The Department of Education (DepEd) 6 (Western Visayas) is appealing to parents to enroll their children in time for the opening of classes on September 13.
DepEd-6 Director Ramir B. Uytico, in a press conference on Friday, said public schools in Western Visayas would continue to accept enrollees until September 13.
He, however, noted that no official declaration has been made on a possible extension.
Data from DepEd’s Policy, Planning and Research Division (PPRD) showed that as of September 9, the region has 1,491,186 enrollees, which is equivalent to 71.13 percent of their enrollment last school year of 2.09 million.
The figure is broken down into 1,332,281 enrollees in public schools; 143,972 in private schools; 2,008 in state universities and colleges/local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs); 9,458 in the alternative learning system (ALS); and 3,467 in special education (SPED).
“There is no final instruction from the central office. As of this time, the last day of enrollment is September 13,” Uytico said.
He added that division offices employ various modalities, such as online and drop boxes placed in conspicuous places so they could still enroll, even on Saturday and Sunday.
Uytico said he fully understood that some parents are having difficulty enrolling their children due to movement restrictions because of the pandemic.
Apart from movement restrictions, PPRD chief Dr. Leo B. Dedoroy cited other reasons, such as parents’ inability to access the designated enrollment drop boxes, work, the perception that the students are automatically enrolled in the next grade level, learners have to decide where to enroll, and lack of birth certificate.
These reasons, he said, were based on their interactions with various division offices.
“Parents have to fill up the modified learner’s enrollment form or confirm through text or call their data just to inform the school that their children are willing to go to that school,” Dedoroy said.
Meanwhile, none of the 25 schools identified for the limited face-to-face classes in Western Visayas has so far been approved, Uytico said.
He added that they could give the proposed limited face-to-face classes a try should it be approved as they also have concurrence from local government units.
Source: Philippines News Agency
