Senator Kiko Pangilinan has filed a bill to institutionalize government support for so-called 'last mile schools,' or public schools in remote and underserved areas. Senate Bill No. 1842, known as the Last Mile Schools Act, aims to provide differentiated policies for these institutions. The filing was announced in a statement on Monday, January 16.
On Monday, January 16, Senator Kiko Pangilinan issued a statement announcing the filing of Senate Bill No. 1842, or the Last Mile Schools Act, to institutionalize government support for 'last mile schools' nationwide. Under the proposal, a learning establishment can be classified as a last mile school if it meets certain criteria, including having fewer than four classrooms, fewer than five teachers, and no recent budget allocation other than for repairs.
These last mile schools would adopt 'differentiated policies' under the Department of Education that reflect the realities of education in far-flung areas. "It directs the development of tailored approaches to learning delivery, teacher deployment, infrastructure standards, learner support services, and performance monitoring," the bill states.
If passed, the measure would require the DepEd to include interventions for learning in neglected areas in its agenda. It would also direct DepEd to tailor learning delivery mechanisms and establish appropriate staffing standards.
For inter-agency coordination, the bill mandates DepEd to work with the Department of Public Works and Highways to build access roads to these schools, with the Department of Energy to provide power to the areas where the schools are located, and with the Department of Information and Communications Technology to deliver necessary technological infrastructure.
