MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 10 million learners have so far enrolled in schools across the country, only more than a week since enrollment started, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones said.
During a Senate basic education committee hearing, Briones said a total of 9,961,396 students have registered for the upcoming school year as of Thursday morning.
“This is the result of cooperation from the legislature, from local governments, especially at the barangay level,” she said.
“And after eight days of enrollment, we have already achieved 36.26 percent of our projected enrollment for 2020,” she added.
According to the DepEd chief, Region 4A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) has the highest number of enrollees so far with 1,662,239 students.
The National Capital Region has so far recorded 1,402,751 enrollees while 1,103,213 learners in Region 3 (Central Luzon) have so far enrolled.
“We would also like to report that LGU (local government unit) support has been pouring in. We believe that the role of LGUs has expanded especially since we are presenting a menu of various approaches and they worked very closely with us,” Briones said.
“LGUs have already committed resources for learners and teachers,” she added.
Under DepEd Order No. 008, the DepEd said the first two weeks of the month-long enrollment in June will completely be done remotely, while any form of physical enrollment will be allowed in the third week of June but only if it was coordinated with the local government unit.
Briones earlier said the DepEd will postpone the holding of face-to-face classes until a vaccine against the coronavirus disease becomes available.
This is in compliance with President Rodrigo Duterte’s previous pronouncement that he is not inclined to allow the resumption of classes in classrooms without a COVID-19 vaccine.
DepEd has been preparing for blended learning, which is a combination of online distance learning and in-person delivery of learning materials to the homes of the learners, for the reopening of classes on August 24. Teaching with the use of radio and television will also be done for students who do not have access to a computer or the internet.