Butuan City – Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Jesli A. Lapus flew here recently to receive the ceremonial key for five newly-constructed two-room school buildings donated to the Caraga Region office of DepEd by the Spanish government through its Improvement of the Quality of Primary Education (IQPE) program.

The ceremonial key was personally turned over to Lapus by Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Miguel Angel Barba during appropriate rites held at the compound of the Cahayagan Elementary School in Carmen town, Agusan del Norte, one of the recipient schools.

Newly appointed Caraga DepEd Director Isabelita M. Borres and Agusan del Norte Schools Division Superintendent Ponciano Q. Joven witnessed the turnover ceremony which was attended by local government officials and field school officials from the five recipient towns.

Lapus said the new school building, built for all-weather conditions, costs more than P1 million each.

The project represents the last phase of a bilateral agreement between Spain and the Philippines designed to help improve access to quality basic education in the Caraga Region.

The other donated school buildings, Lapus said, are located in Siargao and Dinagat Islands.

According to Lapus, the five Caraga school structures donated by the Spanish government were constructed under the DepEd’s Principal-Led School Building program.