Proportional School Construction Act (Proposed)

In 1970s Indonesia, the government implemented a massive school construction program that transformed educational access nationwide. From 1973 to 1975, the number of schools built in each district was directly based on how many children were not enrolled in school the year before. By targeting actual educational need, Indonesia ensured a fair, data-driven approach to infrastructure development - resulting in over 61,800 new primary schools and thousands of new teaching positions by 1979. This strategic alignment between need and resource allocation is a proven model of inclusive and equitable education reform.

In the Philippines today, millions of out-of-school youth and adults remain excluded from formal education due to the lack of accessible facilities in underserved areas. While government programs exist to promote re-enrollment and alternative learning, these efforts often fail to address the structural shortage of classrooms, particularly in rapidly growing and impoverished communities. A long-term solution must involve expanding educational infrastructure in direct proportion to the current number of unenrolled citizens.

This proposed law mandates the annual construction of new primary and secondary school facilities based on updated national and local data on out-of-school youth and adults. The Department of Education, in coordination with the Philippine Statistics Authority and LGUs, shall publish yearly data on school accessibility gaps. For every identified deficit in access - defined by distance, class overcrowding, or unavailable grade levels - equivalent school infrastructure must be planned, budgeted, and constructed within two years.

By institutionalizing a proportionate, data-driven method for school construction, this law ensures that education is not just a constitutional right in principle, but a guaranteed public service in practice. It redefines infrastructure not as a political favor but as a measurable response to national need—laying the foundation for a generation that is educated, empowered, and ready to shape the nation’s future.

This proposal is submitted with the hope that it will be enacted for the benefit of the people.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. XXXX

AN ACT MANDATING THE PROPORTIONATE CONSTRUCTION OF PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS BASED ON THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH AND ADULTS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Section 1. Short Title.

This Act shall be known as the "Proportionate School Construction Act."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy.

It is hereby declared the policy of the State to ensure inclusive and equitable access to education for all Filipinos by addressing location barriers such as the lack of nearby schools. The State recognizes that the number of out-of-school youth and adults is directly linked to the availability and accessibility of learning institutions. This Act aims to institutionalize a proportionate, data-driven school construction system based on actual educational need.

Section 3. Definition of Terms.

For the purpose of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

1. Out-of-School Youth (OSY) - Individuals aged 6 to 24 not currently enrolled in primary, secondary, or tertiary education.
2. Out-of-School Adults (OSA) - Individuals aged 25 and above who have not completed primary or secondary education and are not currently enrolled.
3. Proportionate Construction - The construction of schools based on the statistical need for educational access within a defined geographic area.
4. Education Access Gap - The documented lack of school infrastructure in relation to the number of unenrolled individuals within a 5-kilometer radius.

Section 4. Coverage.

This Act shall apply to all barangays, municipalities, and cities in the Philippines where a significant number of out-of-school youth or adults exist, as determined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the Department of Education (DepEd), in consultation with Local Government Units (LGUs).