3-story public school building to rise in barangay Lawaan

CEBU, Philippines - A three-story school building that will have 100 classrooms when finished, will soon rise inside the Lawaan I Elementary School premises.

The building is the first integrated school community-based project in Talisay City to be built by students, parents, teachers, and other sectors.

Reynaldo Singco, Lawaan I Elementary School principal, said the first phase of the project will need at least P30 million to complete it.

So far, organizers have advanced an initial P250,000 to contractor Dakay Construction.

Singco said the money came from the sale of second-hand yet useable materials such as books donated by children and their parents and teachers.

 This project, which is part of the Belgian Integrated Agrarian Reform Project (BIARP) that involves the Belgian government, the Department of Agrarian Reform, and the Department of Education, aims to establish primary and secondary public schools all over the country.

Lawaan I Elementary School was chosen by DAR because of its active participation with its community through the Parent-Teachers Community Association (PTCA).

The entire project will need at least P75 million.

Individuals and agencies such as University of San Carlos' Fr. Ulrich Schlect, SVD and the DepEd have assured to support it.

DepEd is said to shell out P7 million as its counterpart.

The first building, which is expected to be completed June next year, will have 17 classrooms that will accommodate around 500 pupils.

As of the current records, the school has 24 classrooms which are not enough to accommodate the school's more than 1,000 pupils and about 1,500 high school students, said Singco.

Some of the rooms are already old, the ceiling of which are about to give up, which poses a hazard.

Singco said the students have been holding classes in tents but are moved to safer areas when it rains.