WHILE Malacañang Palace was quick to deny the lack of classrooms, the local officials of the Department of Education here have already expressed fears of a critical shortage if there is increased enrolment in public schools this year.

This was stressed by an official of the DepEd’s City Division Office who could not, however, provide any data on number enrollees as of press time as enrollment is still going on till July.

Socorro Ramos, Education Supervisor I and Officer-in Charge anticipated that lack of classrooms would be the problem if there will be an increase of enrollees this year, both in high school and elementary levels.

But so far, Ramos said her office still has cannot firm up the numbers as many pupils are still enrolling to date.

“Records of enrollees are yet to be consolidated, so we cannot say if the enrollment has increased or decreased,” she explained.

She said that based on their earlier projections, classrooms, chairs, blackboards and books are now all ready, including the number of teachers.

She said the Department of Education increases the needs of books every year to support the students’ studies in public schools while chairs and classrooms are repaired before the start of classes. 

However, she said they expect more enrollees and transferees to register until next week.

Meanwhile, Jose Flores, Division Planning Officer, said the number of enrollees last year decreased by 5% (from 19,200 in year 2004 to 18,200 in 2005).

Flores cited poverty as one of the reasons for the decrease. Parents had no choice but to stop their children from going to school because the children’s expenses could no longer be supported.

For this year, the division office will know the results of enrolment as soon as they finish consolidating the enrolment records.

Flores said they are required to submit their preliminary consolidated Division enrolment report to the Regional office on July 7, 2006. – AQL

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