ARMM to build P1-billion classrooms ahead of school year 2016-2017

COTABATO CITY– The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will build up to 819 classrooms starting this month after memorandums of agreement (MOAs) were signed on Tuesday, February 16, at the office of the ARMM governor here.Dr. John Magno, ARMM’s Education secretary, said the construction will fill the increasing need for senior high school classrooms in the region. Ang mga classrooms na ipapatayo ay para sa preparation sa full implementation ng K to 12 Program sa ARMM (The classrooms to be constructed are for the full implementation of K to 12 Program in ARMM),” Secretary Magno said.The projects are worth more than P1 billion from the regional Department of Education’s (DepEd-ARMM’s) 2015 Basic Education Facilities Fund.The ARMM is composed of nine schools divisions, namely Maguindanao I and II, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur I and II, Lamitan City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. To date, there are 2,155 elementary schools and 304 secondary schools in the region.The Division of Maguindanao I will receive the largest number of projects with 165 classrooms worth more than P158 million. Among the schools where senior high school classrooms would be built is the Guindulungan National High School in the town of Guindulungan in Maguindanao province. Two units of one-storey building with three classrooms each and having a total worth P5.3 million will be built in the school. Matutugunan talaga ng mga ipapatayong classrooms ang pangangailangan namin para sa senior high school (The classrooms to be constructed will meet the need for senior high school facilities)” said Morales Dilangalen, school head of Guindulungan National High School.The school has more than 800 students from Grades 7 to 10. It accommodates students from nearby towns of Talayan and Datu Saudi Ampatuan, also in Maguindanao.In June 2016, the school will offer Grades 11 and 12. Dilangalen added that they expect almost 200 students to enrol in their senior high school program during that time.ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, Public Works and Highways Secretary Don Loong and DepEd-ARMM Secretary Magno led the signing of the projects, together with eight district engineers.The projects will be implemented by DPWH-ARMM District Engineering Offices. The District Engineering Offices have built high quality school buildings in the past. Target natin na ngayong taon din matapos lahat (Our target is to finish all these projects this year),” Secretary Loong said.The construction of the schools division offices of Basilan and Lamitan City will also roll out P11 million and P10 million, respectively, this year.