Armm to construct nine hundred classroom buildings

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur — Close to 900 new classrooms worth over P500 million will be built all over the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) starting this year.

Dr. John Magno, the region’s Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, said P191 million was also earmarked for water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in Armm’s schools.

The support of the Australian government through its Basic Education Assistance for Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-Armm) program, he said, helps a lot to deliver quality education in the region.

The BEAM-Armm is a comprehensive education and youth development program designed to contribute to the alleviation of poverty and to promote peace in the region.

It delivers accessible and healthy learning facilities, quality teachers, learning materials, and a protective environment for children in need, through effective, transparent, and accountable management systems.

A series of supplemental training to over 9,000 teachers on Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum under the K to 12 program were also conducted. This initiative also provides skills training to out-of-school youth and senior high school students.

“My son is one of the lucky students who will occupy the newly rehabilitated classrooms at Portholland Elementary School,” said Hja. ThandzmahalIdan, 35 years old and mother of Al Jake Idan, Grade 3 student in the town of Maluso in Basilan.Maluso is one of the recipients of projects under DepEd-ARMM and BEAM-ARMM program.

AmellaJalani, Porthol-land school head, said the school has 28 classrooms but only 16 are being used. “Last school year, 1,900 students merged to only 16 classrooms, which resulted in a classroom-student ratio of over 1:100,” said Jalani. She underscored that this problem results in students skipping class and leads to severe absenteeism.

Five of Portholland’s old classroom buildings were renovated while two new classrooms were constructed by the BEAM-ARMM. (pia 10)