FACILITIES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Members of the Iloilo Provincial School Board on Wednesday (Oct. 9, 2019) discuss its programs and directions for 2019 with Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. at the Capitol. Defensor said the board is prioritizing the establishment of toilets, wash areas and water systems in public schools. (PNA photo by Gail Momblan)
ILOILO CITY -- The Iloilo Provincial School Board placed the establishment of toilets, wash areas, and water systems on top of its list of programs for public schools.
The school board has convened on Wednesday with Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. and the new Department of Education (DepEd) in Iloilo Schools Division superintendent, Dr. Roel Bermejo.
Defensor, in an interview, said among those discussed were the implementation of the budget and the direction of the school board.
“Our local school board is the implementer of our special fund that is collected from our real property taxes. Our direction is we will give priority to our water system, wash area, and toilets in our public schools,” Defensor said.
When he was a congressman, he said he knew that the establishment of these facilities was at the bottom of the budgetary priorities of the DepEd, thus the help of the province comes in.
Dr. Jerry Bionat, secretary of the Provincial School Board, said the establishment of toilets, wash areas, and water systems in schools were already included in the 2019 budget.
He added the board has approved new 57 school buildings to be constructed in different parts of the province. Each building will have three classrooms and three toilets.
Aside from addressing the hygiene needs of the students, Bionat said these buildings can also serve as evacuation centers during disasters. “The buildings have facilities, comfort rooms, water systems, and are well-lighted,” he said.
The program has started this year, Defensor said.
“These are implemented because we have the list from municipalities. If these will not be covered in 2019, maybe in 2020 our priority to establish these establishments will continue,” he added.
In addition to its priority programs of establishing facilities, the provincial school board also discussed sports programs, research programs, absenteeism of students, among others.
Defensor said the DepEd will present to the board “their academic programs which are relevant to us, and their targets and sports program of Deped” in their next meeting. (PNA)
