CEBU CITY — At least 2.1 million students have enrolled in private and public schools in Central Visayas this year.
There are more enrollees for the 2021-2022 school year compared to the previous school year, the Department of Education-Central Visayas (DepEd-7) reported.
DepEd-7 said there were 2,010,000 enrollees in the previous school year. For the recently opened school year, 2,102,990 students have enrolled.
Benjamin Tiongzon, chief education supervisor of DepEd-7's Policy, Planning and Research Division, said most enrollees were recorded in public schools.
Tiongzon said that the ill-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihood may have caused the increase of enrollment in public schools.
"Some parents could no longer afford to send their children to private schools," said Tiongzon.
DepEd-7 assistant regional director Cristito Eco said some families have also relocated that may have also caused the increase of enrollees in public schools.
Classes in public schools opened last September 13. Due to the current health crisis, it will be the second straight year that DepEd-7 is implementing a distance learning.
Private and public schools have also adopted the modular mode of learning due to unstable Internet connection in some areas.