CALAMBA CITY (PIA)-- The Department of Education (DepEd) in Calabarzon expects to log more enrollees this year higher than its previous record of 4.05 million last year.
The Education department said around 4,102,945 enrollees are expected in Calabarzon for the incoming school year, including those registered under the Alternative Learning System (ALS).
In its August 22 update, enrollment in Calabarzon has already reached 2,915,796, which is the highest in the country. Region IV-A also posted the highest number of enrollees in the country last year with 4,052,158 students.
DepEd IV-A Regional Director Atty. Alberto Escobarte expects the enrollment rate to surpass the record last school year, as the resumption of classes draws near.
“For the coming school year, sa enrollment update namin, we have so far enrolled almost 2.9 million students that is equivalent to 72% of the total official enrollment count comparing[sic] to last school year.”
Escobarte adds, “The momentum is increasing and we expect that our total enrollment last year would be breached by 4 million plus and we expect about 50,000 new enrollees to be added this school year.”
The DepEd Calabarzon assured that it has enough teaching personnel to ensure the continuous delivery of education despite the high enrollment turn out.
“Bago pa matapos ang School Year 2022-2023 ay pinag-uusapan na sa Regional Office [at] sa National rin po, pinag-uusapan ng ma fill-up na dapat ang lahat ng vacant teaching positions dahil inaasahan na ang pagdagsa ng malaking numero ng mga mag-aaral sa pasukan. Mas maraming guro rin ang kakailanganin para tugunan ang pangangailangan ng ating mga mag-aaral,” said Regional Information Officer Ariel Azuelo.
Meanwhile, Wilbert Ulpindo, Project Development Officer II, said the six-day school maintenance week beginning August 14 was enough time to refurbish classrooms and other school facilities.
“Sa mga pasilidad na nasira nitong mga nakaraan ay minimal lamang. Iyon ay kayang daanin sa Brigadahan. Pero ‘yung mga nakaraan na [na naapektuhan noong bagyong] Paeng, Rolly, and Quinta, iyon naman ay nagawan ng paraan para mapondohan. Sa ngayon ay sinisimulan na silang i-repair para maibalik na kung paano siyang dapat ay nagagamit,” Ulpindo said.
The DepEd Calabarzon also launched the national learning camp (NLC) to address the learning gaps during the Covid-19 pandemic and foster learner interests, socio-emotional skills, personal growth, and character development.
“Ito po ang isa sa mga bagong programa ng DepEd. [Kung] dati ay may tinatawag tayong summer classes at enrichment classes, ngayon ang tawag na natin dito ay national learning camp. Hindi lamang ito sa mga struggling readers, kundi maging sa iba pang asignatura gaya ng Mathematics, English, at marami pang iba,” said Azuelo.
