DepEd: 13.75 million students now enrolled

The Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday more than 13.75 million students or around 49.52% of expected enrollees for school opening on August 24 have enrolled since the month-long enrolment began on June 1.

“Umabot na sa 13,752,109 ang total na nag-enroll. Ito ay kalahati na ito sa ine-expect natin na mag-enroll for this year,” DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said in a public briefing.

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(The enrolment reached a total of 13,752,109. This is half of the enrollees we expected.)

DepEd is expecting around 27.7 million students for the 2020-2021 school year, citing the enrollment figures last year.

“Bakit kalahati lang ang naka-enroll? This is because para sa walang access—kasi online ang enrollment natin for the first two weeks—sa ngayon drop boxes ang ginagamit natin,” Briones said.

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(Why only half enrolled? This is because for those who don’t have access online, our enrollment for the first two weeks use drop boxes.)

The education department allotted the first two weeks of June for online enrollment, while the other two weeks for “physical” registration.

“Sa mga bayan na walang connectivity [sa internet], may  mga drop boxes kung saan ang mga parent doon nila ilalagay ang enrollment forms ng kanilang mga anak,” Briones said.

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(There are drop boxes for towns with no internet connections. That is where parents would put their children’s enrollment forms.)

Briones said local government units would assist the department in collecting the enrollment forms of the students.

Also read: Distance learning could increase private school tuition-DepEd

DepEd earlier cut 60% of its curriculum to adjust to the distance learning approach for school year 2020-2021.

“Sixty percent po ang nabawas. Ibig sabihin ‘yung mga dating pinag-aaralan, mga subject ay binawasan natin. Most essential ang ating itinira,” DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said.

(Sixt percent was cut. This means we reduced the number of subjects the students used to take. The most essentials are left.)

“Iba talaga ang face-to-face (class). Mas merong consultation d’yan sa mga bata at natututukan ng mga guro. Ngayon po ay ‘yung sinasabi natin na most essential learning skills ang pag-aaralan natin, kung ano ang mas importante ngayon,” she added.

(Face-to-face class is totally different. There is a consultation with children and teachers could focus on them. The essential learning skills are more important now.)