• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Department of Education has reported a drop of about 43,000 in the number of enrollees in Negros Occidental for the school year 2023-2024, compared to the previous year.
Citing records of DepEd Western Visayas, provincial DepEd spokesperson Ian Arnaiz revealed yesterday a reduction of enrollees in Negros Occidental, from 337,000 last year, to an estimated 294,000 this school year, which is a reduction of 13 percent.
While he will look into the factors that led to reduction of enrollees, Arnaiz believes that migration and delayed enrollment of young learners are among the reasons he cited.
Arnaiz, however said that public schools in the province will continue to accommodate late enrollees for the next two months.
The scheduled opening of classes was originally on August 29, but was moved either to Aug. 30, 31, and even September 1, due to flooding in several towns and cities of Negros Occidental, caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon that was triggered by Super Typhoon Goring.
Arnaiz reported that 37 schools in Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Murcia, Pulupandan, San Enrique, and Valladolid were affected by flooding.*
