Arroyo scolds Hidalgo over classroom shortage report
First posted 01:43pm (Mla time) May 30, 2006
By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQ7.net
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PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has scolded Acting Education Secretary Fe Hidalgo for reporting conflicting figures on the classroom shortage in public schools.
The President interrupted Hidalgo who was reporting before the National Economic Development Authority cluster of the Cabinet Tuesday on the preparations for the opening of classes starting June 5.
Hidalgo reported that at a ratio of 45 students per one classroom, there was a current shortage of 6,832 classrooms.
But Arroyo said that in 2004, the government had set a student-classroom ratio of 100:1, with classes having two shifts.
With this, Arroyo said the shortage should just be about 1,000 classrooms.
"This is a very major issue. Can we defer this discussion . . . and identify the specific schools where there are shortages," the President told Hildalgo, one of the few Cabinet secretaries who has remained in acting capacity since last year.
Arroyo said she expected the Department of Education to be reporting on its accomplishments and not just on the classroom shortage.
OMG. Arroyos scolded her DepEd Secretry for reporting shortage of classrooms. Her DepEd Secretary based her forecast on 45:1 ratio so there is shortge of 6,832 classrooms. Arroyo said, " No, the ratio is not 45:1 but 100:1 with two shifts so there is only a shortge of 1000 clssrooms.." Hidalgo insist the 45:1 rtio because its the idel one.
Who of the two mke more sense? 
Merged: All criticisms against GMA.
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