The Department of Education (DepEd) is projecting at least a 20-percent drop in enrollment for the basic education level this year as Filipino families cope with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A week after DepEd extended the enrollment period from June 1-30 until July 15, national enrollment data as of July 7, showed that the total number of enrollees for School Year (SY) 2020-2021 has reached 18,558, 639 nationwide for Kindergarten to Grade 12, including Alternative Learning System (ALS) and non-graded learners with disabilities. Of this number, 17,671, 822 learners have enrolled in public schools and 866,935 registered in private schools.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in a recent online press conference, said that the DepEd is not expecting to reach enrollment last year at 27 million. “Expected naman talaga namin, hindi namin makuha yung 27 million kasi iba yung projection naming for this year (We expected that we cannot reach the 27 million and we have set a different projection for this year),” she explained.
Based on DepEd’s initial analysis of the enrollment, Briones noted that enrollment in private schools is significantly lower compared to public schools and compared to last year’s data. “Usually, numbers from private sector come in late because they have different opening and enrollment schedules,” she explained.
Apart from the lag in data, Briones said that enrollment in private schools is also affected by the economic collapse due to the impact of COVID-19. “Our economic planners already said that we will have negative growth,” she added.
DepEd Undersecretary Jesus Mateo explained that since the income of families are affected due to the slowing down of the economy, DepEd’s projection is that “only 80% of last year’s enrolment” will register this SY.
Given this, Mateo said that DepEd has set an 80 percent enrollment target or about 22 million learners for both public and private schools. Compared to last year’s enrollment of 27 million, at least 20 percent or about five million children may choose not to enroll or stay out of school this SY.