DUE TO CLASSROOM SHORTAGE: Classes in Albay still suspended

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Albay Provincial government ordered last Sunday the resumption of classes in the affected areas of the provinces. But despite the lifting of classes’ suspension, some schools could not resume right away. The problem is the shortage of classrooms because the evacuees are still using them. The Department of Education (DepEd) Region 5 sees the installation of temporary learning space (TLS) in schools can solve the problem. However, there is also a shortage of TLS in Albay. In Tabaco City alone, they still need more than 40 TLS. “Sa situation natin, punong puno ang mga evacuation centers natin and we need po temporary learning space para di masyadong ma deprived mga bata sa education,” Tabaco City DepEd Division Office PIO Erwin Barrios said. (In our situation, evacuation centers are already full. We need temporary spaces so the children will not be deprived of education.) Each TLS costs about 60 to 70 thousand and can be used for six to seven months. A school in Brgy. Guinubat in Tabaco City still has two remaining TLS which were built when the province was hit by a strong typhoon. A TLS is made of wood and sheets of metal. A single TLS can be built for a few days. According to the local government of Tabaco, they still need more than 40 TLS to meet the needs of the students. In Tabaco Northwest Central School, classes will be held in tents like this. Teachers and parents help to prepare the things for the resumption of classes until a TLS is built “Right at this very moment wala talaga kami magagamit, however kailangan namin gumawa ng paraan to bridge the gap,” said Tabaco Northwest Central School Principal Emilio Bermundo. (Right at this very moment we have nothing to use. However, we need to find a way to bridge the gap.) Parents also prepare the things that their children will need for school “Paghahanda sa mga gamit, kinuha namin sa aming barrio para bukas makapasok na,” bakwit Rose Buela said. (In preparation, we gathered the materials from our barrio so that the kids can start classes tomorrow.) According to the provincial government of Albay, more than 70 schools were used as evacuation centers, more than one thousand classrooms were used by evacuees. This has affected almost 50,000 students. Saturday classes will be implemented in the whole of Albay and school days will possibly be extended to make up for the days that needed to be completed by the students. – Mon Jocson | UNTV News & Rescue