TACLOBAN CITY, May 15 — At least 215 classrooms near the city’s relocation are needed this school year to accommodate thousands of students following the massive transfer of families from danger zones to safer grounds in the past months, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported.

These 215 temporary learning spaces (TLS) will rise near nine locations in the northern part of the city and will be needing a budget of PHP16.47 million.

The department needs 21,897 square meters land area for the provisional classrooms.

This academic year, the provisional classrooms are intended for 8,235 learners. Last year, the education department also built TLS only for 1,440 new enrollees.

“Some 100 TLS are targeted to be finished before the start of classes (in June). The other 115 TLS are projected to finish within the timeline of school year 2017-2018,” said Ivannovich Agote, DepEd Tacloban disaster risk reduction and management coordinator.

The provision of temporary rooms for instruction is the DepEd’s short-term solution to provide the basic educational needs of thousands of children, whose families were badly-hit by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’.

The Department of Education (DepEd) is seeking a PHP768.93 million outlay to build 558 permanent classrooms for thousands of children, whose families were moved to the city’s northern relocation sites.

At least 10 new campuses will rise near resettlement sites, for an estimated 25,110 students from families previously living in danger zone zones. (Wanda Chanese O. Antonio-OJT/PNA)