The Department of Education (DepEd) is actively tackling classroom backlogs and teacher shortages in Central Luzon.
During the 21st episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas of the Philippine Information Agency, DepEd OIC-Regional Director Ronnie S. Mallari shared insights into the current educational landscape in the region.
“Our Education Support Services Division reports that the current classroom ratio in Region 3 is one classroom for every 35 students. Although the standard is one classroom for every 40 students, our region does not have a significant backlog compared to others,” Mallari explained.
He acknowledged, however, that some divisions, particularly in urbanized or densely populated areas, are experiencing larger gaps in classroom availability.
To combat this issue, Mallari stated that the DepEd central office is rationalizing classroom distributions to ensure equity.
“With new construction projects, we prioritize areas with a one-to-50 or one-to-45 ratio,” he noted.
Mallari added that addressing this challenge will not happen overnight; through ongoing planning and systematic data gathering, they aim to gradually alleviate substantial classroom shortages.
Regarding teacher shortages, Mallari expressed confidence in the region’s preparedness for any potential deployments.
“The needs of the teachers in the region are being addressed accordingly through their Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE). An update indicates an increase in MOOE at the school level, meaning all resources from the government are now augmented to meet the needs of our teachers,” he remarked.
He emphasized the importance of strategic planning for school administrators in addressing teachers’ needs.
“We train our principals, superintendents, and chiefs to engage in strategic planning to address these needs. We must be honest with the baseline data to ensure accurate information and effective decision-making,” he added.
Mallari’s remarks underscore DepEd Central Luzon’s commitment to enhancing education quality by effectively managing resources and addressing challenges in the educational system.
As the region develops strategic solutions, it remains focused on ensuring that every student has access to quality education and adequate support from their teachers. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3- Pampanga)