Floods swamp public schools in Maguindanao

By BITOON A RANAO

June 12, 2019

FLOODED SCHOOL. Students of the Barurao Elementary School in Sultan sa Barongis, Maguindanao, carry their chairs amid floodwaters Tuesday (May 11, 2019) as they transfer to another room to continue classes. Some classes were suspended due to floods and that school officials are considering to hold makeup classes for the pupils. (Photo courtesy of Barurao Elementary School)

MARAWI CITY: Three public elementary schools in Maguindanao have been underwater since last week due to torrential rains affecting the province and the rest of Mindanao the past few days.

The flooded schools are the Pagatin Elementary School in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town; Sambulawan Elementary School (Shariff Saydona Mustapha); and Barurao Elementary School (Sultan sa Barongis).

Alibai Benito Aliuden, Maguindanao 1st division schools’ superintendent, quoted a report from the school principals of the affected schools that flooding had been a perennial problem.

“Even if it is not raining in Maguindanao, but raining in North Cotabato, South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat provinces, we still experience the sudden rise of water in our school grounds,” said Barurao school teacher Amera, who requested that she would use a pseudonym during a phone interview Wednesday for lack of authority to speak.

The water in the schools reached up to the knee-level but teachers and students continue holding classes.

“Somehow we are used to it, but we expect the regional or provincial government to do something (about this),” Amera said. She also took their school’s plight to social media by posting a photo of their students carrying plastic chairs and braving the flood to transfer to another classroom.

Aliuden, in a separate interview, said that some classes were suspended due to floods and that school officials are considering to hold makeup classes for the pupils. (With a report from PNA/RSP)