Early enrollment, class suspension, new appointment

Early enrollment for kindergarten, Grade 1 and first year high school students, as well as out-of-school and differently abled youth, will be held on January 28.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said, “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 said early registration was part of efforts to realize the “Education for All” program, a major component of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said all state elementary and high schools would be open for these enrollees to help the agency prepare its resources for the June opening of school year 2012-2013.

“Early registration will give DepEd the information as to the number of enrollees, as well as the resource gaps that need to be addressed even before the opening of classes,” the department said.

“It will also allow DepEd to minimize problems and prepare for contingencies that may arise in June and in the regular run of classes,” it added.

DepEd encourages out-of-school children and youth and the differently abled, aged 5-18, to enroll in Alternative Learning System and Special Education classes, respectively.

This will be the first time these groups are included in early registration.

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

DepEd conducted early registration last year to encourage 5-year-olds to enroll in the expanded kindergarten program.

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

Luistro said DepEd would get barangay (village) and local government units, business sector, civil society and even parents to help encourage those of age to sign up for school.

Class suspension guidelines

Meanwhile, DepEd said the new set of policies on class suspension issued by Malacañang recently would boost the department’s guidelines for severe weather disturbance and flooding.

Luistro said, “The new executive order will strengthen our existing policies on automatic suspension of classes and will further guide parents in decision-making during the typhoon season.”

Executive Order No. 66 provides, among other things, that class suspensions should be announced not later than 4:30 a.m. while dismissal of office work should be announced not later than 11 a.m.

The order reiterates existing regulations on the automatic suspension of classes in public and private schools and adds guidelines for localized suspension, when necessary.

Under EO 66, classes in public and private preschools are automatically canceled in areas under Typhoon Signal No. 1. When Storm Signal No. 2 is raised, preschool, elementary and high school classes should be suspended.

Classes are automatically canceled in all levels, from preschool to college (including graduate school), in areas under Storm Signal No. 3. Government offices will also suspend work.

During heavy rains or flooding, mayors may announce the suspension of classes and/or work in government offices, after coordinating with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

New Asec

Meanwhile, Elena Ruiz has been appointed DepEd assistant secretary for programs and projects.

Ruiz, Luistro said, “brings to DepEd more than 40 years of academic expertise and managerial experience in the public school system.”

Prior to her appointment, Ruiz was director of DepEd’s National Capital Region. Her deputy at the regional office, Rizalino Rosales, will be officer in charge until a new director is named.

DepEd’s programs and projects office handles all programs concerning the public school system, primarily the K to 12 program and curriculum reform.