Low enrollment, pandemic shutter 865 private schools for 2020-2021 academic year
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education on Monday confirmed that over 800 private schools will not be operating this coming school year.
Latest data from DepEd shows that of the total 14,435 private schools in the country, 865 will not be operating in School Year 2020-2021.
In addition to this, figures from the department shows that the largest proportion of these non-operational schools, at 374, were forced to suspend operations due to low or no enrollment.
Another 333 schools were cited by DepEd as non-operational due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, 35 schools will not be operating due to their financial status, 15 due to concerns over the safety of learners and school personnel, 25 due to unreadiness, and nine due to their lack of permit, DepEd said.
Another 74 private schools will not be operating due to other reasons not currently listed by the department.
Geographically, majority of private schools suspending operations are in Central Luzon with 141, followed by Calabarzon with 136, Metro Manila with 126 and Western Visayas with 86.
Private schools see enrollment halved
Latest data from the agency shows that only about 2 million students have enrolled in private schools so far, compared to the 4.3 million from last school year.
According to DepEd, this means private schools have reached only 47% of last year's enrollment figures.
The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), an umbrella organization of private schools, last Wednesday projected that private schools would only reach 50% of last year's enrollment rates for School Year 2020-2021.
According to COCOPEA Managing Director Joseph Noel Estrada, around 400,000 private school students have transferred to public schools as of August 27.
DepEd on Monday confirmed that the total number of enrollment remains at 24.3 million for the coming school year as compared to the 27.7 million from the year before.
While enrollment in private schools dramatically decreased, the agency said public schools saw 98% of its enrollment rates from the previous school year.
In total, DepEd's data shows that enrollment for the incoming school year is at 87.5% of last year's numbers.
Due to the pandemic, classes for School Year 2020-2021 will be conducted through distance learning modalities such as online learning, modules, television and radio.
While public schools are set to reopen on October 5, private schools and non-DepEd-schools were allowed to open earlier at their discretion. — Bella Perez-Rubio
Follow this thread for updates on when classes will resume, and how those classes will be conducted.
Photo: Students wearing protective face masks have their temperatures taken while entering their college campus in Manila on January 31, 2020. AFP/Ted Aljibe
DepEd says School Year 2022-2023 "shall open on Monday, August 22, 2022, and shall end on July 7, 2023. It shall consist of 203 school days or as may be determined by further issuance/s in case of changes in the school calendar due to unforeseen circumstances."
Sen. Nancy Binay calls on the Commission on Higher Education and the inter-agency task force on COVID-19 not to "burden" students over requirements for face-to-face classes.
Higher educations students are being required to present medical insurance and other documents before participating in face-to-face classes.
“This is a cumbersome and unnecessary requirement para sa college students, considering that by law, all Filipinos are automatic members of PhilHealth. Sa totoo lang, 'di kailangang dagdagan ang proseso, dapat nga mas simplehan pa,” Binay says.
The Department of Education announces that it will increase the number of participating schools in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.
"The expansion of the number of pilot schools will allow a greater degree of experience among all our regions that will serve us well for the expanded phase of face-to-face classes," DepEd says.
With the approval of the Office of the President, the Department of Education is announcing that it will increase the number of participating schools in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.
— DepEd (@DepEd_PH) November 11, 2021
Read: https://t.co/cCqC91kZPw pic.twitter.com/Us3GvFxp1F
COVID-19 immunization has started for tertiary students in Ilocos Norte as part of the massive vaccination campaign of the Commission on Higher Education.
This in preparation for the reopening of in-person tertiary classes, CHED-Regional Office 1 said as a ceremonial vaccination of students at Mariano Marcos State University was held on Monday in collaboration with the Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, the provincial government and Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center.
About 800 students are expected to be inoculated through the CHED immunization drive.
Prior to this, MMSU had already vaccinated 75% of its student population. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao
President Rodrigo Duterte has authorized limited face-to-face classes for the following programs:
- Engineering and Technology programs
- Hospitality/ Hotel and Restaurant Management
- Tourism/ Travel Management
- Marine Engineering
- Marine Transportation
Commission on Higher Education Chairman Popoy De Vera, who made the announcement, said the authorization applies to "degree programs that require hands-on experience in higher education institutions under Modified General Community Quarantine."
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