EXCEPT for a dispute in a public school in Talisay City over late enrollment, most school divisions in Central Visayas had no major problem during the opening of classes yesterday, a school official said.
Officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) 7 are still monitoring all 19 divisions to confirm if there is a huge spike in enrollees in all levels this year.
Last school year, the total number of enrollees in public schools in Central Visayas reached more than P1.7 million.
But while some public schools in Cebu opened the new school year on a good note, the Talisay City National High School in Barangay Poblacion, Talisay City encountered problems.
Some parents and guardians who were enrolling their children complained about the lack of a proper system.
Aumarie Cabardo was enrolling her younger sister for senior high school yesterday afternoon when she encountered long lines of over 200 parents outside the school.
Rush
Like Cabardo, the parents were reportedly told by school officials that they were required to bring their child to the school at 3 p.m. to have them enrolled.
But tension developed after school officials failed to implement a system that would prevent or eliminate long lines.
Security guards assigned at the school reportedly almost caused a stampede when they suddenly opened one of two front gates of the school, and parents ran to get in.
“Imbis nga mulinya, mas nagkagubot noon mi tanan kay ila man gipakalit ug abli ang gate sa eskwelahan nga gilock dayun sa dihang nakasulod na ang katong ni-rush (Instead of lining up, some people rushed to get in and the gate was then locked behind them. It got chaotic),” Cabardo said.
When they were eventually allowed inside the school an hour later, other woes were encountered by the parents, especially those whose children were enrolling in senior high school.
Cabardo claimed the school officials didn’t inform them that there were only 20 available slots for senior high school.
When her turn came to enroll her sister, she was told by teachers that they were out of slots.
“Kung nasultian pa lang mi daan didto sa gawas nga gamay ra diay ang ilang available slots, dili lang unta mi mamugos. Ako lang ipa-enroll akong igsuon sa laing eskwelahan. Dili kay paantoson mi nga wala ra diay (Had we been told outside that there were few slots left, we would have gone to another school. They made us suffer for no good reason),” Cabardo said.
Why enroll late?
But Dr. Leah Noveras, Talisay City schools division superintendent, told SunStar Cebu that earlier, the principal of the school told her that she handed out priority numbers to parents who wanted to enroll their children. Some of the teachers reportedly told the parents that they would only accommodate those with priority numbers.
But the parents didn’t heed their advice, Noveras said.
Noveras also explained that they can only accommodate a limited number of students in senior high school since they have a limited capacity per classroom.
She also clarified that they only accept late enrollees provided that they have valid reasons for signing up late.
Amaryllis Villarmia, DepEd 7 public information officer, told reporters the department is monitoring with the division offices for any problems in all 19 divisions.
“So far, so good,” Villarmia said.