‘Yolanda’ seen cause of school population fall

TACLOBAN CITY—The Department of Education (DepEd) in Eastern Visayas has noticed a drop in enrollment in the region following the devastation caused by Supertyphoon “Yolanda” in November 2013.

Officials expressed belief that the decline in enrollment was caused by economic dislocation brought about by the effects of Yolanda.

From 793,876 enrollees in the elementary level in 2013, the number went down to 748,220 as of July 30, a drop of 45,656, according to the records of the regional DepEd office.

In the secondary level or high school, there were only 291,003 enrollees this year, 21,446 less than the 312,449 last year.

In Tacloban City, considered the  ground zero of Yolanda, there were fewer pupils and students enrolled in the city’s 40 public elementary schools and 14 secondary schools.

Only 24,509 pupils were enrolled this year, a drop of 10,093 compared to last year’s 34,602 enrollees.

In the high school level, only 11,426 students were enrolled this year compared to last year’s 17,649, or a decrease of 6,223.

Francisco Anchojas, administrative officer of Tacloban City schools division, said there were several factors being seen in the decline in enrollment figures.

“It could be due to economic dislocation and the trauma suffered by our students,” he said.

The principal of one of the city’s biggest elementary schools agreed with Anchojas.

“It’s primarily because of dislocation. Most of the children previously enrolled  in our school now live in bunkhouses that are far from here,” said Imelda Gayas, principal of  San Fernando Central School (SFCS) on Real Street here.

SFCS had an enrollment of 2,891 before Yolanda devastated this city. But the number went down to 2,263 this year.

Several barangays, mostly coastal, are served by the school.

During the onslaught of Yolanda, houses along the coast were washed out, forcing the government to relocate the homeless families to bunkhouses in Caibaan and Abucay areas outside the city proper.

Gayas said 390 students of the city’s schools left the city days after Yolanda. Of the number, she added, 50 chose not to return to Tacloban.

“Others enrolled in other schools or did not enroll at all,” she said, adding that 36 of her students died during the onslaught.