Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones
MANILA – The economic setback brought by the coronavirus pandemic has resulted in the lower turnout of enrollees in private schools as compared to public schools, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones said Wednesday.
Data from DepEd show that as of July 1, there are 15,887,467 learners enrolled in public schools and 706,934 in private schools.
"Hindi ito nakapagtataka dahil ang natamaan nang husto ng dagok sa ating ekonomiya ay ang mga private schools, businesses at naaapektuhan ang kapasidad ng mga parents na magpadala ng kanilang mga anak sa (This is not surprising because the private schools, businesses were the first to be affected by the setback in the economy and it also affected the capacity of parents to send their children to) private schools," Briones said in an online press briefing.
Due to the pandemic, the total number of enrollees for school year 2020-2021 from public, private, and local colleges and state universities is just 59.81 percent of last year's 27.7 million enrollees, or at 16,610,703.
"Expected naman na namin na hindi namin makukuha 'yung (We've already expected that we can't get) 27 million this year," she said.
Region 4-A (Calabarzon) logged the highest number of enrollees at 2,353,657 while the Cordillera Administrative Region logged the lowest number at 286,922.
The enrollees are from kindergarten to senior high school, as well as learners with disabilities and those taking an alternative learning system.
Reacting to comments of parents saying the DepEd remains undecided with the opening of classes, Briones reiterated that the opening of classes will proceed on Aug. 24, 2020.
"As early as May, we already said August 24 and on this day July 1, that hasn't changed. We never stated that we'll move the opening of classes, as approved by the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) and declared by the President," she said.
Briones clarified that not all classes for the incoming school year will be done online only, saying DepEd provides blended or distance learning modes such as printed or digital modules and television or radio-based instruction.
Briones added face-to-face classes would not take place until it is safe to do so as declared by the Department of Health, IATF and President Rodrigo Duterte.
"Hindi iyan totoo na allow natin ang (It is not true that we'll allow) face-to-face classes because of our President's non-negotiable commitment to the health and safety of learners, teachers, and staff," she said. (PNA)
