The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday reported the full opening of public schools nationwide after an initial postponement due to the effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon and Super Typhoon Carina.
In a Viber message, DepEd Media Relations chief Dennis Legaspi said all schools are now in normal operations for school year 2024-2025.
“Open na po lahat ng schools (All schools are open) nationwide today. Wala na din pong schools ang ginagamit (No more schools are being used) as evacuation centers,” he said.
During the opening of classes on July 29, some 1,063 schools postponed their official start, with the highest number recorded in Central Luzon with 457 schools.
The Ilocos region followed with 310 affected schools, Metro Manila with 225 schools, Calabarzon with 67 schools, and four schools in Soccsksargen.
The DepEd, meanwhile, logged 87.2 percent of its target enrollment on Tuesday, recording 24,178,797 out of 27,722,835 target enrollees from elementary to senior high school (SHS) in all public and private schools.
These include 290,461 enrollees in the Alternative Learning System (ALS).
To date, the highest number of learners was reported in Calabarzon with 3,516,873 enrollees; followed by Central Luzon with 2,557,435 enrollees, and Metro Manila with 2,489,979 enrollees.
Free school kits for Manila kinder learners
Some 1,000 kindergarten learners in the city of Manila received free school supplies.
Mayor Honey Lacuna led the distribution of the school kits for Kinder 1 and Kinder 2 at the Fugoso (Delpan) Sports Complex in Tondo and in Barangay 830 in Paco on Tuesday, ahead of the opening of pre-school classes in the city on Aug. 19.
These include school bags, a pair of rubber shoes, notebooks, pencils, raincoats, books, hygiene kits and shirts.
The lady mayor thanked the parents for enrolling their children early and for being patient with them.
“Alam nyo po, sa ibang bansa, lalo na sa Japan, disiplinado ang mga bata. Kasi hindi pa muna sila tinuturuan ng Math at Science. Tinuturuan sila ng tamang asal. Kaya mga teachers, sana bigyan natin ng panahon ‘yung pagtuturo ng mga simpleng bagay na dapat ipaalam sa mga bata (You know in other countries, especially in Japan, the children are disciplined. They are not yet taught with Math and Science. They are taught with values. To our teachers, let us give time in teaching these simple gestures to our children),” she added.
These include acts of courtesy such as “pagmamano” (honoring gesture) and the use of respectful words such as “po” and “opo”.
She called on the learners to study hard and listen to their parents and teachers at all times. (PNA)
