Forgotten not

We have said many times that education is the greatest equalizer. This goes for all, even and including those who reside in far-flung areas. DepEd has repeatedly said that no learner will get left behind and the last-mile schools continue to pursue inclusivity for both students and teachers where technology must, in its absolute sense, be a partner in education.

In May of this year, Secretary Leonor Briones ensured that the education sector would prioritize the last-mile schools in its quest for technological advancement regardless of COVID-19. For those who still wonder about the last-mile schools, these are schools situated in areas that have less than four classrooms or makeshift ones with no access to electricity nor funds to assume much needed repairs or construction projects on top of the grueling amount of travel time accessible only through dangerous territory. Such a scenario includes schools with multi-grade classes with less than five teachers as well as around 100 learners, most of whom are indigenous people.

But why, should one ask, is the Department of Education also giving priority to these last-mile schools? In my opinion, apart from the reasons of isolation and falling far from being at par with the rest of our learners on better ground, such a framework has been, for many years now, the battle ground used by insurgents to serve their cause. Terrible or hard for others to believe, this is the reality. Nevertheless, this has changed. In June of 2019 for example, a report from Davao Oriental showed that learners from the farthest areas were beginning to see hope in the education sector, where the last-mile schools opened up learning facilities that catered to indigenous youth in villages that were hardly reached by basic government services. It is also very important to note that – and in the same breath of inclusivity – more enrollees were reported in government-run schools that were located in areas where “left-leaning” learning used to multiply.

A significant difference between the number of enrollees in government-run schools has been noticed as compared to such learning institutions having more IP youth taking part in the learning structure. To date it has been clear for most that even the Philippine Army’s participation in the education sector has been a formidable one as they too, in their capacity, have acknowledged the trend of more IP learners within our government-run schools. As an educator who believes, like most other educators, that education is for all, an initiative such as this is truly a milestone not only in our sector but in the whole landscape of nation building. Lt. General Parlade has taught us how sectors are targets and more so the youth when it comes to advancing and propagating communist ideology, which in turn has led to loss of lives of children who deserved much more than fighting a battle that they themselves do not fully understand by slowly drowning into a thwarted notion of a truly liberated Philippines.

Solving our issues on insurgency indeed requires a holistic approach and, having said this, we must continue to be vigilant in looking out for our youth – the next nation builders who absolutely need the correct formation apart from the right information. To learn and acquire proper knowledge forms part and parcel of every child’s basic need and the last-mile schools are ensuring that such needs are met on top of what is actually needed by putting a premium on their development. Repeatedly we have said that peace requires a whole of nation approach and this includes both government and every sector within the community. (To be continued)