Mobile phone enrolment is now ongoing for public school learners in the elementary and high school levels in this capital as the school year 2022-2023 is set to begin next month.

Dr. Gregorio Cyrus Elejorde, Department of Education (DepEd)-Dumaguete Division superintendent, told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday that parents are encouraged to enroll their students early with the use of their mobile phones to avoid unnecessary exposure to other people in the light of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“We have a mobile app where learners or their parents can use for enrollment and it is user-friendly with fewer requirements as the schools already have a database of these students in the previous years,” Elejorde said.

He said the parents do not even need to worry about bringing a school card for enrollment as a system is already in place to cater to that need.

“Only those who do not have access to a mobile phone can appear in-person at the schools to enroll their child or children although the number would only be minimal,” he said.

The local DepEd office is expecting some 26,000 enrollees for the upcoming school year, Elejorde said.

Meanwhile, public schools here will still be implementing the limited face-to-face classes at the start of the school year on August 22.

Elejorde said they have mapped out a program where learners and teachers are rotated for their in-person schedules for the first few months but hopefully they are able to implement 100 percent face-to-face classroom attendance by November this year.

This, however, depends on the recommendation of health authorities and the Covid-19 status of the city by then, he said. (PNA)