The Department of Education in Western Visayas hopes to surpass the previous number of enrollees in public schools in the region when classes open.
Classes in public schools were scheduled to open Tuesday, August 29, but in many areas they have been suspended because of foul weather.
A DepEd-6 report showed that as of Saturday, August 26, the total number of enrollees in all public and private schools in the region were 1,689,961. However, DepEd-6 Spokesperson Hernani Escullar said that they are still hopeful that the number of enrollees will increase.
They are still waiting for new updates from the schools, he said.
There were 1,504,109 students enrolled in public schools, 183,126 in private schools, and 2,726 in state universities and colleges in Western Visayas as of Saturday, a DepEd 6 report showed.
Escullar also said that among the factors that have affected the number of enrollees this year are late enrolment of some learners, migration, and some families who cannot afford to send their children to school.
In Negros Occidental the Division of Negros Occidental has the highest number of enrollees with 280,138, followed by Bacolod with 140,110, and Kabankalan City with 51,666, DepEd6 reported.*