Majority of the more than 170 pupils of a primary school near the city’s premier tourism and recreation facility are enduring problems that even pupils in rural areas have never felt.

For years now, pupils of Country Club Village Primary School have to endure leaking roofs and overcrowding in makeshift structures near the barangay hall, which serves as a school building.

The stage of the basketball court next to the barangay hall has been converted into a classroom for Grade 1 pupils, another makeshift classroom was constructed at the right corner of the court to accommodate Grade 6 pupils while the upper portion of the barangay hall was also converted into classrooms for grades 5 and 7 pupils.

The small barangay center donated by Malacañang is currently being occupied by Grade 2 pupils while the two makeshift classrooms, which was constructed through bayanihan in 2011, are occupied by overcrowding Grades 3 pupils.

Grades 4 and 5 pupils share a “bamboo house” while kindergarten pupils are accommodated at the office of school principal Manuel Agbunag.

Civic groups led by ABS-CBN Northern Luzon have extended help to the school by providing manpower and funds to repair the leaking roofs.

Information reaching this paper, meanwhile, revealed Bases Conversion and Development Authority president Arnel Casanova and Department of Education Sec. Armin Luistro are set to sign a deed of usufruct over the lots where the makeshift classrooms are built.

Article 562 of the Civil Code states “Usufruct gives a right to enjoy the property of another with the obligation of preserving its form and substance, unless the title constituting it or the law otherwise provides.”

Country Club Village is among the 13 barangays in Baguio, which is in the process of segregation from the Camp John Hay reservation.

Two years ago, the John Hay Management Corp., a subsidiary of BCDA, which has supervision over CJH reservation, agreed to segregate 2,000 square meters from the special economic zone as a site for school buildings to pupils of Country Club Village and nearby barangays.

The identified site for school building was however identified unfit for the construction of structure based on the findings of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

It was not immediately known if there was an alternative site for school building in the area.

Earlier in 2011, the city council passed Resolution 19, s. 2001 which reiterated the request of BCC Village for the identification, segregation, and use of a portion of the CJH reservation located at the BCC Village as a school site.

The amount of P4 million has been allotted by the City Schools Board and Department of Education for the construction of school buildings at BCC Village.