CEBU CITY, Cebu, Sept. 5 (PIA) -- Before the opening of classes for SY 2023-2024, the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) has implemented the necessary measures in preparation for the first day of classes for the basic education that includes kindergarten, grade school, and high school.

As classes resume in a face-to-face setting, DepEd-7 ensured that all schools, classrooms, and chairs in the region are in good condition based on the latest monitoring conducted by the department prior to the start of classes on Aug. 29, 2023. 

Brigada Eskwela 2023

One of the highlights of DepEd's preparations was the conduct of the annual Brigada Eskwela from Aug. 14 to 18 attended by parents, partner agencies, non-government organizations, uniformed personnel, and other education stakeholders. 

According to DepEd-7, the 20 school division offices in the region reported that the Brigada Eskwela has been successfully held in their respective schools due to the active participation of the parents and the collaboration with their public and private partners who were able to devote their time and efforts in joining the said activities.

Parents and guardians also took the opportunity to enroll their students during the activity, which  contributed to the increase in the number of enrollees.

The number of learners enrolled increased from 499,000 enrollees before the Brigada Eskwela to 1.2 million after the weeklong activity.

From around 5,000 to 6,000 learners enrolled every day, the agency recorded an increase of around 100,000 in terms of the learners being enrolled during the one-week period of the Brigada Eskwela.

“Daghan kaayong mga parents nga ni participate sa BE (Brigada Eskwela) diri sa Central Visayas. (There are many parents who participated in the BE here in Central Visayas.) One activity wherein all the sectors both public and private converged in ensuring the readiness of our schools for the opening of classes. Gigamit sa mga parents ang BE as the time to enroll their children, which was the reason why the enrollment numbers increased especially during the BE period," said DepEd-7 Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez during the Kapihan sa PIA on Aug. 24, 2023. 

Enrollment in Central Visayas

Based on available data as of Aug. 23, there were 1,488,000 learners enrolled in public schools, 186,000 in private schools, and 6,500 learners enrolled in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Region 7.

DepEd-7 started the enrollment period three months prior to the scheduled opening of classes to cater to more learners across all schools in the region and to avoid issues on the first day of classes.

The education department set the regional enrollment target at 2.2 million enrollees (for public and private schools) for SY 2023-2024.

"Despite the challenges, our schools and teachers are and will always be ready to accommodate and facilitate our learners," Jimenez said.

There are around 4,000 public schools and 1,000 private schools in Central Visayas.

Oplan Balik Eskwela 2023

DepEd also implemented the Oplan Balik Eskwela as part of their preparations.

Help desks were put up at the regional office, division offices, and every school to assist parents and guardians who have enrollment-related concerns.

As classes have already started, the department aims to address all related concerns and problems that occurred during the early days of the new school year. 

Jimenez urged the parents and guardians as well as the private and public schools to visit the DepEd-7 for concerns related to enrollment and the education of the students.

"We have a team here who will facilitate and accommodate you all,” said Jimemez. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)