DepEd lacks funds to address shortages of classrooms, teachers in basic education: Duterte
Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte said Wednesday that the Department of Education (DepEd) does not have enough funds to address problems in basic education.
Duterte said this in response to a query by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman during the House Appropriations panel’s deliberation of DepEd’s P758.6 billion proposed budget for 2024.
“Yes, there is not enough budget to address all the projects and the programs the Department of Education wants to implement to improve basic education in our country,” she said.
Duterte said they initially asked for around P900 billion for their budget but only P700 billion was approved in the National Expenditures Program.
“But may I just add for the information of all our fellow Filipinos, we understand that there is insufficiency across all departments, not just DepEd, there is insufficiency in other crucial departments as well, particularly those in the social services sector,” she said.
Duterte assured lawmakers the agency was using two tracks to address issues in basic education.
“The Department of Education is currently pursuing two tracks to solve the problems of basic education. Of course, we are there with the traditional build more classrooms, hire more teachers track that has been the solution of previous administrations and previous secretaries,” she said.
“But right now, we are pursuing another track as well and that is learning from the lessons from the pandemic where we want to institutionalize the blended learning program where we intend to address the lacking of classrooms and the shortage of teachers by (leveraging) technology and using the synchronous and asynchronous style of teaching,” she added.
Lagman then asked if they asked for help from military and police officers in implementing their proposed P150 million confidential funds in conducting surveillance activities.
“Our field operations are constantly in discussion with the organization of the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, and Armed Forces of the Philippines with regard to security issues among our learners and teaching and non-teaching personnel, and in our schools as well,” Duterte answered.
“Do you give any compensation allowance to these experienced police and military officers?” Lagman asked.
“No, Madam Chair, we do not give allowances,” she said.
“In other words, the disbursement of your confidential funds would not include extra emoluments to these offices?” Lagman responded.
Lagman then asked if DepEd would consider retracting its request for confidential funds to solve the shortages in the department.
“Considering the universe of shortages in the DepEd, which would need adequate funding, Madam Secretary, would you voluntarily withdraw your request for confidential funds with the DepEd?” Lagman asked.
Duterte maintained that they needed the confidential funds but deferred to the wisdom of Congress.
“There is a purpose and a need for confidential funds in the DepEd because basic education is intertwined with national security, but of course, as we always say, we leave it to the discretion of the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the wisdom of granting confidential funds to DepEd,” she said.
Duterte reported that as of Wednesday morning, there have been 24 million enrollees.
Earlier during the hearing, DepEd said there is a shortage of 165,000 classrooms and a shortage of 89,000 teachers.
Education Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said that the backlog in the repairs of the 387,051 school buildings is 100,072 for minor repairs and 89,000 for major repairs.
This translates to 202,000 classrooms needing major repairs and 240,000 classrooms needing minor repairs.
Densing said the department would require around P131.3 billion for major repairs of damaged schools. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
