While there were the usual problems of crowded classrooms in some schools, particularly in urban areas, Valisno said public schools welcomed incoming Grade 1 pupils and high school freshmen as well as students returning after the summer break.

“We’ve had a very smooth opening of classes in our public schools, even in Metro Manila,” Valisno told a press briefing during the Oplan Balik Eskwela campaign at the Department of Education (DepEd) central office in Pasig City yesterday.

Valisno said DepEd is still confident that the quality of education was not compromised, notwithstanding the resource shortages in public schools.

“Even if our classrooms are packed, we are finding ways to get them all in and make sure they get taught and learn,” she said.

Valisno said DepEd is delivering 5.73 million textbooks this school year as it targets to achieve a 1:1 student to textbook ratio.

This is expected to enhance education efficiency in public schools. Public schools already have 86.2 million textbooks on inventory, she said.

There are presently more than 45,000 public elementary and high schools in the country. The number of pre-schools is placed at 15,841.

Valisno also explained that to bring public school education standards to 21st century level, the government has so far put up computer laboratories in 5,409 public high schools out of a total of 6,650 public high schools. Moreover, high schools with Internet connection total 3,820 while Internet connection for the remaining 2,830 public high schools is being procured.

Valisno though admitted that problems would still crop up despite efforts to address the concerns on the lack of schoolrooms, textbooks, availability of teachers, and the issue of no collection of school fees.

“We want to assure the public that these concerns are already being resolved… and our continuing coordination with the national agencies, local governments units, grassroots and private organizations as well as barangay officials,” Valisno said.

While agreeing with DepEd that the first day of the school year went smoothly in public schools, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) party list Rep. Antonio Tinio said that learning conditions remain far from ideal for the more than 21 million public pre-school, elementary and high schools.

“It’s always orderly (opening). But the conditions are far from ideal. The nine years of GMA (President Arroyo) have really been bad for education, the conditions went from bad to worse,” Tinio said.

The opening of classes in several regions of the country, on the other hand, has been postponed indefinitely.

In some far-flung villages of Sumisip in Basilan, the opening of classes was postponed due to ongoing military operations against the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

DepEd officials in Batangas also ordered the postponement of classes in Pulo Elementary School in Talisay and Kalawit Elementary School in Balete. Both schools are located in Volcano Island near the crater of Taal Volcano. Edmon Pampulan, officer in charge of Pulo Elementary School, said they were advised to postpone the opening of classes while alert level 2 remains hoisted over the area.