Group predicts only 50% enrollment in private schools for School Year 2020-2021

(Philstar.com) – 10 Sep 2020

MANILA, Philippines — The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations (COCOPEA), an umbrella organization of private schools, on Wednesday projected that private schools will reach only half of last year’s enrollment rates for School Year 2020-2021.

“I think enrollment this year will only reach 50% [of last year’s figures],” COCOPEA Managing Director Joseph Noel Estrada told DZMM Teleradyo in Filipino.

According to Estrada, around 400,000 private school students have transferred to public schools as of August 27.

Latest data from the Department of Education shows that only about 2 million students have enrolled in private schools so far, compared to the 4.3 million from last school year.

According to the department, this means private schools have reached only 47% of last year’s enrollment figures.

DepEd also reported that 748 of the 14,435 private schools nationwide have given notice that they will not operate for the incoming school year.

The Federation of Associations of Private School Administrators (FAPSA) on Wednesday argued that enrollment could improve if the October 5 opening would be delayed.

“[Students] will return to private school because not everyone wants to [stop] schooling, not everyone wants to go to public school,” FAPSA President Eleazardo Kasilag told DZMM Teleradyo in Filipino.

Late enrollment allowed until November

While Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Wednesday renewed her claim that schools across the country are ready to open on October 5, the department said schools would be allowed to accept students who enroll within the first month of classes.

“They will be allowed until November, the late enrollees,” Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said during a virtual briefing.

Briones added that late enrollees would be accepted as long as they meet 80% of the prescribed number of school days.

As it stands, the incoming school year will last for 200 days, the minimum duration required by law, with DepEd last month announcing that classes would open on October 5 and close on June 16, 2021.

As of September 9, the total number of enrollment is 24.3 million, according to DepEd, as compared to the 27.7 million from last year.

While enrollment in private schools dramatically decreased, the agency said public schools saw 98% of its enrollment rates from the year before.

In total, DepEd’s data shows that enrollment for the incoming school year is at 87.5% of last year’s numbers.

Due to the pandemic, classes this school year will be conducted through distance learning modalities such as online learning, modules, television and radio.

While public schools are set to reopen on October 5, private schools and non-DepEd-schools were allowed to open earlier at their discretion. — Bella Perez-Rubio