MANILA, Philippines — More than 17.8 million public and private school students have so far enrolled for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year, the Department of Education (DepEd) disclosed Friday.
“As of 8 a.m. this morning, we have a total enrollment combined public-private schools of 17.8 million and this is 64 percent of the enrollment of last year for combined public and private,” DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan told lawmakers during an online hearing of the House basic education committee.
The student enlistment period initially ran from June 1 to 30. But it was extended until July 15 amid a noted dismal enrollment turnout.
The first two weeks of school admission was completely done remotely. A dropbox system, which will only cater to parents who do not have Internet access or other means to communicate with their children’s school, was then allowed in the remaining weeks of enrollment, according to Malaluan.
The DepEd official, meanwhile, noted that of the 17.8 million students who have so far enrolled, only 795,000 are for private schools.
“Ang mas mababa po is ‘yung sa private schools na 795,000 lamang kumpara sa enrollment of last year of 4.3 million. ‘Yan po is just about 18.5 percent of enrollment in the private schools,” he pointed out.
“Although as a caution on these figures, ay hindi naman po lahat ng private schools ay sumabay dun sa enrollment period ng public schools. At pangalawa, historically ay mas nahuhuli talaga ang reporting ng enrollment figures sa private schools than in our own public school system,” Malaluan added.
(Although as a caution on these figures, not all private schools have the same enrollment period as public schools. Secondly, historically, the reporting of enrollees in private schools is delayed as compared to our own public school system).
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 resumption 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.