What happened to the Last Mile Schools program?
IN May 2019, the Department of Education launched the Last Mile Schools program to address the neglect and dilapidated state of thousands of schools across the country. Billions of pesos were going to be allocated the next two years to bring, if not all, at least a significant number of these schools up to the standard set by the national government. More than 7,000 schools (out of about 46,000 public primary, elementary and secondary schools) met the criteria for being considered Last Mile Schools: they were geographically isolated, used makeshift classrooms, lacked teachers, taught in multigrade classes of kids and needed repairs or construction for the past four years.
Alas, the Covid-19 pandemic caused the reallocation of P5 billion of the Last Milers’ P6.5-billion 2020 budget to the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act. But even before the pandemic, the ambitious program had already been downsized. In Central Visayas, from about 1,000 schools identified, it was announced that 66 would be funded in 2020. However, before 2019 was over, the 66 had shrunk to 11.
How many — or few — of the identified Last Mile Schools have received their long overdue facilities upgrade? A DepEd list of Last Mile Schools where construction of classrooms and water system, among others, and installation of solar panels (in some schools) were to commence in 2021, includes 16 schools in Central Visayas (total budget of P190.8 million), 16 out of the about 1,000 identified Last Mile schools in the region.
Incidentally, DepEd Central Visayas reported that Typhoon “Odette” caused damage and destruction to schools in the region to the tune of P10 billion. More than 2,000 classrooms were destroyed while 5,500 classrooms suffered some degree of damage. Millions of modules were damaged, so were computers, printers, photocopiers and other equipment. The schools will have to rely on their host local governments and the private sector to fast-track repairs and replacements.
In fact, with the devolution of programs and projects of the national government agencies — DepEd included — schools will have to look to their respective local government units rather than the central office for construction of classrooms and other facilities. This is a consequence of the Mandanas ruling. What will be the implication for the Last Mile Schools program? While focus is on construction of buildings and provision of furniture, laboratories and other hardware, the purpose of the program is to “fill the gaps in education and ensure the quality of learning and facilities . . . are raised to be at par with the specifications of the government,” to quote Marivic Somejo of DepEd Reg. 2 (The Manila Times, June 1, 2021). It’s ultimately about uplifting the quality of education for the millions of school kids who are enrolled in small, isolated, understaffed and underserved public schools. These investments also give a welcome boost to the morale of teachers who will know that they are not being left out or forgotten despite geographical remoteness. Teachers remain the No. 1 asset of any school.
While the Last Mile Schools program seemed doomed even before Covid-19, the slashing of its budget in favor of pandemic response has delayed further the day that these thousands of disadvantaged schools will get their much-needed and long-overdue upgrading. A select few are fortunate to be beneficiaries of corporate social responsibility — for example, four schools in Negros Oriental received modern learning technologies through Smart Communications’ “mini portable classroom,” also known as “School-ina-Bag.” But such projects are few and limited in scope.
The original list of Last Mile Schools was prepared in 2019. It needs updating considering the further dilapidation and depreciation of facilities due to calamities and wear and tear. If Social Weather Stations has its “borderline poor,” so there must be thousands of schools that are “borderline Last Milers.” Schools in urban areas may have many newer buildings and more modern facilities but overcrowded classrooms is a perennial problem challenging quality of learning.
When the pandemic wanes and classrooms are once again filled with students, nothing will have changed. Did anyone, concerned with the state of basic education, use this two-year-long time out from “education-as-weknow-it” to reflect on how the post-Covid learning experience should and must be invigorated? Who among candidates — local and national alike — has given this matter serious thought? For communities, local economies and the country to prosper and overcome the setbacks of the pandemic, we need a solid foundation of well-educated citizens. Quality basic education is a prerequisite for quality tertiary education that opens doors to good jobs and other incomeearning opportunities. Which, in turn, leads to financial stability for self and family. This is the chance for individuals, families and communities to break free from the vicious cycle of poverty.