DepEd-7 seeks P4B budget for 2015

CEBU, Philippines -  The Department of Education-7 will propose during the House of Representatives budget hearing Monday over P4 billion as budget for the senior high school program in Central Visayas.

DepEd-7 needs an additional 3,449 teachers, 2,069 classrooms, and 82, 697 chairs for its 19 divisions, hence the huge amount.

DepEd-7 Director Carmelita Dulangon, however, said there is a possibility that the amount would be reduced as some of their needs are shouldered by local government and the non-government units supporting her office.

She said the P4B does not include yet the budget for textbooks, which she could not yet give an estimate when interviewed by The FREEMAN yesterday.

Among other requirements, DepEd-7 also needs equipment for agriculture, sewing machines, and cooking utensils for technical-vocational courses.

Dulangon earlier said they are 75 percent prepared already but that DepEd-7 still needs all the support it could get.

Just this week, DepEd-Cebu City Division tackled the need for the K-12 program to be given a budget of P307 million, which the Cebu City would shoulder.

In Mandaue City, Mayor Jonas Cortes and the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry are also extending help to DepEd-Mandaue City Division.

In Lapu-Lapu City, Mayor Paz Radaza and companies at the Mactan Export Zone assured to take care of the on-the-job training requirement for students.

“We are hoping that there are still those who are willing to support for the betterment of our educational system,” Dulangon said.

Under the K-12 program, students would be taught specialized subjects, livelihood skills, sports, arts and design.

This is to prepare them for tertiary education; life-long learners; and middle-level skills development, employment, and entrepreneurship.  (FREEMAN)