ORMOC CITY – Enrollment, accordingly, is crucial during the start of classes because that would entail the amount of funding that would be provided to the schools as School Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).
This was emphasized by this city’s Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Carmelino Bernadas, during the Oplan Balik Eskwela 2024 inter-agency convergence, which took place at the Schools Division Training Hall on July 26, 2024. “Kung gamay ang enrollment dili tagaan og enough of an equivalent amount of MOOE,” he said.
Bernadas highlighted that it would be better for parents and guardians to follow the schedule for early enrollment because DepEd Ormoc is also monitored by the central office pertaining to their status of enrollment. He urged the parents and guardians to respond or follow the early enrollment policy next school year.
He also expressed that DepEd Ormoc is sad looking at the data since as of July 25, 2024, for the School Year (SY) 2024-2025 enrollment quick count (EQC), the public sector has only a grand total of 55,407 enrollees from K to 12 of the 10 districts, with a variance of 15,598; and that the percentage of EQC versus previous SY enrollment shows 71.85% lessthan the previous SY.
Further, the superintendent said that DepEd has always been scheduling every year an early enrollment period for all enrollees to have themselves listed so that they can be counted as one of the enrollees for the school year. However, there are really things beyond their control, like the parents, who would not act even if there is a schedule already provided.
However, it is said that the number of enrollees is expected to bloat on the first day of classes. “Kung apike na, that’s the time for them to go to school and have their kids listed for enrollment,” Bernadas added.
Bernadas also said that they can do their part, but they also need the cooperation and collaboration of the entire community. “Dili man pwede guyoran ang mga bata ngadto nga hala pagpa-enroll na dai, as it has to be done by parents; DepEd can only campaign,” he said. “January pa nagsugod ang early enrollment,” he emphasized.
A school, meanwhile, may accept late enrollees provided that the learner will beable to meet eighty percent (80%) of the prescribed number of school days for each school year and the quarterly requirement to pass the grade level as governed by the latest existing applicable DepEd issuances. If the learner cannot meet the required number of school days and thequarterly requirement, the school head may exercise his or her discretion to accept the enrollee and implement catch-up activities or interventions under acceptable circumstances.
On the one hand, Ghislaine Marie C. Aballe, Education Program Specialist II of the Ormoc City Division, explained that Oplan Balik-Eskwela is an annual initiative by DepEd aimed at ensuring a smooth and orderly opening of classes at the beginning of the school year, as well as to ensure that learners are properly enrolled. Finally, it aims to address problems, queries, and other enrollment concerns commonly encountered by the public at the start of the school year. By Gwen Maurillo (EV Mail July 22-28, 2024 issue)
