THE Department of Education (DepEd) reported on Wednesday that the latest number of enrollees already accounts for around 60 percent of the 28.6 million target for school year (SY) 2022-2023.
“Doon sa 18.6 million, we are, I think, around 60 percent of our target of 28.6 million learners,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Tan Poa said in a press briefing.
Poa said as of 7 a.m. of August 10, the number of enrollees reached 18.6 million nationwide.
For the first week alone, 10.4 million learners were enrolled. This is higher, he said, than the 2.4 million in the same period last year.
Last year, DepEd data showed that 28,033,530 enrolled nationwide from the kindergarten to senior high school levels.
Poa also appealed to parents to enroll their children now, and not on the last day of enrollment.
In past years, he observed, parents trooped to schools to enroll their kids on the last day of enrollment or the first week when classes have already resumed.
Enrolling their children early, he stressed, will help DepEd prepare for the exact number of learning materials needed, including textbooks.
“To our media partners, please help us also to encourage our parents to enroll their kids now,” he said.
The enrollment will continue until August 22, the day that classes for school year 2022-2023 is set to open.
Safety of teachers
To ensure the safety of teachers, non-teaching personnel and learners against Covid-19 for the in-person classes, DepEd is closely coordinating with the Department of Health (DOH) for the implementation of mobile vaccination drive and counselling.
“We are coordinating with the DOH for the roll-out of a counselling session and mobile vaccination drive to reach the unvaccinated,” Poa said.
Earlier, DOH Officer in Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said they are talking to DepEd officials on drawing up health protocols for the face-to-face classes.
Vergeire said that as part of such protocols, there would be safety officers in schools to monitor the students, teachers and non-teaching personnel.
However, Poa stressed anew that the DepEd is not calling for mandatory vaccination for teachers, non-teaching personnel and learners as a condition for them to attend classes.
“We are one with President [Ferdinand] Marcos [Jr.] in encouraging everyone to get vaccinated as well [get] as their booster, but vaccination is not mandatory in nature and we will not discriminate between those who are vaccinated and unvaccinated for learners, teachers and non-teaching staff,” Poa said.
Poa said DepEd will ensure the safety of those who will go to school with the implementation of “infection containment strategy.”
This includes making sure schools are clean and properly ventilated, stagnant waters are cleared, wearing of face masks, and provision of alcohol and handwashing facilities, among others.
Parents should not send their children to school if they are “unwell,” he said.
Image credits: CNN Philippines