CEBU, Philippines - Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes said the city will hire additional teachers to fill up the shortage.
Cortes said since he gives priority to the construction of classrooms, more school buildings have been built – with the help of private partnerships.
He said the city has just purchased a 3,000 square-meter lot in barangay Tingub for the construction of six classrooms for its high school.
Other school buildings will be constructed in barangay Banilad, Cubcub, and Maguikay.
He said the city now has a sufficient budget for the construction of more classrooms and the hiring of more teachers which will be paid through the local school board.
The city needs almost 200 teachers more, Cortes said.
At the same time, the city is also contemplating hiring more job order employees for security in schools, although barangay tanods will still be around.
The mayor said the suggestion of city legal officer Giovanni Teneiro to sign a contract with a certain security agency to secure schools and other public buildings in the city will also be studied.
"At least ang mga bata ug mga teachers maka-feel nga safe sila if unipormado ang mobantay nila," Cortes said. (FREEMAN)