Child rights group alarmed over low enrollment

MANILA, Philippines — A group promoting children’s rights has raised alarm over the low enrollment turnout, citing data from the Department of Education.

DepEd said only 17.9 million students have so far enrolled for school year 2021–2022.

“The number of enrollees is equivalent to 68 percent of the total number of students for school year 2020-2021 and lower compared to the DepEd national enrollment data before the pandemic hit the country,” Salinlahi Alliance for Children’s Concerns secretary-general Eule Rico Bonganay said.

The figures, according to Bonganay, signal the worsening situation of the Philippine education system.

“The overwhelming failure of the government in implementing effective education programs during the pandemic discourages millions of students from continuing their education. It threatens to reverse the gains that the country has achieved in ensuring that basic education is accessible to every Filipino child,” he added.

The group pointed out that millions of learners are struggling to meet the requirements under DepEd’s blended learning program due to growing poverty and hunger incidence as well as limited government support.