LINGAYEN – President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered the Department of Budget and Management to release P500 million to be used for improvement of the buildings and facilities of various public schools throughout the country and consequently start off soon what she called “high school vouchers program.”

Speaking at the Pangasinan National High School here where she distributed textbooks, health cards and rice to pupils and students, the President vowed to give priority to the problem of education in the country, starting it during the first few weeks of New Year.

Explaining that the P500 million will come from the P35 billion fund in savings she set up to pump-prime the economy, Arroyo said the move seeks to close the big classroom gap existing in the countryside today.

While here, she visited an almost dilapidated Gabaldon type of school building which is now being sparingly used by the school but which can be rehabilitated so that it can be made useful again.

Mrs. Arroyo was accompanied by House Speaker Jose de Venecia, Jr., Rep. Amado Espino, Jr, of the second district of Pangasinan, Education Undersecretary Ramon Bacani and DepEd Regional Director Vilma Labrador.

Welcoming them were Vice Gov. Oscar Lambino, Lingayen Mayor Ernesto Castañeda, and San Carlos City Mayor Julian Resuello.

She announced that the vision of her government since she took over as president is to close the big classroom gap in the grade school as many of the existing schools still lack buildings and classrooms.

On the other hand, she acknowledged that students are now crowding public schools where students enjoy free education while many private high schools do not have enough students.

While the government will still build additional classrooms for high schools, she said it will at the same time push the “vouchers program”. She said the Department of Education officials found out that this program is cheaper than building classroom for high schools.

Clarifying that the government does not want private schools to be closing for lack of enrolees, the President launched the high school vouchers programs so that excess students in public schools can enroll in private schools.

Arroyo said the government will also continue its food-for-school program that will benefit an estimated 400,000 malnourished families in various parts of the country to include several in Pangasinan.