How Does a Last-Mile School Fare in Sdg 4? A Case of an Elementary School in Mina, Iloilo Province

This study analyzed the SDG 4 performance of a Last Mile School (LMS) in Mina, Iloi-lo, focusing on current conditions, learning outcomes, and socio-ecological influences. Specifically, it aimed to describe the school’s infrastructure and resources, assess learner literacy and numeracy performance, and understand how socio-ecological factors impact SDG 4 achievement. A case study design was employed, using semi-structured interviews, classroom and community observations, document analysis, and systems mapping to capture interactions among school, teacher, learner, and community subsystems. Findings reveal critical gaps: literacy assessment showed high frustration and low instructional levels in Grades 4 and 6, while numeracy performance similarly indicated minimal grade-level proficiency. Teachers, though qualified, face heavy non-teaching workloads, and multigrade classes intensify instructional challenges. Systems analysis highlights reinforcing loops among infrastructure deficits, teacher overload, multigrade pressures, and socio-economic constraints, limiting SDG 4 outcomes. The study concludes that an LMS falls short of SDG 4 targets. Recommendations include infrastructure improvement, targeted literacy and numeracy remediation, teacher workload redistribution, and strengthened community support.