TUESDAYJUNE 18,2019

'Last Mile'
schools, roads
for learners eyed
NEVER again should a child Put hls
life at riskly crossing sfeams or tak-
ing long wafks on Poor roads, good or
Uia weitner,.lust to get to school'
This is whlt a UiU frtea recentlY in
the House of Representatives by Albay
Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda seeks to attain
bv'building access roads for all learn-
eis and and to all "Last Mile Schools"
around the country'
Salceda's House Bill 9159 aims to
orovide access to education, particu-
iarly, in geographically isolated, disad-
uanlaged and ionflict-affected areas'
where schoolchildren are known to
walk long stretches of mountain paths
and pooily maintained roads, cross
stream rapids and flood prone areas'
exposing themselves daily to dangers
to learn.
'iust"Last Mile Schoots" are schools
located in far-flung areas or hours
awav from town centers and have
less than four classrooms, aside
do- u"v of the foll&ing) tuith no
electriciiy, with less than 100 leam- .

ers and 50 Percent or more being

children from indigenous tribes,
with makeshift and or non-standard
rooms, and with no rePairs and new
proiects in the last four Years.
' The proposal mandates the Depart-^
ment of bducation, DePartment of
Public Works and HighwaYs and the
Department of Budget,and Manage-
*"ot, to draw the compr$hensive 1o3d-
map in providing the ndcessary tntra-
structur; in these areas and close the
gap in three years'
- iJnder the ProPosal, DePEd and
DPWH will converge;to Plan and con-
struct the infrastrucflrres within three
vears to benefit pubtic school students
in' t) the geogt6phically isolated,
disadvantaeed and conflict-affected
areas;andi) L/st Mile Schools; and
3) schools witli limited or no Access
Roads to All Learners.
Currently, Satrceda noted, thete are
8,000 Lasi Mile Schools in difflerent
remote and isolated commumfles na-
ii""*iOt that need to be emPowered
and s#nethened, their facilities up-
sraded. s6 teachers will have better
7,- t tn irnnrnve