DepEd reaches target enrollment rate

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said it reached its target enrollment rate, which is 80 percent of last year’s 27.85 million registered students.

The figure includes 20.84 million public school students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, and 1.35 million from private schools, as well as alternative learning school system students and nongraded learners with disabilities.

Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said the agency had set a lower target of 80 percent because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But while public schools have reached 92.3 percent of the target enrollment rate, private schools have reached only 31.3 percent of last year’s registered students, DepEd data showed.

—Jodee A. Agoncillo