Enrolment in public schools drops

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Students and pupils of secondary and elementary public schools have declined in number following the opening of classes last Monday but the figures may increase from now till next week, according to provincial schools division office here.

Pupils of some schools in the 17 most earthquake hard-hit towns go back to their makeshift or tent classrooms because their previous classrooms and school buildings have yet to be reconstructed after the lapse of almost eight months following the tremor that struck Bohol on October 15, 2013.

Based on DepEd's list, a total of 200,785 pupils were enrolled this school year, lower than the 205,612 enrollees in the School Year 2013-2014.

Kindergarten pupils, under the K+12 scheme, today has a total of 21,455, which is lower than the 24,748 enrollees in the preceding choolyear. However, these figures excluded those enrolled in the city schools division.

The same scenario prevailed in the secondary level where a total of 69,881 were enrolled this school year, lower than last year's 73,018, DepEd said.

No figures were yet given by DepEd on the number of classrooms for regular classes considering some of them are now still in the process of rebuilding, it said.  (FREEMAN)