Wednesday, April 25, 2007 S. Cotabato spends P30-M for school projects
KORONADAL CITY -- The Provincial Government of South Cotabato has spent at least P30 million for the implementation of various projects for public schools in 10 towns and lone city during the past five years, the school board reported.
South Cotabato Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes, school board chairman, said the funds, which were sourced from the General Fund and the Special Education Fund (SEF), covered the construction and repair of school buildings, improvement of various physical facilities, purchases of arm chairs and provision of training for teachers.
She said these improvements were specifically aimed at enhancing the standard of education in the province's 10 towns and lone city.
Fuentes cited that in 2005 and 2006, at least P7.1 million was released out of the local government's general fund for the concreting, walling, finishing and the excavation at the Department of Education regional office and the completion and rehabilitation of the school buildings in barangay Ned Proper Elementary School in Lake Sebu.
She said it also covered the construction of eight two-classroom school buildings in Sitio Abboy Primary School in Ned, Lake Sebu, Sitio Palosubong Primary School in Ned, Tampakan National High School, Polonuling National High School in Tupi, Bukay Pait National High School in Tantangan, Libertad National High School and Colongolo campus in Surallah, Koronadal National Comprehensive High School (KNCHS), San Isidro Annex and Villegas Elementary School in Koronadal City.
The governor said the funds were also used for the completion, rehabilitation and repair of the Home Economics building of Polomolok National High School, Bulol-Lahak Elementary School in Lake Sebu and KNCHS in Koronadal City.
Fuentes said the SEF amounting to P22.6 million was spent for the construction and repairs of school buildings, provision of wooden armed chairs and training for teachers and the purchase of reference materials from 2001 to 2006.
Out of these funds, she said some P16.6 million was utilized for: the construction of 30 two-classroom school buildings; repair, improvement and completion of 20 school buildings and the purchase of a two-hectare school site for Centrala National High School in Surallah.
Another P6 million was spent for the training of Grade-1 teachers for Distar method of teaching, the purchase of Distar language kits, supplementary and reference materials for mathematics and reading workbooks, she said.
Fuentes said at least P1.5 million was spent for the provision of 3,250 wooden chairs and 400 desks. (AVE)
