ARMM starts repair of schools damaged during the Marawi crisis

MARAWI CITY – The Department of Education in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DepEd-ARMM) will start the repair of seven damaged schools in Marawi City and 54 others in various parts of Lanao del Sur.Alfhadar Pajiji, DepEd-ARMM Assistant Secretary, revealed this development during the relief distribution and classrooms visit of ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman and other officials in Marawi City’s Amai Pakpak Central Elementary School on November 22. The (initial) budget for the repair, which is over P34 million, will come from the regular program of the DepEd, Pajiji said. The Education department and the regional government will fast-track the repair and rehabilitation of the schools, he added. Handa po kami tumulong sa DepEd-ARMM para sa pagpapa-ayos ng paaralan namin bagong simula po ito para sa mga estudyante at para sa amin, said Pinamili Abedin, principal of Amai Pakpak Central Elementary School.Clashes between government troops and members of a local terrorist group destroyed school structures and facilities in Marawi affecting more than 62,000 students who were enrolled in the city’s public and private schools, as well as in state universities and colleges.After a post-conflict assessment was done, the city schools division of Marawi said the following schools have been cleared and are now ready for enrolleesand* Matampay Elementary School* Tampilong Elementary School* Datu Saber Elementary School* Basak Elementary School* Amai Pakpak Central Elementary School* Pandi Elementary School and* Marawi City National High School.The DepEd-ARMM has drafted recovery programs and plans and has conducted initial damage assessments for schools adversely affected by the Marawi crisis. It also provided e-learning assistance, psychosocial first aid, and a feeding program for school children affected by the crisis. Our focus is to make sure that the learning spaces are safe as the students return to their respective schools, Gov. Hataman said. He reiterated that damaged educational institutions in Marawi and other affected schools in neighboring municipalities in Lanao del Sur must be repaired as soon as possible.The DepEd central office earlier announced that an estimated P2 billion is needed to rebuild Marawi City's schools that were totally damaged plus 47 others that need major repair.Currently, the Education department allows Marawi City's students whose families evacuated to other cities to enroll in any school with, or without, documentation. It is also organizing a Brigada Eskwela in Marawi in December in preparation for the reopening of classes.(Bureau of Public Information)