5 days ago
DepEd calls for stronger DPWH, LGU collab to build more roads to schools
Pupils of Oro Elementary School in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte scale mountains to attend classes in this 2015 file photo. Courtesy: Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho
The Department of Education (DepEd) is seeking stronger interagency collaboration with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units (LGUs) to build more access roads leading to public schools, especially those in remote, hard-to-reach communities.
In a proposal submitted to the DPWH, the DepEd recommended that access roads to public schools be included in the former's programming and investment plans, particularly for newly built schools that currently lack proper road access.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara highlighted the urgency of the issue by sharing his first-hand observations during school visits in geographically isolated areas.
"Noong pumunta kami sa Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, nakita natin ang realidad. May mga estudyanteng kailangang tumawid ng ilog at umakyat ng bundok para lang makapasok sa paaralan," Angara said in a statement.
(When we visited Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, we saw the reality on the ground. There are students who need to cross rivers and climb mountains just to reach school.)
"Hindi puwedeng puro classrooms lang ang itatayo natin kung wala namang daan papunta roon. Kung may farm-to-market road, dapat may road-to-school din," he added.
(We can't just keep building classrooms if there are no roads that lead to them. If there are farm-to-market roads, there should also be road-to-school programs.)
Angara emphasized that roads are as essential as classrooms in ensuring that education is truly accessible for all learners, especially in "last mile" schools located in far-flung areas.
The DepEd pointed to DPWH's existing partnerships with other government agencies, including the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP) with the Department of Tourism, the Farm-to-Market Road Development Program (FMRDP) with the Department of Agriculture, and the ROLL-IT initiative with the Department of Trade and Industry—as working models that can be adapted for education.
To institutionalize this strategy, DepEd is proposing a special provision under its 2026 Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF). The provision would require that all newly constructed school buildings have corresponding access roads, with DPWH and LGUs coordinating the immediate construction of roads where none exist.
The DepEd also added that it is ready to work closely with DPWH and local governments to identify priority areas, ensure funding alignment, and implement infrastructure that enables students to reach their schools safely and reliably. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
