The DEPARTMENT of Education aims to build more schools in Laoag City to make learning more accessible to children residing in remote areas.

Assistant schools division superintendent Arnel Bandiola said that there are students who have to travel over five kilometers to reach their school.

“To address this gap in education, the department will prioritize the construction of schools in the northeastern part of Laoag City so as not to overwhelm other schools such as the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades and the Ilocos Norte National High School,” Bandiola said.

Based on data from the DepEd in Ilocos Region, 989 barangay out 3,267 have no elementary schools, while 564 villages do not have secondary schools.

Of the 1.29 million enrolled students in the area, 60,984 come from these remote villages with no schools.