Marcos signs Gida Schools Act to fund remote public schools

Philippine Daily InquirerIndependentCenter19 hr. ago

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act 12321, known as the Last Mile and Gida Schools Act, aimed at improving access to quality basic education in remote, underserved, and conflict-affected areas. The law defines 'last mile' and 'Gida' schools as those located in geographically isolated or socioeconomically disadvantaged regions where educational access is limited due to infrastructure, resource, or security challenges. Under the act, Gida schools must be within 3 kilometers of students’ homes, accessible by foot or public transport, and receive support from multiple government agencies including the Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Energy, and Department of Information and Communications Technology. The Department of Education is required to create a national map of these schools within a year and update it every three years to reflect changing conditions.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the law as a policy initiative without overtly praising or criticizing the administration. It outlines the provisions of the law objectively, citing the number of existing schools and their locations without emphasizing ideological perspectives. While the law addresses a clearly