Pupils settle for temporary rooms at Laoag school

Salvaged materials from the burnt school building. (Lei Adriano)

Staff reporter

Laoag City—Several pupils at the Shamrock Elementary School in this city have to settle for temporary rooms under a covered court as the classes opened on June 1.

The primary reason for this is because a fire destroyed the school’s 30-year old building three weeks before the opening of classes.

On May 8, a fire broke out at the second floor of the Shamrock old building damaging at least six classrooms equipped with flat screen television, water dispenser, electric fans, chairs and tables as well as new sala sets, books and other school documents. Estimated worth of damages was pegged at P1.7 million while source of fire was suspected to be that of faulty electrical wiring.

While waiting for the release of funds for the construction of a new building, Jovencio Agustin, the school principal said the affected five sections of Grade V and a block section for Grade VI pupils at the second floor and a room of the kindergarten at the ground floor of the two-storey building will be transferred to the school library which has two available rooms, the principal’s office and the ICT room.

Also, at least two temporary rooms are being fixed within June 1 at the south wing of the covered court or adjacent of the school’s open stage.

“Despite of what happened, we observe an increase of enrollees as we have so many transferees this year. Right now, enrolment is still on-going though regular classes will start today,” Mr. Agustin said.

RUSH JOB. Ernesto Subaste, a janitor of the Shamrock Elementary School in Laoag City is working double time to fix a temporary classroom intended for Grade V pupils. (Lei Adriano)

He admitted books are lacking particularly for the Grade V pupils whose books were totally burned.

Through the quick response fund from the Department of Education, Mr. Agustin said the Laoag City Division Office through City Schools Division Superintendent Cecilia Aribuabo have yet to follow up at the DepEd Region and Central Offices on what is best to do about the damaged building. Based on the recommendation of the city and provincial engineering office, the stability of the old structure have to be inspected first prior to its renovation or for the possible construction of a new building.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has initially donated blackboards and magazine racks for school use.

Photo captions:

Sacrifices of young children. School children squat in front of the burned old building of the Shamrock Elementary School on Monday while waiting for the school principal's announcement regarding their temporary room assignments. (Lei Adriano)

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