DepEd sets early registration on January 25

The Department of Education (DepEd) has set January 25, 2014 (Saturday) as the date for early registration in all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide. One goal of DepEd Order No. 2 s.2014 is to gather information to base its preparations to address potential gaps that may arise even before regular enrolment.

“We want to prevent logistical problems when the new school year starts in June,” explains Education Secretary Br Armin Luistro FSC. “If our school heads know how many students they will have ahead of time, they can better prepare classrooms and seats and learning materials.”

The specific target of the early registration are all five-year olds to ensure their enrolment in kindergarten and all six-year olds to ensure that they are enrolled in Grade 1 come June. 

Other targets of the early registration are out-of-school children (OSC) and out-of-school youth (OSY) from the disadvantaged groups, including street children ages 5 to 18. These targeted learners will be provided with their preferred education delivery system which could either be formal through the alternative delivery mode (ADM) or through the alternative learning system (ALS).

To ensure universal participation, DepEd has enlisted the assistance of local and barangay officials for the early registration of OSC, the OSY, those with difficulty in learning and the indigenous peoples (IPs). 

The early registration will see DepEd working closely with the LGUs, the Parent-Teachers Associations, barangay officials, civil society groups, civic organizations and the business sector to ensure wide sectoral participation in the exercise.

“Our collective aim is a smooth June school opening, that is why we are preparing as early as January,” Luistro said.