Over 1,000 classrooms turned over 'unfinished'

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday, Sept. 19, revealed that more than 1,000 classrooms nationwide had been turned over to schools in an "unfinished" state.

- BY MERLINA HERNANDO-MALIPOT

Citing an audit conducted by DepEd, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a radio interview that hundreds of classrooms nationwide remain incomplete.

He added that many classrooms were handed over despite lacking essential facilities such as paint, electricity, and water, making them unusable for students.

"I don't know the reason... maybe there's a lack of funding, but the classrooms can’t be used. What’s important is that construction should be completed," he said.

Not ‘ghost’ projects, but...

Angara clarified that while the classrooms are not entirely “ghost projects,” their unusable condition rendered them practically the same.

"It’s not a ghost project, more like an aswang—because it wasn’t completed," he said.

Based on field reports, DepEd said some projects were turned over unfinished.

"It’s not entirely a ghost project, but since the classrooms were handed over unfinished, some remain unused," Angara explained.