The Makati City government has started distributing free school supplies to all public schools in the city, from elementary to senior high school, in time for the opening of classes on June 5.
The Project FREE (Free Relevant and Excellent Education) in the city’s 27 public elementary schools, 10 high schools, and eight senior high schools is funded by the P741.6-million budget approved by the City Council for the year.
Mayor Abigail Binay said the delivery of school supplies started last April, and these will be distributed to the students as soon as the schools submit their list of enrolees.
“We aim to finish the distribution on or before the second week of June,” Binay said.
Each student will also receive two sets of school uniforms, one pair of Physical Education jogging pants, two Makati t-shirts, a pair of black leather shoes, and a pair of rubber shoes.
Seven writing notebooks each will be distributed to pre-schoolers, Special Education (SPED) learners, and Grades 1 and 2 pupils. For Grades 2 to 12, each student will receive eight composition notebooks, while Makati Science High School students will have 10 each. Grades 7 to 12 will also be provided with one Math notebook each.
For pad paper, preschoolers, SPED learners, and Grades 1 to 4 will be given five writing pads each, and for Grades 5 to 12, five intermediate pads each. Every student will receive one student diary.
Preschoolers, SPED learners, and Grade 1 students will have five fat pencils each, while Grades 2 to 12 will have five regular pencils each. Grades 3 to 12 will receive five pens each.
Preschoolers and Grade 1 pupils will also get one free school bag each.
Meanwhile, learners’ materials like books, modules, and booklets, which are aligned with the K to 12 basic education program of the Department of Education, will be provided by the national government.
Other programs under DepEd Makati with approved budget from the city government this year include Gawad Parangal (awards and incentives for Makati honor graduates), P9.6 million; Mathematical Challenge for Makati Kids Training Program, P2 million; Robotics, P6.3 million; and Alternative Learning System, P476,000.
Programs being implemented this year under the city Education Department include the Makati Scholarship Program with a budget of P20 million, Student/Teacher International Participation and Scholarship Program, P8 million, and Search for Ten Outstanding Students of Makati, P567,000.
In preparation for the opening of classes in June, the annual week-long “Brigada Eskwela” was also started in Makati last May 15. To date, enrollment in all Makati public schools is still ongoing.
Mayor Binay said education has remained one of the top priorities of her administration, with a total budget allocation of P1.56 billion for the year to fund programs, services and innovations to be implemented across all levels in the city’s public schools.