ANTIQUE – The Department of Education's Schools Division in Antique is grappling with a significant classroom shortage, requiring an estimated PHP 2.5 billion to resolve the deficit of 986 classrooms across the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, the substantial funding need arises from various challenges, including the establishment of new integrated high schools, the need to replace aging classroom structures, and damage from recent natural disasters. Despite ongoing construction funded by the 2023 budget, which includes 12 new classrooms and an additional 28 this year, the shortage remains critical. Galero highlighted the urgency of addressing these needs to ensure adequate learning environments for students.
The classroom deficit is partly due to the creation of six integrated high schools in the San Remigio area over the past five years, aimed at providing secondary education access to elementary learners from remote barangays. Many of these schools are currently operating in makeshift classrooms supported by local government units. For instance, the Aningalan Farm School is presently seeing the construction of four new classrooms, but others continue to use temporary facilities.
According to Philippines News Agency, there are classrooms from the 1970s—known as Marcos pre-fabricated and Bagong Lipunan buildings—that are now deemed unsafe and require replacement. Typhoon Odette, which struck on December 16, 2021, further exacerbated the situation by damaging or destroying 281 classrooms, with 32 requiring complete replacement.
Efforts to secure necessary funds are underway, with local Senator Loren Legarda, a native of Antique, actively involved in seeking financial solutions for the classroom shortages. As of the latest counts, Antique's public schools serve 136,691 learners, underscoring the critical need for improved educational infrastructure to accommodate all students safely and comfortably.