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Friday, March 29, 2024

‘Last Mile’ schools, roads for learners eyed

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Never again should a child put his life at risk by crossing streams or taking long walks on poor roads, good or bad weather, just to get to school.

This is what a bill filed recently in the House of Representatives by Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda seeks to attain by building access roads for all learners and to all “Last Mile Schools” around the country.

Salceda’s House Bill 9159 aims to provide access to education, particularly, in geographically isolated, disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas, where schoolchildren are known to walk long stretches of mountain paths and poorly maintained roads, cross stream rapids and flood prone areas, exposing themselves daily to dangers just to learn.

“Last Mile Schools” are schools located in far-flung areas or hours away from town centers and have less than four classrooms, aside from any of the following: with no electricity, with less than 100 learners and 50 percent or more being children from indigenous tribes, with makeshift and or non-standard rooms, and with no repairs and new projects in the last four years.

The proposal mandates the Department of Education, Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Budget and Management, to draw the comprehensive roadmap in providing the necessary infrastructure in these areas and close the gap in three years.

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Under the proposal, DepEd and DPWH will converge to plan and construct the infrastructures within three years to benefit public school students in: 1) the geographically isolated, disadvantaged and conflict-affected areas; and 2) Last Mile Schools; and 3) schools with limited or no Access Roads to All Learners.

Currently, Salceda noted, there are 8,000 Last Mile Schools in different remote and isolated communities nationwide that need to be empowered and strengthened, their facilities upgraded, so teachers will have better and more opportunities to improve their teaching methods and provide students new means of learning.

Salceda said the roadmap “should navigate the way towards the full development in education of families in GIDCA communities, and is intended to break the barriers, and clear the road blocks that hinder students from learning, and thus pave the way for the full participation of all citizens in nation building and socio-economic opportunities.”

It is the duty of the State to “protect and promote the right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and take appropriate steps to make such education accessible to all towards achieving zero illiteracy,” he stressed.

“The State should also ensure that the needs of the students are addressed, adequate facilities and educational supplies and materials are provided, most importantly accessible roads to schools are built and teaching personnel made available,” he added.

Although many do not realize the connection between roads and education, economists have stressed for years that under-investment in roads and education is holding the country back, Salceda pointed out.

Quoting reports from the National Economic Development Authority, he said only 14% of all local roads are paved, compared to 69% of national roads, and local roads are generally of poor quality and condition and so are the school buildings. Worse yet is the absence of buildings and personnel for schools located in GIDCA and in far-flung areas or Last Mile Schools.

Salceda said investment in infrastructures which ensures equitable access to education for all, most especially those in geographically isolated, vulnerable and disadvantaged communities is the key intent of his proposal.

HB 9159 seeks to strengthen multi-sectoral linkages through the convergence between the DPWH and DepEd, and improve access and provision of quality, equitable, culture-based, and complete education.

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