COTABATO CITY – The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has turned over a two- classrooms school building worth P650,000 to the Datu Unsay Central Elementary School in Maguindanao province.
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman led the ceremony together with Datu Unsay Mayor Reshal Ampatuan and Major General Eduardo Pangilinan, chief of Army’s 6th Infantry Division.
The army’s engineering brigade has undertaken the construction of the building with funds provided by ARMM. The new building helps address classroom shortage in the school that has a student population of 714.
School Principal Elena Ibrahim said the classrooms will be used by Grade 5 students. With only a total of 13 classrooms, she said they still lack classrooms to accommodate all their students.
She said some sections in Grades 5 and 6 have to simultaneously take classes under one classroom and the school’s faculty, composed of 32 teachers, has to use a makeshift hut as office.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa ARMM government dahil napakalaking tulong ito sa amin (We are thankful to the ARMM government. This is really a big help to us),” said Ibrahim.
Grade 5 Rehana Tuan said having to share a single classroom with students from another section made learning more difficult. “Gapasangan kami bakikineg sa mga lessons. (We have a hard time listening to our lessons),” she said.
The 14-year old Tuan said the new building will help her and other students in the class focus more on their lessons.
Hataman has emphasized the importance of education in achieving peace and resolving issues in the community. He said: “Education is a good investment because it is the key to change the situation in the community.” (Bureau of Public Information)
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