DepEd: Over 300,000 students list up early

CEBU, Philippines — Over 360,000 students, including new learners, have already enrolled for the next school year.

Dr. Salustiano Jimenez, regional director of the Department of Education (DepEd)-7, said a total of 360,411 availed of the early enrollment program since it started last month.

“As of now, we are now having 360,411 learners for kinder, Grade 7, and Grade 11,” Jimenez told reporters.

DepEd is doing an early enrollment to determine the number of teachers and classrooms needed in each school for the next school year.

Jimenez disclosed that the ratio between elementary and high school is not proportionate, thus, there are students who transfer to another school. There are also some schools that only offer classes until junior high while others are only offering senior high.

Other grade levels, on the other hand, are projected to stay in the same school until their graduation. Jimenez said they are projecting two million enrollees in the coming school year.

DepEd is still deliberating whether or not to revert the opening of school year to June following clamor from different sectors. Private schools, however, are allowed to start ahead of the public schools since most of them have already finished their classes last month. For public schools, classes will end early next month yet.

Meanwhile, Jimenez said that schools are discouraged from requiring parents to spend so much for recognition and graduation. Instead, Jimenez looks forward to a memorable and meaningful event.

He said that schools are not allowed to solicit albeit parents cannot be prevented from deciding to contribute for their children’s graduation. —  Rowena Capistrano/ (FREEMAN)