IF EVERYTHING goes as planned, seven elementary and secondary schools are expected to rise in Cebu City by 2020.
These proposed schools include a local secondary school in the Inayawan landfill and in the old Pasil Fish Market, among others.
In an interview last June 20, Councilor Joy Augustus Young, deputy mayor for education, said there is a need to establish more schools to decongest some of the densely populated schools in the city.
“Nahuot naman ta, especially for senior high school. Ang problema sa senior high, one story ra pa gyud ang building. We had to turn down about three to four one-story buildings for senior high kay wa tay kabutangan. We had to turn it down kay way yuta,” he told reporters.
In an unofficial report, Guadalupe Elementary School, which has 6,112 students, has the highest enrollment in the elementary level this school year.
For the secondary level, Don Carlos Gothong Memorial High School has the highest number of enrollees that totaled 3,584.
Young said he has been scouting for locations since 2016 where new schools can be built.
For now, Young said they are still working on the program of works and estimates for the seven additional schools.
“No estimate for the budget as of the moment. Not yet or I have not really thought about that. Maybe it’s because I’m very, very confident of being able to have the funds. I have always been able to secure funds for buildings. Ballpark figure now is about P1 million per room. I still need to get the enrollment for this school year, which I should have by first week of July, then I can estimate,” he said.
He said the City Government has already purchased a lot in Barangay San Jose where a new local elementary school will rise.
Once the new school is operational, the existing elementary school campus in the village will be converted into San Jose High School to decongest Talamban National High School.
Bidding for the construction of the Kasambagan Elementary School is also expected to start soon.
Young disclosed that three of the locations of the proposed seven schools are included in the proposed land swap deal between the City Government and Provincial Government to solve the 93-1 problem.
Once the land swap deal is finalized, the Province will give 1.5 hectares in the Department of Agriculture compound on M. Velez St. to the City.
One hectare of this will be used for the construction of the Capitol Elementary School and Capitol High School.
“Bag-o ni nga schools, but that will decongest Guadalupe Elementary School. Students from Barangays Calamba, Sambag II and Kamputhaw can study there. It will also decongest Ramon Duterte National High School, which is also in Barangay Guadalupe,” Young said.
Also included in the land swap deal is a 2,358-square-meter lot on Gorordo Ave. in Barangay Lahug, which the Province will hand over to the City.
Young said negotiations with the illegal settlers occupying the lot are ongoing since it will be used for the establishment of Lahug High School.
The City Government is also planning to convert one hectare of the Inayawan landfill into a local high school.
However, this will still need some study and might take more time since the City still has to rehabilitate the facility.
Another location eyed for another school is the old Pasil fish market.
“That will be the new Pasil-Suba High School. We will also have the first stand-alone senior high school there, so we will open Pasil-Suba Senior High School, which will cater to all the barangays around it,” Young said.
Since the title of ownership of the landfill and the old fish market is under the City Government, Young said building the schools there will not be a problem.