MANILA, Philippines — More than 24.4 million students have enrolled as of September 15 for this upcoming school year amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported Tuesday.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones bared these numbers during the hybrid hearing of the House committee on appropriations on DepEd’s budget proposal for 2021.
Data from DepEd shows that 22.3 million students enrolled in public schools and institutions. This is equivalent to 98 percent of the students enrolled in public schools for the school year 2019 to 2020, said Briones.
Meanwhile, 2.08 million students enrolled in private schools or only over 48 percent of students in private schools enrolled last year.
DepEd’s data cover those who enrolled in various levels such as kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, and senior high school levels.It also includes learners with disabilities and those enrolled in an alternative learning system (ALS).
In terms of regional breakdown, among the regions with the highest number of enrollees are the Calabarzon region (3.37 million), Region III (2.58 million), the National Capital Region (2.55 million), Region VII (1.95 million), and Region VI (1.93 million).
Classes for the school year 2020-2021 will begin on October 5 after it was moved from its initial schedule of August 24.