DepEd vows reduced learning disruptions with school buildings resiliency project

The Department of Education (DepEd) said Thursday it is set to implement the P30.56 billion Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools (ISRS) Project, not only to ensure the recovery of disaster-affected schools, but also to reduce the disruption in the delivery of education services to learners.

This came after the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on Wednesday approved the multi-billion peso project to rehabilitate and reconstruct the school facilities outside Metro Manila which were damaged by calamities from 2019 to 2023.

The DepEd said that the ISRS Project, which will be implemented from 2025 to 2029, is a “critical part” of the MATATAG agenda of Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte.

According to the agency, the project is expected to benefit 4,756 school buildings, 13,101 classrooms, and around 741,038 learners in 1,282 target school beneficiaries.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) earlier said that of the total P30.56 billion project cost, P27.50 billion will be funded by loan proceeds, while the remaining P3.06 billion will be financed by the national government.

The project will be composed of four components: relatively simple works for school infrastructure recovery; relatively complex works for school infrastructure recovery; project management, monitoring and evaluation; and contingent emergency response.

The DepEd said the project will also include the improvement and strengthening of procedures and tools, as well as training DepEd units to ensure the sustainability of the project outcomes. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News