DepEd says migration from private to public schools has stopped

DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones on Monday, September 14, 2020, said migration of learners from private schools to government schools stopped as the economy gradually reopened.

As of September 14, enrollment in the private sector has significantly improved to 2.08 million, or 47.353 percent of the previous school year’s enrollment, from a measly 7,388 in June 2020, or 0.36 percent of last year’s enrollment.

“Migration from private schools stopped at 398,930 and it has not moved already for the past two weeks,” Briones said in a virtual news conference Monday.

Education officials earlier said private school students were migrating to public schools as the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic caused parents to lose jobs or shut down their businesses.

Briones, however, raised concern over the suspension of operations of around 800 “very, very small schools” nationwide.

She said government is now looking for ways to help teachers from these private schools that have temporarily closed cope with their loss of income.

With the gradual reopening of the economy after nearly three months of hard lockdown, Briones said enrollment has also increased.

“What happens in the economy, what happens in the health sector, of course, affects education and the capacity of the children to enroll,” Briones said.

Total enrollment for school year 2020-2021 has increased to 24.3 million as of September 14, from only 6.3 million in the first week of enrollment in June.

These include learners in public and private schools, state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local universities and colleges (LUCs).

These enrollees constitute 87.6 percent of the previous school year’s total enrollment, Briones said.

Of the 24.3 million enrollees, 22.24 million have signed up in public schools. These 22.4 million public school learners comprise 98.528 percent of last year’s enrollment.

“The response to public sector education is quite impressive. We already have 22,240,731 enrollees and this is 98.528 percent of last year’s enrollment considering that we are struggling and engaging both the impacts of Covid as well as the downturn of the economy,” Briones said.

Enrollment in the public sector during the first week of enrollment in June 2020 was only 6.1 million.

Enrollment in the alternative learning systems has also improved to 382,383 as of September 14 from 32,851 in June, she added.

“This is crucial because a significant number of our learners are working students, including children and adults,” she said.

Late enrollees are still allowed as long as a student can meet competency requirements. (Marites Villamor-Ilano/SunStar Philippines)