This is again a familiar sight as distance learning remains to be the modality for education this coming school year amid the persisting threat of the coronavirus pandemic. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — Learners enrolled for school year 2021-2022 has reached 5.3 million, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported on Thursday.
Based on its enrollment figures, a total of 5,356,643 students have enrolled as of Thursday, 2 a.m., of which, some 4,557,327 registered early as of June 2, 7 a.m.
Meanwhile, 734,306 students enrolled in public schools while 63,102 learners enrolled in private institutions.
Enrollment figures courtesy of DepEd
Students enrolled in state universities and colleges or local universities and colleges stood at 1,908.
Calabarzon is the region with the most enrollees at 710,526. It is followed by Central Luzon at 450,202; Western Visayas at 436,301; and Metro Manila at 428,943.
According to Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan, there is a “considerable” delay in reporting data.
“I also caution against making some conclusions at this stage; it is still too early. There is a considerable lag in reporting; for example, some schools collate first the enrollment forms, particularly those through drop-box, before reporting,” Malaluan said.
School year 2021-2022 will open on September 13 as approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, with blended learning as modality, considering the persisting threat of COVID-19.