BACOLOD CITY –– Enrollment in private schools under the Negros Occidental Schools Division has dropped by more than half of the figures last year.
Richard Martinez, planning officer of the division, said enrollment in private schools as of Monday was at 41.78 percent with 12,034 students compared to 28,800 last year.
Some private schools began classes as early as August 24, while others will open on October 5.
There are 826 schools under the Negros Occidental schools divisions, of which 139 are private, and 687 are public.
Martinez said the drop in enrollment in private schools could be because the teaching modalities they offer are the same as those in public schools.
The DepEd alternative learning modalities include modular, television and radio-based instruction, and online.
Arnaez said 628 schools under the Negros Occidental Schools Division, or the majority, have opted for modular distance learning.
Modular distance learning is in the form of individualized instruction that allows learners to use self-learning modules (SLMs) in print or digital format/electronic copy, whichever is applicable in the context of the learner and other learning resources like learner’s materials, textbooks, activity sheets, study guides, and other study materials.