Australia turns over 24 rehabilitated classrooms to Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The Australian government formally handed over 24 newly rehabilitated classrooms to six public elementary schools in Jolo, Sulu early this week, officials said. 

The 24 newly rehabilitated classrooms were funded by the Australian government under its Basic Education Assistance for Muslim- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BEAM-ARMM) to help alleviate poverty and promote peace in the region, Kevin Corbin, BEAM-ARMM program director said.

The new classrooms, formally turned over Monday to the Department of Education (DepEd) ARMM Districts of Sulu division, can accommodate more than 5,000 school children in the next three years. It was part of the Australian government commitment under the BEAM-ARMM program to provide the children in the region access to education.

The public schools that benefited from the program include Bakud Elementary School, Hji. Gulamu Rasul, Hji. Hassiman, Hja. Taiba Abubakar Shuck, Tanjung and Jati Elementary Schools, all in the four Jolo DepEd-ARMM Division of Sulu. 

Corbin said the project is also in support of President Aquino’s thrust of investing in the Filipino people, especially in the Muslim region that was plagued by corruption under the previous administrations.

“The program is designed to contribute to the alleviation of poverty and the emergence of peace in ARMM through targeted investments in basic education,” he said. 

Corbin said the the newly rehabilitated classrooms also aim to reduce the high classroom-to-student ratio to a more manageable level.

Lawyer Jamar Kulayan, DepEs-ARMM secretary, said the ARMM regional government is doing its best to upgrade the facilities of all schools in the region. 

Kulayan said their efforts was also inspired by the program of Gov. Mujiv Hataman who rid out the DepEd ARMM from corruption ranging from ghost teachers, unpaid salaries, social security contributions and ghost pupils. 

Kulayan, who led the ARMM government in the turn over, said that aside from repairing the classrooms, DepEd-ARMM will be providing the province of Sulu with 1,340 chalkboards through its “Pisara ng Pagbabago Program.’

He shared that DepEd-ARMM is putting up a division library and Instructional Materials Development Center here where teachers can easily access lesson plans, workbooks and other reference materials, which will be provided by BEAM-ARMM.

“The IMDC shall be equipped with computers, internet connection and photocopiers,” said Kulayan.

BEAM-ARMM will also construct 60 more classrooms in Sulu in the next few months to augment the number of classrooms in the province.

Through June 2015, BEAM-ARMM will deliver accessible learning facilities, teachers, learning materials, and a protective environment for children in need and out of school youth, through effective, transparent and accountable management systems in ARMM.