Some 1,537 elementary and high schools in the Caraga Region opened face-to-face classes on Monday during the first day of the school year 2022-2023, the Department of Education in the Caraga Region (DepEd-13) reported.

In a statement, DepEd-13 said 715 schools, both in elementary and high school levels, also started their blended learning system.

“On the first day of school, Regional Director Ma. Gemma Mercado Ledesma joined the teachers and pupils of Bas-as Elementary School in Placer, Surigao del Norte, during the flag-raising ceremony,” the DepEd-13 said.

According to the agency, the school was among the heavily damaged learning facilities during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette in Caraga in December last year.

As of Aug. 19, the agency said 702,007 students have enrolled in the region’s various public and private schools.

In public schools alone, 647,987 elementary and high school learners have enrolled in the region.

The highest number of enrollees for the public schools was recorded in Agusan del Sur province with 168,364; followed by Surigao del Sur with 105,360; Agusan del Norte, 80,299; Surigao del Norte, 54,535; and the Province of Dinagat Islands, 21,392.

Among the cities in the region, Butuan recorded the highest enrollment for public schools with 84,385; Bayugan, 27,550; Surigao, 26,040; Bislig, 18,907; Cabadbaran, 18,131; and Tandag, 14,802.

DepEd-13 said the number of enrollees for this year both in public and private schools may increase as encoding and submission of enrollment is ongoing. (PNA)