More than 22 million students are currently enrolled in both public and private schools nationwide barely a month before the new school year starts in August, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.  

DepEd issued on Saturday, July 25, its latest nationwide enrollment data, which showed a total number of 22, 092, 345 enrollees for School Year (SY) 2020-2021 nationwide for Kindergarten to Grade 12, including those under Alternative Learning System (ALS) and non-graded learners with disabilities. 

This, DepEd said, is 79.49 percent of the total enrollment tallied in SY 2019-2020.

It also said the current total enrollment of 20, 757, 433 in public schools is 91.95% of last school year’s enrollment. 

Meanwhile, the 1,304,049 enrollees in private schools reflect 30.29% of the total enrollment in SY 2019-2020.

Based on the latest enrollment figures, there are 1, 517, 608 pupils enrolled in Kindergarten; 10, 862, 578 in Elementary; 6, 944, 491 in Junior High School (JHS); and 2, 403, 473 in Senior High School (SHS). 

There are also 57, 694 learners with disabilities who registered along with 206, 501 under the ALS program.

The national enrollment data covers public and private schools as well as State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) and learners across all basic education level including Kindergarten, Elementary or Grades 1 to 6, JHS or Grades 7 to 10, and SHS or Grades 11 and 12.

The enrollment period started on June 1 and ended on July 15. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DepEd has implemented enrollment through alternative means such as text, call, email, and online messaging. 

Drop boxes and kiosks were also installed in barangay halls and schools for the same.

Parents who do not have access to remote means of communication were also given the option to pick up or drop off the Learner Enrollment and Survey Form (LESF). 

While the enrollment period has officially ended, DepEd said late enrollees will still be accepted until the last week of September this year. 

Private schools, DepEd said, are covered by the enrollment policy set by the agency. 

It should be noted, however, several private schools have already started classes - mostly online.

Enrollment data for SY 2019-2020, as provided by DepEd’s Education Management Information System Division-Planning Service, showed the total number of enrollment in all sectors and level of education  for both formal and informal systems at 27, 790, 114.

Of this number, 27, 030, 391 were from Kinder to Grade 12 and 759, 723 were in the ALS program. 

There were 22, 572, 923 enrollees in public schools and 4, 203, 676 in private schools last school year.

In preparation for the school opening in August, DepEd said it has limited its blended learning delivery  to distance learning modalities only consisting of modular (printed or digital offline), online, and educational television and radio-based instruction and learning.  

While limited physical classes will be allowed in schools located in low risk areas starting January 2021, DepEd maintained that there will be no face-to-face classes when the school year opens on August 24.

“DepEd is one with the President in his non-negotiable commitment for the health and safety of our learners, teachers and staff,” the agency said.