By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Around 561,060 students in Negros Occidental have already enrolled for the upcoming School Year (SY) 2022-2023, based on the data released by the Department of Education in Western Visayas (DepEd-6).

DepEd-6 data showed that the Schools Division of Negros Occidental has 228,682 learners enrolled, followed by Bacolod City with 109,325.

Meanwhile, the Kabankalan City Schools Division has 32,417 students officially enrolled, followed by Cadiz City with 30,459; Bago City with 30,178; Silay City – 25,597; Sagay City – 24,486; San Carlos City – 19,076; Escalante City – 18,750; Himamaylan City – 18,426; Sipalay City – 13,184; and La Carlota City – 10,480.

DepEd-6 information officer Hernani Escullar, Jr. explained the reason for the number of high enrollees not just in Negros Occidental but the entire Western Visayas was due to the three options they have given to the students’ parents or guardians with regards to enrolling.

The three options are in-person enrollment, remote enrollment and enrollment through drop box forms.

The deadline for the enrollment  is set on August 22.

In total, the DepEd-6 reported that there are 1,367,961 learners enrolled from the region, of which 1,230,377 are from public schools; 134,851 enrolled in private schools; and 2,733 in local colleges and universities, and state colleges and universities.

Meanwhile, a total of 580 schools in Negros Occidental are expected to open on August 22.

As of July 12, 252 of the 581 public elementary schools and 10 of the 117 private schools under the supervision of the DepEd-Negros Occidental Schools Division were ready for in-person learning.

Marsette Sabbaluca, Schools Division Superintendent of Negros Occidental, also identified the towns of E.B. Magalona, Don Salvador Benedicto, Pontevedra, Toboso and Valladolid as ready for the resumption of full F2F classes./WDJ