INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SAFER AND RESILIENT SCHOOLS PROJECT
CHRISTINE JOY M. SELGA
The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to implement the Infrastructure for Safer and Resilient Schools (ISRS) Project to ensure the resilient recovery of disaster-affected schools and reduce disruption in the delivery of education services.
This, after its approval from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board.
A critical part of the MATATAG Agenda of Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Z. Duterte, the ISRS Project will be rolled out in the next five years in partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and will be funded through official development assistance loan from the World Bank.
With a total project cost of Php 30.56 billion, the ISRS project aims to address the need to recover school infrastructures mostly affected by disasters from 2019 to 2023. It will benefit 4,756 school buildings, 13,101 classrooms, and around 741,038 learners in 1,282 target school beneficiaries.
The project is composed of four components, including 1) Relatively Simple Works for School Infrastructure Recovery; 2) Relatively Complex Works for School Infrastructure Recovery to be implemented; 3) Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation; and 4) Contingent Emergency Response Component.
In addition, this also includes the improvement and strengthening of procedures and tools, as well as training to DepEd units to ensure the sustainability of the project outcomes.
ISRS project will adopt the relevant Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) under the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) that is designed to avoid, minimize, reduce, or mitigate adverse environmental and social risks and impact.
-oOoThe author is a TEACHER III at LUBAO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LUBAO EAST DISTRICT