Enrollment Extended Until July 15, Joint Decision by Malacañang and DepEd

Public-school enrollment extended until July 15, Malacañang and the Department of Education (DepEd) declared on Tuesday.

The enrollment period started on June 1 and was planned to have ended on Tuesday, June 30, however, due to the calls of public and private students alike and the dismal enrollment turnout which shows that only a little over half of last year’s number had enrolled online, the decision for enrollment extension was made.

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During an online press briefing, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque stated that DepEd decided for enrollment to be extended instead of supposedly ending on June 30.

He notes that the enrollment extension was a good news for parents.

The good news for parents, the enrollment has been extended until July 15 [2020]."

The Presidential spokesperson also voiced out his concern towards parents to enroll their children before the new deadline as the enrollment is extended until July 15, stating that the current pandemic must not disrupt the ability for children to learn.

Let us not allow the education of our children to be interrupted even if there is Covid-19 [novel coronavirus disease."

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Drop Box Enrollment

The department recently implemented of a drop box enrollment in which parents may enroll their children through drop boxes stationed in barangay halls and educational institutions on June 16.

What is Drop Box Enrollment?

In case you're not aware, drop box enrollment is one form of distance enrollment. This type of enrollment is when schools will establish drop boxes in barangay halls, public schools, and the like.

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Remote enrollment and drop box enrollment will both be available at the same time, the agency said. These are the options that parents and guardians can use to enroll their children.

We will continue to conduct remote enrollment while we will open the drop box system of enrollment, which will be ready starting tomorrow."

In addition to that, the DepEd said that the drop boxes will be available only for picking up and dropping off the Learner Enrollment Survey Form.

These drop box/kiosks, which could be found in barangay halls or schools, will be set-up only for picking up and dropping off the Learner Enrollment Survey Form."

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The Learner Enrollment Survey Form (LESF) will be used as registration for students in the coming year as to gather information on their capacity to facilitate the alternatives to in-person classes.

Number of Students Enrolled This Year

The Department of Education (DepEd) reported that only around 16 million students enrolled for the next school year. As of 8 a.m. of June 30, the DepEd recorded a total of 15,907, 786 enrollees. Of the number, 672,403 are enrolled in private schools.

This is comparatively low compared to the 27.2 million enrollees that were listed last year. A lot of parents, guardians, even teachers are thinking about not sending their children to school because of the pandemic.

Alternatively, they're not in favor of the distance learning plans that the national government has.

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The number of students who have been enrolled this year rolled in as the government allocated P700 million to provide internet connection for 7,000 public schools shifting to distance learning amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

President Rodrigo Duterte stated that DepEd wished to increase the total number of schools with internet access. As per him, this is to help in the overall assistance to the students of the schools, as well as the teachers.

The President said that the project is to be completed in about 10 (ten) months.

The target completion of the project, which costs P700 million will be in 10 months."

But can this be the key to the problems we are facing? Would this help in the assistance that our country needs in education?

Class Resumption

Because of the fact that the news about the enrollment is extended until the 15th of July, the classes are set to be pushed on the 24th of August.

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Yes, you read that right; classes in public schools are to resume beginning August 24. Meanwhile, private schools may begin earlier after securing approval from their respective regional directors; and, of course, if they get a platform that they can offer their students.

With the enrollment extended until July 15; do you think more students will be able to register? Is this plan plausible for the rising number of out-of-school youth especially during the pandemic?

What do you think about the further extension of the enrollment in public schools? Also, would these drop boxes be efficient in allowing students to enroll and can these keep parents and guardians safe?

Source/s: ABS-CBN News