Dumaguete City, Aug. 8 -- Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara is optimistic that local government units (LGUs) will partner with the national government in building schools to address the growing demand for more classrooms.

Angara was in Negros Oriental on Friday and visited three schools in Sibulan, Tanjay City, and here in the provincial capital, to assess the current status of public education in the province.

In an interview, Angara said the construction of school buildings is a continuing program of DepEd.

Angara said President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. approved in principle a public-private partnership to build some 3,000 to 4,000 classrooms a year.

During a dialogue with DepEd officials from the Negros Island R...