PUBLIC education again was given high priority by the city government of Makati as it allocated a total of P2,190,946,000 budget for its programs and projects covering the pre-school, elementary, high school and tertiary levels.

Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay said the bulk of the education budget has been earmarked for expenditures in the pre-school to high school levels, with a total of P1,887,622,000.  The remaining P303,324,000 constitutes the budget for the operations of the city-run University of Makati.

“The city government of Makati remains committed to providing the best quality of education to our public school students at all levels.  We will continue to explore ways to improve our academic programs and instructional facilities to produce highly competitive graduates,” Binay said.

Binay assured parents that the education budget will adequately cover the expected increase in enrolment in the coming school year.  Total enrolment up to the secondary level for school year 2011-2012 stood at 90,797, including pre-school children.

He said of the P1.88 billion budget for pre-school to high school, P377 million has been set aside to purchase textbooks and workbooks (P179 million), school supplies (P51.5 million), bags (P5.5 million), school uniforms (P65 million) and P.E. T-shirts (P65 million), which are distributed for free every school year to the city’s public school students including the pre-school children.

The city government began distributing free school supplies and textbooks in 1999.

On the other hand, P14 million will be used to buy various tools such as vocational/science equipment, instructional devices, and pre-school instructional package.

Binay added that part of the budget will also be used to fund travel expenses of students joining local and foreign academic and scientific competitions, research projects and special programs, as well as graduation expenses.

The city has 28 public elementary schools, ten public high schools, and a city-run university, University of Makati.