AS SCHOOLS across Western Visayas open their doors to nearly one million learners this school year, one reality is impossible to ignore: many students are returning to overcrowded classrooms, shifting schedules, and temporary learning spaces because there are simply not enough classrooms to accommodate them all.
The Department of Education in Region 6 has done what it can. Schools are preparing multi-shift arrangements, double-session classes, and even makeshift classrooms in gymnasiums, covered courts, and multipurpose halls. These measures may prevent disruptions in learning, but they also expose a more troubling problem—the region’s persistent shortage of educational infrastructure.
This is where local governments must step up.
DepEd has already acknowledged that addressing classroom shortages cannot be accomplished by the education sector alone. The agency is actively encouraging partnerships with local government units and tapping Special Education Funds (SEF) to help finance classroom construction, rehabilitation, and other infrastructure needs. That call deserves an urgent and positive response.
For too long, discussions about education have focused primarily on teachers, curricula, and learning outcomes. These are undeniably important. But quality education cannot flourish without adequate physical facilities. Before a teacher can teach and a student can learn, there must first be a proper classroom.
The situation in Western Visayas underscores the urgency. Nearly 972,000 learners are expected to enroll this school year, with Iloilo province alone accounting for more than 404,000 students. Yet schools continue to struggle with inadequate learning spaces. Some students will attend classes in facilities never intended to serve as classrooms. Others will share already congested rooms with far more classmates than educational standards recommend.
These conditions directly affect the quality of learning. Overcrowded classrooms make instruction more difficult. Temporary learning spaces expose students to distractions and discomfort. Teachers are forced to divide their attention among larger numbers of learners. In the end, it is the students who pay the price.
The irony is that local governments often invest heavily in visible infrastructure projects that generate immediate political goodwill — roads, plazas, sports complexes, gateways, and government buildings. While many of these projects have merit, few investments offer greater long-term returns than classrooms.
A new classroom may not attract as much public attention as a new municipal hall or a beautification project. It may not generate the same ceremonial fanfare. But its impact is far more profound. A classroom is where future teachers, engineers, nurses, farmers, entrepreneurs, and public servants begin their journey. Every classroom built today becomes an investment in the community’s future prosperity.
This is precisely why the Special Education Fund exists. The SEF should be regarded as a powerful tool for addressing one of the most pressing challenges facing public education. Local governments that have healthy SEF collections should prioritize classroom construction, repairs, and rehabilitation, particularly in schools facing severe congestion.
Beyond funding, local officials must become active partners in educational development. They should identify available land for school expansion, facilitate infrastructure projects, mobilize private sector support, and work closely with school administrators to address urgent facility needs.
The challenge is especially significant because many classroom deficiencies have been aggravated by natural disasters. Western Visayas regularly experiences typhoons, flooding, and other calamities that damage school buildings. Rehabilitation cannot wait until national funding becomes available. Local governments must be prepared to fill the gap when necessary.
Education is often described as a shared responsibility. This is a practical reality. DepEd cannot solve the classroom shortage alone. National government resources are finite. The private sector can help, but its participation is often limited. Local governments therefore occupy a critical position in ensuring that children have a suitable place to learn.
The success of Western Visayas will ultimately depend not only on how many students enroll, but on the quality of the environment in which they learn. A child studying in a safe, comfortable, and well-equipped classroom has a better chance of succeeding than one squeezed into an overcrowded room or a temporary structure.
And there is no better investment a local government can make than in the future of its children.
