00:00 I'm Ezra Raya and this is the Manila Times.
00:03 In the midst of several issues surrounding the education sector,
00:06 a new school year has begun.
00:09 The Department of Education has reported a drop in the number of enrollees for school year 2023 to 2024.
00:17 Meanwhile, the department is also dealing with an accumulated shortage of classrooms at 159,000.
00:24 This school year, the government is set to test the new decongested K-10 program
00:29 or the Matatag curriculum.
00:31 All while the DepEd is being investigated by the Commission on Audit.
00:35 And of course, the ongoing turf war between city governments of Makati and Taguig.
00:40 The department has stepped in to mediate the transition, affecting around 45,000 students.
00:46 Now, these learners have received their complete school supplies
00:50 and some of them even received both from Makati and Taguig city governments.
00:55 Here with us today is Department of Education Assistant Secretary and Deputy Spokesperson,
01:01 Francis Bringas.
01:02 Welcome to the Manila Times, Asek.
01:04 Asek, tell us how did the opening of classes go
01:08 and what is the current number of students enrolled nationwide?
01:11 Well, generally, our opening of classes yesterday was smooth and orderly,
01:18 except for some areas where we have weather in advance.
01:21 So the schools had to adopt alternative deliverables.
01:25 Most of these areas in the northern part of Luzon,
01:29 some in the southern part of Luzon, and in the Visayas region.
01:34 But generally, it went well and all our 24 million,
01:39 more than 24 million for both public and private schools,
01:42 trooped to our schools yesterday.
01:45 That's more than 24 million enrollees.
01:49 Just like what Usec said, there are late enrollees.
01:53 So, Asek, is there a drop in the number of enrollees?
01:58 Because I remember the department said they were expecting around 28 million students,
02:03 but now we are up to more than 24 million.
02:06 What factors can this drop be attributed to?
02:10 And that is for all the levels.
02:13 We have public, private, local universities and colleges.
02:19 We have the state universities and colleges, including our alternative learning system.
02:23 But as of today, since we only have 24 plus million,
02:27 we are looking at it as the schools have not yet completely uploaded their data
02:32 to our learner information system,
02:34 because the number that we are releasing are actually coming from the consolidated number
02:38 from our centrally managed learner information system.
02:42 And it takes some time for our schools to really upload the complete enrollment data,
02:47 considering that this is online as well.
02:49 And considering also that we are still accommodating late enrollees.
02:54 So within the week or in the next week, we will be expecting an increase in the number.
02:58 So Asek, it's too early to tell, to say that there is a drop in enrollees.
03:03 So it will be until next week.
03:05 On another question, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said
03:12 the proposed P758 billion budget for DEP-ED for 2024 is not sufficient.
03:17 So how much will be the sufficient budget for DEP-ED
03:22 and how much of this budget will be dedicated to the building of classroom?
03:26 Because as you know, there is a current shortage of 159,000 classrooms.
03:31 Yeah, we recognize the current shortage of classrooms that we have.
03:35 But in the budget that we have proposed to the Department of Budget and Management,
03:40 we actually have a higher budget that we propose.
03:43 But the NEP that came back to us is that amount that you mentioned, around P758 billion.
03:49 But we also have another wish list, which we are again submitting
03:53 to Congress and the DBM actually for consideration.
03:57 But with the approved NEP for the department, around P10 billion plus will be allotted for
04:04 new construction of classrooms and that is only good for over 7,000 classrooms nationwide.
04:10 So definitely in the short term or in the midterm,
04:14 we will not be able to meet all these backlogs in our classrooms.
04:18 But as mentioned by the Secretary in the budget hearing earlier,
04:21 because we cannot be assured of this in the midterms, we are looking at exploring and
04:27 pursuing really a two-track of our delivery of our curriculum that is using the traditional
04:33 way and then exploring and going into the digital and technology-enabled delivery of our curriculum.
04:41 So we are going to institutionalize blended learning starting this school year.
04:45 That's good to hear, Asek.
04:47 So which areas or which regions are you looking at to build those initial 7,000 classrooms?
04:55 Well, we have a priority listing in the department.
04:59 It's actually a long list that we have.
05:01 But given the fact that we have been ravaged by so many climatic disasters and typhoons and so on,
05:09 we are really prioritizing those areas that are heavily affected by these natural disasters,
05:14 including those schools whose classrooms are still makeshift or non-standard classrooms,
05:20 because our aim is to be able to put a standard classroom in all these areas
05:25 so that we will be able to provide our learners a roof and not only temporary learning spaces,
05:32 but standard classrooms.
05:33 So we have a priority listing that we have with our strand that takes care of our
05:38 school infrastructure and facilities.
05:40 So will Bulacan be part of this priority list?
05:44 Because currently they're still flooded and some reports would say that they are taking shifts
05:49 in their classes.
05:52 Yes, definitely Bulacan is part of the priority because of the current flooding that we had,
05:57 but they will be categorized under the rehabilitation and repair,
06:00 specifically major rehabilitation or major repairs of classrooms.
06:05 And that is outside the 10 billion fund that I mentioned earlier,
06:09 because our basic education facilities fund covers new construction,
06:13 major repairs, Gabaldon buildings, and Las Mal schools.
06:19 Yes, sir. Lastly, for Makati and Taguig, now that the school supplies have been distributed
06:26 and DepEd have mediated between the two local governments and all students have begun their
06:31 classes, will the DepEd move to buy or rent these 14 schools from under Makati City government
06:38 for an official transition to Taguig?
06:40 For actions like that, that entails a budget allocation,
06:46 presently in our proposed 2024 budget, we don't have a line item for renting,
06:50 listing, or buying private properties or private schools that have closed to accommodate our
06:55 public schools. But that is also a direction that we are looking at in the long term.
07:00 So we will consider that and then we will also see the viability of such
07:04 proposals if there are going to be some proposals to that matter.
07:10 Alright, lastly sir, will there be additional budget to monitor sexual harassment and grooming
07:20 in some schools that have been reported?
07:23 Our budget for activities like those or programs that are supportive of
07:28 activities like those are actually lodged in our Bureau of Learner Support Services,
07:35 which is under the operations trend and it covers the offices of the Learner Rights and
07:41 Protection Office, we have youth development programs or youth formation division,
07:46 and other support services that are related to health issues and bullying, harassment,
07:55 child abuse and the like. So they are incorporated or integrated in our
07:59 Bureau of Learner Support Services allocation.
08:03 Another one, sir. For the school calendar, so a lot of before we moved the school calendar to
08:11 August, given the amount of typhoons that goes through the Philippines by the time of June or
08:17 July, so now the concern is it's hot every May, which is the summer time. So is the department
08:26 looking to adjust the school calendar for this school year?
08:31 We are not yet looking positively at a June opening for next school year, of course,
08:37 because our current school year, which opened yesterday, will end in June 14.
08:41 So we cannot sacrifice the two-month vacation for learners and for teachers as well,
08:46 just to be able to open in June next year for 2024-2025. Although we have already explored
08:52 the possibility of transitioning gradually into a June opening, because we are trying to consider
08:59 all factors aside from climatic conditions, we are also considering factors as benefits of teachers
09:04 for the two-month proportional vacation pay that is after every school year. And we are also looking
09:10 into budget allocation or budget availability, given the fiscal space that we have, budget
09:17 availability for possible payment of overtime pay, if ever we are going to shorten the entitlement
09:24 of two-month vacation for teachers. Thank you so much for that. Department
09:28 of Education's Assistant Secretary and Deputy Spokesperson Francis Bringas.
09:33 Maraming salamat po, Aze. Maraming salamat, Ezra.
09:37 Thank you.
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