47% dropout rate among students seen
Provincial officials have expressed alarm over the high drop rate, now estimated at 47%, among elementary graduates who are not pursuing secondary education in public schools, particularly in areas within the Pangasinan 1 Schools Division.
Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas, presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, told Dr. Aurora Domingo, schools division superintendent of Pangasinan 1 Division covering the first, second and third congressional districts of the province, that the number is “very alarming”.
The worsening level was gleaned from the presentation of Domingo and other schools division superintendents in Pangasinan to the provincial board last week about their respective plans and programs for the coming school year.
Domingo said only 92,337 students are enrolled in 165 public high schools out of the 174,484 enrolled in 545 public elementary schools last year, are pursuing their secondary education this year.
She said the common reason is poverty, adding that while there is no fee required in public schools, most parents don’t have enough money to provide for other expenses related to education such as transportation and baon.
Domingo said her division is pursuing an intervention program, the Alternative Learning System, where dropouts can simply take the Accreditation and Equivalency Test.
She added efforts are being pursued to establish a public high school for a cluster of barangays to minimize the costs of sending children to school.
OPENING
OF CLASSES
Meanwhile, Domingo assured that classes in areas devastated by the recent Typhoon Emong will be opened as scheduled.
“Right now by the assessment and assurances given to us by both the teachers and the school principals and community folk, classes will surely open on June 1,” she said.
Some repairs have been undertaken for the 18 high schools and 104 elementary schools damaged during the May 7 typhoon and further reconstruction is planned once funding from the Department of Education is released.
The severely damaged school buildings are located in the towns of Anda, Agno, Bolinao, Bani, Burgos, Dasol and Mabini.#
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