SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The Department of Education Ilocos (DepEd Region 1) is planning various interventions to provide wider access and better delivery of enhanced and complete basic education in all barangays in the region.
This is because the department has found out that there are still many barangays, mostly far-flung areas, are still without schools.
In a research recently conducted by the DepEd Region 1 Policy, Planning, and Research Division (PPRD), it was found out that 989 barangays out of total 3,267 total have no elementary schools while 564 barangays do not have secondary schools.
In the elementary level, 203 barangays are from the province of Pangasinan, 254 in La Union, 325 in Ilocos Sur, and 207 in Ilocos Norte.
In the secondary level, 316 barangays are from the province of Pangasinan, 103 in La Union, 77 in Ilocos Sur, and 68 in Ilocos Norte.
Data showed that of the 1.29 million enrolled pupils and students in the region, 60,984 of them are from these barangays that do not have schools.
Research team leader and PPRD Chief Education Supervisor Cecilia Rosido said that in the Ilocos Region, most of the schoolless barangays are from the far-flung areas.
With limited access to school, learners go to nearby barangays to enroll but eventually drop out due to prohibitive transportation costs and allowance, while others decide not to go to school anymore.
The research also revealed the status of the learners from schoolless barangays in terms of access, efficiency, and quality of education during the pre-pandemic School Year 2019-2020.
Data showed that learners outside the catchment area or within the two-kilometer radius and one-kilometer radius from a public school in rural and urban areas had more absences compared to those who traveled nearer.
Those who are walking have lower grades than those who travel using their own service and private vehicles and those who avail of public transportations.