Manila, Feb. 9 -- The Senate Committee on Basic Education on Monday raised the need to standardize the cost of classroom construction across all government modalities, as lawmakers scrutinize public-private partnerships (PPPs) alongside projects undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units (LGUs).

Presiding over the hearing on Senate Resolution No. 252, Senator Bam Aquino said the government must ensure that classrooms are built "at the right price, in the right way, and at the right time," warning that wide cost variations undermine efficiency and public trust.

"It is important that there is a whole-of-nation, whole-of-government approach to address the education crisis. This fund must (b...