A HIGH-RANKING official of the Department of Education said the Last Mile Schools remain the priority for the agency’s projects, including its Public Education Network Project that seeks to provide internet connectivity to schools.

DepEd Undersecretary Alain Pascua explained that despite the cuts in the budget for the Last Mile Schools Program because of the current Covid19 pandemic, these schools are still the primary project of the department.

The Last Mile Schools Program is aimed to address the gaps in resources and facilities of schools that are located in geographically isolated, disadvantaged, and conflict-affected areas.

“Naipahayag na ng Pangulo ang unang yugto ng Public Education Network, at kabilang sa unang mga public school na magkakaroon ng internet access ang ating mga Last Mile Schools,” said Pascua.

Last Mile schools are those with less than four classrooms, usually makeshift and non-standard ones with no electricity, no funds for repairs or new construction projects in the last four years, and a travel distance of more than one hour away from the center, accessible only through difficult terrain.

These are also the schools with multi-grade classes, with less than five teachers and a population of less than 100 learners, more than 75 percent of whom are indigenous people.

Pascua added these schools will be provided with electricity through the electrification program, where unpowered schools are supplied with solar panels, or are connected to the closest grid available, whichever is appropriate.

“Habang patungo tayo sa new normal ay nananatiling prayoridad pa rin ng DepEd ang magkaroon ng parehas na oportunidad ang bawat mag-aaral, nasa siyudad man siya o nasa malayong baryo,” the DepEd undersecretary stressed.

In his 14th weekly report to Congress, Pres. Duterte said that the DepEd is procuring internet connectivity worth P700 million, which is to be completed in ten months.