THE Department of Education (DepEd) 7 is still short of its target enrollment by more than 100,000 students, two weeks after classes have begun, according to a regional education official.
DepEd 7 Director Salustiano Jimenez said the shortfall could impact educational provisions that include teacher allocation, classroom resources, and maintenance and other operating expenses.
Jimenez said the region’s target enrollment is 2.1 million students. The education official revealed this information during the weekly online program of the Philippine Information Agency 7 on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024.
While the official enrollment ended on July 26, the DepEd 7 continues to accept late enrollees for up to 40 days after the start of classes.
DepEd 7 has urged parents and guardians to enroll their children promptly to avoid further delays in their learning.
The classes in all public schools opened last July 29. The late enrollment will end on Sept. 7.
As of the latest count, the DepEd’s Learner Information System has recorded 1,939,444 enrolled students in Central Visayas, representing 92 percent of the target.
However, Jimenez said the actual enrollment figures stand at about two million or 96 percent of the target. He said the discrepancy is partly attributed to encoding delays, especially in remote areas with limited internet access.
Jimenez emphasized the importance of timely enrollment data submission to the DepEd Central Office, as it forms the basis for budget allocations and planning for the academic year. / CDF