DepEd announces early enlistment for new school year

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of Education announced it is set to open early enlistment for the new school year this month in all public schools nationwide and, for the first time, called on out-of-school youth and the differently able to register for alternative classes.

On Jan. 28, all state elementary and high schools will open for registration of students who would like to enroll in Grade 1 and first year high school in June 2012.

DepEd is also encouraging out-of-school children and youth and the differently able aged 5 to 18 to sign up for classes in the Alternative Learning System and Special Education classes.

DepEd statistics showed that some 347,000 out-of-school youth and children were enrolled in ALS classes while 62,300 took SPEd classes in the last school year.

“We have set aside this day for the early registration of out-of-school children, out-of-school youth, children and youth with learning difficulties along with kinder, Grade 1 and incoming first year high school students,” said Education Secretary Armin Luistro.

“The state mandates that all Filipinos with or without learning disabilities must have access to education and the early registration aims to count them in,” he added.

Luistro said early registration is part of efforts to realize DepEd’s “Education For All” program, part of achieving the education component of the Millennium Development Goals.

DepEd conducted early registration last year to encourage five-year-olds to enroll in the expanded kindergarten program.

The institutionalization of kindergarten in public schools is part of implementation of the K+12 (Kindergarten to 12 years) program, which hopes to improve the quality of Filipino high school graduates through adding two more years in high school.

Luistro said DepEd will tap the assistance of barangay and local government units, the business sector, civil society and even parents to encourage those of age to sign up for school.

“With the help of our partners in education in this undertaking, we can make the necessary preparations and address potential resource needs in time for the opening of classes in June,” Luistro said.