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THE
Department of Education (DepEd) has launched its annual
Oplan: Balik Eskwela (OBE) to ensure smooth school
opening on June 10 for the 20.8 million public and
private elementary and secondary students.
OBE
coordinates efforts of other government agencies to
address the problems commonly experienced during the
start of the school year. It also makes sure students
are properly enrolled and able to attend school on the
first day.
The
interagency convergence task force, aside from the DepEd,
is composed of the Departments of Health, the Interior
and Local Government of National Defense, Public Works
and Highways (DPWH), Transportation and Communications
and of Trade and Industry (DTI); The Metropolitan
Development Authority, National Police Metro Manila
command, Philippine Atmostpheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa),
Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS),
Manila Water Co. and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco).
Education Undersecretary for Regional Affairs Ramon
Bacani in a news conference said the different agencies
concerned have already assured their commitment to the
OBE.
DTI
officials, Bacani said, have already met with suppliers
and manufacturers to ensure that prices of school
supplies will be reasonable.
Local
price-coordinating councils, he added, have also been
activated in response to the call of the DTI to
maintain, if not lower, the prices of school supplies
and other basic commodities.
Bacani
also announced that 2,000 classrooms have been completed
by the DPWH to supplement the 14,000 classrooms
constructed by the DepEd last year.
The MWSS
and Meralco, he said, have assured that there would be
no water and light interruption, especially during the
first day of classes.
Chief
Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Metro Manila deputy police
commander, said roving patrols would be deployed around
elementary and secondary schools, and barangay watchmen
would be tapped to ensure the safety of students and
prevent crimes.
“We will
deploy two policemen per school in Metro Manila to
ensure the safety of the students,” he said.
Prisco
Nilo, Pagasa director, however, cautioned the public
that frequent rainshowers may greet the new school year.
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus, for his part, said the
department has completed 12,000 new classrooms and hired
an additional 10,000 teachers to meet the needs of
students.
He said
the DepEd is still adopting the double-shift policy to
reduce class size to respond to classroom shortage.
Classroom-to-student ratio is expected to drop from 1:50
last school year to 1:45 this year.
An
action center, according to Lapus, has also been set up
to receive information or complaints from parents or
students concerning school opening and the collection of
exorbitant miscellaneous fees.
At the
same time, he said the DepEd expanded its preschool
program by providing intervention even to day-care
workers in partnership with the Department of Social
Welfare and Development.
The
DepEd anticipates some 1 million preschoolers this
school year.
“We
expect a higher participation rate this year,” said
Lapus.
Likewise, Lapus urged the public to participate in the
cleaning, rehabilitation and repair of schools and
classrooms during the schools’ maintenance week
scheduled from June 2 to 9. (With Ella Dimaculangan) |
