DepEd-Davao: Nearly 500 schools built in hinterlands

A DEPARTMENT of Education-Davao Region (DepEd-Davao) official said they have already built almost 500 schools in the hinterlands since 2015.

“We are the frontrunners sa pagtukod og mga eskwelahan labaw na sa mga kabukiran (in building schools especially in the hinterlands). Sa mga (in the) hinterlands we have established almost 500 schools already since 2015,” DepEd-Davao spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said in a phone interview, July 25.

The number also included the conversion of elementary schools into complete elementary and secondary schools in order to increase opportunities for education.

Atillo said that DepEd-Davao has led in building “last mile schools” in the region’s hinterlands.

He, however, admitted that they faced difficulties in establishing schools in the hinterlands because of several factors involving geographical conditions.

“Naay kalisdanan, because naay mga terrain, the geographical condition of the areas, but nevertheless, nahimo pod na siyang venue para mag unify ang DepEd, local government unit (LGU), ang community, ang ginikanan sa mga lugar na dunay remote areas (There are difficulties because there are terrains and the geographical condition of the areas, but nevertheless, it has become a venue to unify the DepEd, LGU, the community, and the parents in areas with remote locations),” Atillo said.

During President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos’ State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 24, he said they are augmenting the school workforce with the filling of more teaching positions and hiring more administrative personnel to lessen the burden on the teachers.

“Aside from new constructions, schools and facilities are being retrofitted to become future-ready -- hybrid-ready and high-tech learning, and also climate-ready and disaster-proof,” said Marcos.

Marcos said such a shortage of classrooms and facilities is already being addressed by the DepEd, which is currently headed by Vice President Sara Duterte.

“We continue to exhaust all efforts to keep our young people away from the sinister influences in the dark corners of society. We are making available to them their participation in formal schooling, alternative learning, non-diploma courses, or in technical-vocational education and training (TVET),” Marcos added. (ICE with SunStar Philippines)