THE Department of Education (DepEd) recorded 27.6 million enrollees for School Year 2021-2022, up by 105 percent from last year’s 26.2 million enrollees.

Classes opened last Monday, September 13, the second school year distance learning is replacing in-person classroom teaching because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Of the 27.6 million enrollees, 21.1 million were in public schools, 1.9

million in private schools, and 57,000 students enrolled in state and local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs).

The DepEd said 4.6 million enrolled in Kindergarten, and Grades 1, 7, and 11.

“Masayang-masaya kami sa [DepEd] dahil sa taong ito ay nakita namin na mas marami ang challenges na hinaharap natin sa departamento kasi nandito na ang ibang variant [ng Covid-19] na lumalabas pero ang magandang balita ay nalampasan natin ang enrollment last year (We at DepEd are happy that despite the challenges brought by the emerging Covid-19 variants, we have exceeded last year’s enrollment figures). So even with changed conditions, more challenges, nalagpasan natin ang enrollment last year,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones.

Briones said the higher enrollment figure reflected the parents’ trust in the department.

“Nagpapakita ito na sa ating kultura, mahalaga talaga ang edukasyon at ang mga parents consider education as very important and crucial for the lives of their children. Kitang-kita ang trust ng ating taong-bayan ng citizens sa [DepEd] dahil inspite of all the threats and all the noise, ang mga parents ay pinapadala pa rin ang kanilang mga anak sa ating pag-aaruga (This shows that in our culture, education is a priority and parents consider education as very important and crucial for the lives of their children. We see that our fellow Filipinos trust DepEd despite the threats, and parents continue to send their kids to schools under our care),” she said.

The DepEd expects more students to enroll, since the enrollment period has been extended to September 30.

Briones said the DepEd also strengthened the curriculum for this school year, based on its experience from the previous year, It will rely less on printed modules and gradually shift to digital formats, which include the 2,900 episodes of lectures produced by the DepEd TV.

Education Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla said the department has increased the proposed budget for its computerization program from P6 billion in 2021 to P11.6 billion in 2022 to further strengthen distance blended learning.

Briones said the department is ready to pilot-test face-face classes in 100 public and 20 private schools as soon as it gets the green light from President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The advice of our health experts is to start the implementation of limited face-to-face classes in the lower grade levels, since children at that age are more resilient [to Covid-19] and that they are the ones who need face-to-face classes in their growing years to mold their character, study habits, and good manners and right conduct,” she said.

Briones emphasized that the health and safety of students will remain DepEd’s top priority.