The newly completed two-story, eight-classroom school building at Rawis Integrated School here is expected to end shifting schedules and provide more adequate learning spaces.

Funded under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Basic Education Facilities Fund with an allocation of PHP40 million, the building will serve nearly 1,000 learners, 36 teachers and five non-teaching personnel.

Grade 7 and Grade 8 already offered and Grade 9 would be added in the next school year.

“Actually, this is a blessing because we currently have what we call emergency classes and we have been implementing shifting schedules. It will be a great help once we can use these new classrooms because we can finally start our regular schedule,” Principal III Rommel Bachiller School said.

Learners attend classes in two shifts — 6 a.m. to noon and noon to 6 p.m.

“With the additional school building, Grade 5, Grade 6 and Grade 7 will finally have classrooms. All of them will have new classrooms that they can use,” he said.

Bachiller said the school will return to its regular schedule of 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. when the new classrooms become available.

“Imagine how much the number of students will increase. Every year, the number of students increases, so the number of classrooms should also increase,” he said.

He also thanked DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara and other individuals involved in the project.

“I am grateful that this was accomplished and that the dream of our students has finally become a reality,” he said.

Classroom projects are also being implemented in other Bicol provinces, including Camarines Sur and Sorsogon. (PNA)