• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As of September 2, enrollment for this school year in Negros Occidental continues to remain low, according to Ian Arnold Arnaez, spokesperson of Department of Education Division of Negros Occidental.
Arnaez disclosed that they recorded 312,639 enrolled students for the school year 2024-2025, compared to 325,000 in the school year 2023-2024.
He noted that all school divisions in the country are suffering from low enrollment rates.
Arnaez attributed the low enrollment rates to some students, especially those in Kindergarten, being underaged, the migration of parents to other places, and effective family planning methods.
Last school year, basic education enrollment in public and private schools in Bacolod City, along with the rest of Negros Occidental, decreased by 5 to 16 percent.*
