LESS than half of the country’s nearly 47,000 public basic education schools have closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and security guards, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

Education Assistant Secretary Roger Masapol disclosed the figures during a hearing of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture.

Masapol said the department’s latest security and safety audit showed that only 49 percent of public schools have CCTV cameras, while 43 percent have security guards.

The figures, however, marked an improvement from the audit conducted in June, when only 36 percent of public schools had CCTV cameras and 31.7 percent had security guards.

Masapol identified funding for CCTV equipment as one of the challenges in strengthening security in public schools.

He said the proposed 2027 national budget includes P500 million for school safety and security, which will fund the purchase of CCTV cameras, the hiring of security guards, and the repair or improvement of school perimeter fences.

The DepEd official expressed confidence that all public schools nationwide could be equipped with CCTV cameras by 2028.