DepEd seeks solution to lack of classrooms

EDUCATION Secretary Sonny Angara said the Department of Education (DepEd) was keen to forge public-private partnerships to address the lack of classrooms in public schools. "What we are pushing is either public-private partnerships, where we will bid 1,000 school buildings and offer it to the private sector to construct it," Angara said in a recent dialogue with school officials and teachers in La Paz, Tarlac. The meeting was attended by DepEd Central Luzon Regional Director Ronnie Mallari, La Paz Mayor Venustiano Jordan, and representatives from other local government units. Angara said the endeavor would be mutually beneficial. "Businessmen or other charitable organizations should know that if they donate a school building, it will be deducted from their taxable income," he added. Angara said DepEd was prioritizing focus on boosting its adopt-a-school program, as well as digital technology to enhance learning opportunities and innovations for learners and teachers. He urged education officials to intensify preparations for the 2025 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests through practice examinations that stimulate critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills. During his visit, Angara led the inauguration of the newly constructed Tarlac State University extension building named after his late father, former senator Edgardo Angara. Secretary Angara sponsored the project in 2023 when he was still a senator.