THE Department of Education (DepEd) announced on June 13 that a total of 10.5 million students have enrolled and registered for School Year 2020–2021, marking a 33 percent slowdown in enrolment rate — from 6.3 million enrollees by June 6 to just an additional 4.2 million after a week.
This is worrisome. The slowing down of enrolment rate is a warning that millions of learners could be left behind in the coming school year.
If this enrollment rate decline persists, we can only expect 4.7 million more to enroll in the remaining two weeks, coming to mere 15.2 million total enrollees in four weeks. That’s an alarming 44 percent drop from last year’s 27.2 million enrolment data. Where then is education continuity for 12 million learners who could be left behind this school year?
Even the 27 million learners estimate is “conservative”, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, citing that the population of school age children grows yearly.
The dismal turn out could be attributed to the current health and socioeconomic crisis, as well as the poor infrastructure for remote school operations. While physical enrolment may boost these figures due to its relative accessibility to poor families, especially in rural areas, there is concern about school safety. Are there measures put in place to ensure this?
Despite wanting to enroll their children, many parents find this difficult due to the lack of material support to enable remote enrolment — such as sufficient aid for poor families, establishment of needed infrastructures, among others. In fact, reports from parents indicate that many are awaiting the permission of face-to-face enrolment so they may enlist their kids for the coming school year. It bears noting, however, that no mass testing has been done among education workers, nor have health and safety measures been placed at the school level in preparation for such.
It is in this context that DepEd should approach the situation with “strong minds and hearts”, by implementing a comprehensive, scientifically grounded, and compassionate approach to ensuring safe return to schools and inclusive quality education. DepEd should establish health and safety measures in schools, resolve long-standing crises in education (lack of classrooms, tables, chairs, books, teachers, school doctors and nurses).
DepEd should quit wasting everybody’s time and resources with repetitive empty pronouncements and instead recognize how tightly interwoven education is with the health and socioeconomic conditions of the country. Only then will it be able to sincerely advance education continuity for all.
