Dinalupihan to use container classrooms to solve classroom shortage

DINALUPIHAN, Bataan – Citing reports of classroom shortage last year, Mayor Maria Angela “Gila” Garcia announced recently that they are considering the use of air conditioned “container classrooms” this June to address the problem. “We are in negotiations with suppliers for these container classrooms,” Mayor Garcia told newsmen in a recent news briefing at her office.

In South Africa, a private company offers the ideal solution for building cost-effective schools by converting marine-grade shipping containers into comfortable, attractive spaces that are ideal for facilitating learning.

The company says using converted containers makes it possible to set up safe, decent schools at a fraction of the price of brick and mortar buildings. It’s also quick and easy to expand the space available to an existing school, adding more containers as they’re required to house learners and facilities. They said the “container schools” are already used by various organizations throughout South Africa, with excellent results.

In June of 2015, a chapel, parochial house, village hall and a former garage were used as alternative classrooms of almost 150 students of an upland village of Bayan-bayanan here. Mary Rose Romano, a grade school teacher in Bayan-Bayanan Elementary School, told newsmen about their situation since 2012 when the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources advised the local government here to vacate the 10-classroom-buildings which were earlier declared by a national agency “located in imminent danger zone.”

Bayan-bayanan is an upland village with a small population that mostly belongs to an Aeta tribe.

Village chief Jose Salonga said that in 2012, during the onslaught of typhoon Habagat, a landslide occurred in an area just beside where the school buildings are located.

Local officials along with the Department of Education cite Bataan as one of the very few provinces in the country with no reported classroom shortage.

“The area has been declared in state of imminent danger by way of a Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council) resolution as per recommendation of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the LGU disaster risk reduction and management office.

The LGU of Dinalupihan is currently in negotiation with NCIP (National Commission on Indigenous People) for a replacement site. Pita Elem. School had agreed to temporarily house the students while the new school building is being constructed,” Vice Mayor Renato Matawaran said last year. “Hinahanapan na namin ng lugar na malilipatan ang mga bata. Our local chief executive is in coordination with DepEd and assistance from our provincial government,” municipal administrator Rolly Rojas said.

Garcia added that there are funds to build classrooms but the problem lies where it will be built citing issues of ancestral domains and other legal factors.