DepEd: Late Enrollees Allowed Until September

Despite the start of the school year, parents may still enroll their students until next month, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.

Under the agency’s basic education enrollment policy issued in 2018, a school may accept late enrollees provided that the learner will be able to meet 80 percent of the prescribed number of school days and the quarterly requirement to pass the grade level.

If the learner cannot meet the required number of school days and the quarterly requirement, school heads are allowed to exercise their discretion to accept late enrollees and implement catch-up activities or interventions.

The current school year, which began last Monday, Aug, 22, for public schools, will end on July 7, 2023. It consists of 203 school days, with the first quarter examination set on Oct. 27 to 28.

Latest data showed that over 28.797 million students have already enrolled in public and private kindergarten, elementary and high schools nationwide, surpassing the agency’s original target of 28.6 million and last year’s 27.5 million.

The DepEd said the figure includes 24.6 million in its enrollment quick count and another 4.1 million who signed up during the early registration held earlier this year.

The agency has yet to release the breakdown on how many students are in public and private schools.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Monday declared the opening of classes a success, calling it a victory for basic education and the students.

Citing initial assessment from the regions, DepEd spokesman Michael Poa said no untoward incident was reported and that the school opening went smoothly.

He cited overcrowding of parents, mainly due to the volume of those requesting for enrollment certificates, a requirement for the educational assistance program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“Aside from that, it was an orderly back to school nationwide,” he said Tuesday, Aug. 23.