On Classroom and Textbook Shortages

"Let us move on to education. Our goal is to raise the quality of learning that our children undertake, so that once they finish their schooling, they can seize the opportunities now opening up in society: accomplished. We have finally erased the backlog we inherited in books and chairs, and if Secretary Armin Luistro continues to demonstrate true grit, even the backlog we inherited in classrooms will also be erased this year. And there is even more good news: Now, we also have the ability to prepare for the additional needs that the implementation of the K to 12 program will require."

-President Aquino, SONA 2013, English translation,
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/focus/07/22/13/english-version-president-aquinos-sona-2013-full-text

On Classrooms:

Photo downloaded from Anakbayan Philippines Facebook Page
Wala na daw classroom shortage sabi ni Noynoy Aquino sa kanyang SONA. Ganito ba ang ginawa nila para masabi yun? Nilagyan ng mga divider ang basketball court at tinawag ng CLASSROOM?

On Textbooks:

Most textbooks in public schools obsolete--teachers

Manila Bulletin – Sun, Jun 16, 2013

Public school teachers said yesterday aside from the late delivery of learning packages especially for Grades 2 and 8 students as part of the implementation of the K-to-12 Program this year, most of the textbooks currently available for students might be "obsolete." 

While the Department of Education (DepEd) maintained that the textbook shortage in the country's public school system has been fully addressed since 2012, the Teacher's Dignity Coalition (TDC) maintained that in subject areas like Filipino for instance, "there is no provision of books for a decade now" while the other textbooks are already considered "obsolete."