ILOILO CITY – At least 1.4 million students flocked to public schools across Western Visayas region on Monday, July 29, for the opening of classes for the school year 2024-2025.

PUPILS of the Iloilo Central Elementary School in Iloilo City during the first day of classes for school year 2024-2025 on Monday, July 29. (Tara Yap)
Data released by the Department of Education (DepEd)-6 said that 705,602 students were enrolled in elementary, 468,086 students in junior high school, and 235,446 students in senior high school.
DepEd-6 Regional Director Dr. Ramir Uytico said the opening of the new school year was smooth based on their initial assessment.
All public schools in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental provinces as well as the highly urbanized cities of Iloilo and Bacolod did not report any major concern or issue.
DepEd-6 Information Officer Hernani Escular Jr. said all school districts in the region were prepared and not negatively impacted by the bad weather last week.
Meanwhile, Escular said the number of enrollees is expected to increase this week as there are still parents who have not yet enrolled their children.