THE Department of Education (DepEd) recorded a total of 214,506 students enrolled in public and private schools for school year 2023-2024 in Zamboanga City.

Basilio Uy, acting chief for school government and operation of DepEd’s Division of City Schools, said that 188,711 of the 214,506 students enrolled in public schools returned to face-to-face classes on Tuesday, August 29, the first day of the new school year.

Uy said that 24,011 students are enrolled in private schools while 1,722 are enrolled in local state universities and colleges.

The school opening on Tuesday, August 29, marked the return of the full face-to-face classes after two years of blended sessions due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Uy said that the opening of classes in the city went smoothly based on monitoring of his office.

Meanwhile, Colonel Alexander Lorenzo, Zamboanga City Police Office director, said they have assigned an ample number of policemen to guard and manned traffic in school zones in this city. (SunStar Zamboanga)