Taguig sets up learning rooms in evacuation centers for displaced students

MANILA, Philippines - Elementary and high school students in Taguig City can still attend school and conduct classes despite being inside evacuation centers during a typhoon following a decision by the city government to put up “learning rooms” in evacuation centers.

Called the “Child-Friendly, Habitation, Evacuation and Educational Room during Storm” (CHEERS) program, the project is designed to minimize disruption of a child’s learning process during a storm-related evacuation.

Under the project, the Taguig City government and the Department of Education - Taguig and Pateros (DepEd-TAPAT)  will designate a classroom in the 18 public schools located in the city’s low-lying areas which will be used as “learning rooms” by the evacuated students.

Each CHEERS room is equipped with books for story-telling, multi-media devices and other learning materials. Lessons to be offered include reading competency, values integration and story-telling.

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano said the CHEERS program will help lessen the trauma experienced by evacuated victims while maximizing the time of the evacuated students at the evacuation centers.

"During and after strong typhoons, a lot of people including school-age children have to spend days and sometimes weeks at evacuation centers. Through our CHEERS program, the children's learning opportunity will not be severely hampered as they will continue to receive lessons at these temporary shelters," Mayor Cayetano said.

Dr. Benjamin Samson, DepEd TAPAT Office of the Schools Division Superintendent officer-in-charge said classes in the “learning rooms” will be handled by teachers who have undergone special training.

The assigned teachers will then be given service credits for handling the special classes, the city government said. 

This school year, the Taguig City government opened six city-funded public school buildings with four other buildings still being built.