According to a report by the Commission on Audit (COA), the Department of Education (DepEd) fell significantly short of its 2023 target for constructing classrooms. Out of the 6,379 classrooms planned for the year, only 192 were completed. Additionally, 4,391 classrooms are still under construction, while 550 are awaiting various stages of procurement.
The COA report also highlighted the department’s performance in classroom repairs. Of the 7,550 classrooms targeted for repair, only 208 were fully completed. Meanwhile, 2,135 classrooms are currently undergoing repairs, and 5,207 have not yet started due to the pending procurement of necessary materials and services.
Another issue underscored by the COA was the delayed delivery of 580,394 pieces of school furniture, including chairs for classrooms. These were initially scheduled for delivery between May and June 2023, but the contracts were only fulfilled, and the furniture was delivered in December 2023.
The COA expressed concerns over these delays, stating, “The agency must take actions to address issues and concerns that hinder the implementation of projects so that optimum results and benefits on the completed projects would be realized as timely as intended.”
In response to these findings, Education Secretary Sonny Angara assured that the department is committed to addressing these shortcomings. During a budget briefing on Monday, September 2, Angara emphasized DepEd’s dedication to reforming its processes.
“We are committed to making extraordinary efforts to address these concerns. We see the low obligation rates and undelivered resources, and we know this cannot continue. We will change the system,” Angara stated.
DepEd has pledged to take steps to resolve these issues and accelerate the implementation of its projects to ensure that students and teachers benefit as planned within the intended timeframe.