DepEd: registrants reach 24 million or 86% of last year’s total

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) announced Monday that the number of enrolled in public and private K-12 schools for the upcoming school year had reached nearly 24 million, or 86.10 percent of enrollment. total from last year.

In an online press conference, Education Secretary Leonor Briones attributed the “impressive” numbers, especially in public schools, to the gradual reopening of the country’s economy.

Data from DepEd showed that a total of 23.9 million students were now enrolled for this school year, with 21.9 million from public schools and the remainder from private learning institutions. There were about 398,000 private school transfers before classes opened on October 5.

In July, the education department lowered its enrollment goal to 22.2 million from 28 million due to dismal turnout after the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) negatively affected the economy, leading to many parents to lose their jobs.

During the previous school year, public and private school enrollment from kindergarten to upper secondary school totaled 27.7 million.

Briones said they also expected an increase in the number of enrollees in the alternative learning system, which was now 365,596, or nearly 50 percent from last year’s total of 739,872.

“About 46 million parents or guardians believe in the educational system for their children and we can see that they attach importance to education,” he added.

34 days to open classes

Revsee Escobedo, undersecretary of education for field operations, said that with 34 days before classes opened next month, 57 percent of the self-study modules in all regions were ready for distribution.

In Metro Manila, DepEd regional director Malcolm Garma reported that all school division offices (SDOs) had achieved more than 100 percent of their target enrollment for the next school year. However, only eight of the 16 SDOs had produced and printed 80 percent of the required modules.

Despite this, the distribution of the learning materials would continue today until September 15 and regardless of the quarantine status in the National Capital Region.

Garma said the printed modules already covered the first grading period, adding that they wanted to deliver the learning packets as soon as possible “so that we can better prepare for the opening of classes on October 5.”

Briones also referred to President Duterte’s order to strengthen health literacy amid the pandemic, saying that psychosocial interventions were already integrated into the K-12 curriculum even before the coronavirus hit the country.

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