CEBU, Philippines - Classes go on at the Pinamungajan Central School despite six of its classrooms were gutted down by fire last Sunday afternoon.
In order not to displace the more than 200 pupils, non-academic rooms are being used as temporary classrooms, said Cebu provincial schools division superintendent, Dr. Arden Monisit.
“Padayon gihapon ang klase sa mga bata,†said Monisit.
Pinamungajan Mayor Glenn Baricuatro, in a separate interview, said that he met with the district supervisor yesterday morning to assess the immediate needs of the school as a result of the fire.
Baricuatro said they already ordered 187 monobloc desks for the displaced pupils and six blackboards.
He said that although there are about 250 pupils who were affected, there are some school chairs that were saved.
“So far, these are what they immediately need. The children are now with DLRC building and school clinic which are converted into classrooms,†the mayor said.
Baricuatro added that of the six classrooms, four were totally damaged while two were partially damaged.
Monisit said that engineers were already sent to the said school to assess the damaged.
He said the assessment will be forwarded to their head office of the Department of Education in Manila for funding of the construction of a new classrooms under their Quick Respond Fund.
QRF is intended for prompt construction, repairs and rehabilitation of school buildings destroyed by fire and natural calamities especially those in coastal areas.
QRF is a lump sum amount included in DepEd’s budget fully allocated for repair, reconstruction, or replacement of school buildings and facilities affected by calamities.
The destroyed classrooms were used by grades one and two pupils.
Fire officials pegged the damaged at P50,000.00—(FREEMAN)