More than half of Filipinos believe the lack of classrooms is the top issue that the Department of Education (DepEd) should immediately address.

This was shown on the results of the Pulse Asia survey conducted on 1,200 respondents that was commissioned by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Based on the survey conducted between September 17 to 21, 2022, 52 percent of respondents said that the shortage of classrooms should be the topmost priority issue of the DepEd.

This is more evident in Luzon and Mindanao where 56 percent and 57 percent of respondents, said that classroom shortage should be the top priority of the agency.

In the National Capital Region (NCR) and Visayas, 44 percent of respondents also said that the lack of classrooms should be on top of DepEd’s concerns.

The survey also showed that more than half of respondents from classes ABC at 52 percent and, D at 54 percent also identified the lack of classrooms as the issue that needs to be immediately addressed by DepEd.

Almost half, or 49 percent, of the respondents from Class E share the same view.

Given the results of the survey, Gatchalian said the government must commit to meeting the classroom requirement for all the country’s learners.

He noted that during the deliberations on the 2023 national budget around, P420-billion is needed to meet the classroom requirement. Based on the 2019 National School Building Inventory (NSBI), there’s a shortage of 167,901 classrooms nationwide.

The survey also says that more than 40 percent of respondents identified the lack of school learning materials like books and computers (49 percent) and the lack of teacers (45 percent) as the top concern that DepEd should immediately address.

Only 33 percent also said that the agency should provide topmost priority to quality education while 24 percent also cited concerns on the lack of textbooks.

“Bagama’t prayoridad para sa karamihan ng ating mga kababayan ang sapat na mga classrooms, titiyakin naman natin na tutugunan din natin ang ibang mga kakulangang kinakaharap natin, lalo na pagdating sa kalidad ng edukasyon (Although adequate classrooms are a priority for most of our countrymen, we will make sure that we also address the other deficiencies we face, especially when it comes to the quality of education),” Gatchalian said.