ILOILO City – Schools are welcoming back students today, albeit not face-to-face, due to the continued coronavirus pandemic.
Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Leonor Briones is yet to give the green light to 25 schools in Western Visayas earlier picked to pilot in-person classes.
“Kon i-allow na, go, kon hindi sana huwag nating pilitin kasi maraming kino-consider dito,” said Director Ramir Uytico of DepEd Region 6.
“We should be cautious because we (are) dealing with lives, and vaccination is not an assurance that we are already exempted from the transmission of this virus,” Uytico added.
The 25 schools chosen to pilot in-person classes (per Schools Division Office) were the following:
* Aklan – Laserna Integrated School (Grade 6)
* Antique – Mayabay Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 3); Igsoro Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 2)
* Bacolod City – Alangilan National High School (Grade 12)
* Guimaras – Panobolon Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 6); Taras Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 6)
* Iloilo – Tomas Confesor Elementary School (Grade 4); Granada National High School-Ballesteros Campus (Grade 7); Palanguia National High School (Grade 12); Cabacanan ELementary School (Grade 6)
* Passi City, Iloilo – Mulapula National High School (Grade 11 to 12); Mulapula Elementary School (Grade 6)
* Roxas City – Olotayan Integrated School (Kinder to Grade 3)
* Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental – Inapoy Elementary School (Grade 6)
* Sagay City, Negros Occidental – Colonia Divina Integrated School (Kinder to Grade 12); Manara Elementary School and Bago-Manara Extension High School (Kinder to Grade 10); Hamticon Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 6); Pacol Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 6); General Luna Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 6); Laon Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 6)
* San Carlos City, Negros Occidental – Tandang Sora Elementary School (Grade 5 and 6); Don Carlos Ledesma National High School (Grade 7 and Grade 8)
* Sipalay City, Negros Occidental – Mauboy Elemerntary School (Grade 1 to 6); Vista Alegre Elementary School (Grade 1 to 6)
* Cadiz City, Negros Occidental – Hiyang-Hiyang Manara Extension Elementary School (Kinder to Grade 6)
Uytico said there will be no face-to-face classes in private schools, too. DepEd-6 only allowed them to hold classes early.
DepEd-6’s data (as of Sept. 9) showed 1,491,186 enrollees in public and private schools, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs)/Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), Alternative Learning System (ALS), and Special Education.
“(This was) 80.1 percent of the more than two million enrollees last year,” said Dr. Leo Dedoroy, chief of Policy Planning and Research Division of DepEd-6.
Here’s the summary of enrollment for school year 2021-2022 (as of Sept. 9):
Public schools – 1,332,281
* Kinder – 88,550
* Elementary – 618,653
* Junior High School – 444,023
* Senior High School – 181,156
Private schools – 143,972
* Kinder – 7,239
* Elementary – 30,589
* Junior High School – 57,802
* Senior High School – 48,342
SUCs/LUCs – 2,008
* Kinder – eight
* Elementary – 76
* Junior High School – 1,486
* Senior High School – 438
ALS – 9,458
Special Education – 3,467
In school year 2020-2021, DepEd-6 recorded a total of 2,096,443 enrollees: public schools (1,846, 904); private schools (193,063); SUCs /LUCs (3,953); ALS (47,665); and special education (4,858).
According to Dedoroy, DepEd-6 is expecting more than two million enrollees.
Enrollment can still be done this weekend and on Monday.
Dedoroy also spelled out the reasons that may have been hampering the enrollment:
* Parental involvement is limited due to enforced quarantine protocols.
Dedoroy explained that as per guidelines, parent shall be the one to fill up and submit the modified learning and survey forms to the schools.
Some parents were not able to return home, especially those working outside Region 6.
* Some parents were busy finding day-to-day income; they don’t have time to enroll their kids yet.
* Some learners were living in remote areas.
* Some working students have yet to decide where to enroll – the school near their workplace or that near their residence.
* Perception that kindergarten students can automatically move up to the next level. Parents shall fill up the modified learning and survey forms.
* “No birth certificate, no enrollment” perception
Here, Dedoroy clarified that it is possible to enroll even without a birth certificate. The schools can receive credentials until December 2021.
* Some parents wait for the class opening to enroll their children.
Meanwhile, the DepEd-6 is still waiting for any instruction from the central office on whether to extend enrollment to accommodate late enrollees./PN