Early listing for public kindergarten on Saturday

Education Secretary Armin Luistro. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—It’s back to school for all kids ripe for kindergarten, including out-of-school youths, as Education Secretary Armin Luistro announced the start of the early registration for academic year 2015-2016 on Saturday.

In a Jan. 22 order, Luistro directed Department of Education (DepEd) officials nationwide to make sure that all 5-year-olds would avail themselves of the early registration from Jan. 24 to Feb. 27 in all public elementary and secondary schools.

Carrying the theme “Makapag-aral ay Karapatan mo, Magpalista (Education is your right, Register),” the early enrollment campaign called by the education secretary includes house and street visits that would urge 5-year-olds to enroll in kindergarten and locate out-of-school youth to draw them back to the public school system.

House-to-house

School officials were also tapped to ensure that those who availed themselves of the early registration would start attending classes in June.

“Schools are urged to come up with various activities such as house-to-house campaign or meeting with local and barangay officials and civic organizations to help and locate children who should be in schools,” Luistro said in his directive.

The early registration particularly targets the identification and enrolment of out-of-school youth who are in remote places, in difficult circumstances, belong to disadvantaged groups, suffer discrimination or are persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Street visits

The campaign also aims to identify barriers to universal access to education and interventions in an effort to make kids stay in school, Luistro said.

He said schools were directed to conduct “child or youth find activities” in close coordination with the local government units, particularly barangays. The activity includes “street visits” by school division offices, working closely with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to have street children enrolled.

“High school principals and [school] staff shall work with the chairpersons of the barangay and may also tap student government organization officials and boy or girl scout leaders to locate elementary graduates who either have not enrolled in high school or dropped out of school so that appropriate program interventions could be planned,” Luistro said.

Alternative learning

“Learners, who have dropped out from elementary or secondary schools and who want to be enrolled in the formal system through an Alternative Delivery Mode or the Alternative Learning System shall present their report card to the teacher in charge of the registration. If the report card is not available, a certification letter signed by the parent or guardian can be presented,” he said.

Elementary and high school principals were also tasked to visit families with children requiring special education to assess their needs to give them the the proper educational support and intervention.

Special education teachers and health personnel assigned to regular schools will help locate PWDs, aged 5 to 18, who have not received schooling.