would help hasten the classroom construction and also help DepEd in meeting its deficits, considering the incoming school year.
'Malaking bagay 'to kasi nga diba nabawasan kami ng budget nitong 2025 so ito, makakatulong do'n sa kakulangan natin sa classrooms. 'Yung ibang programa ng DepEd, mabigyan ng focus tapos may katulong tayo dito,' he said.
(This is a big help because our budget for 2025 was cut, so this will help address our lack of classrooms. The DepEd can focus on its other programs, and we will be assisted in classroom construction.) –NB, GMA Integrated News
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