Over one million or 83 percent of learners in Eastern Visayas have signed up for the academic year 2020 to 2021, the highest enrollment rate among 17 regions nationwide, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported on Thursday.

From June 1 to July 15, 2020, at least 1,087,074 students have been enrolled, representing 83 percent of the 1,312,447 actual learners registered in the last school year.

Eastern Visayas topped 16 other regions with an enrollment rate ranging from 56.40 percent to 82.43 percent.

“To all the parents and guardians of Eastern Visayas, thank you for trust with DepEd. To all the 13 school divisions, your strategies really work and this success has been achieved because of your concerted efforts,” DepEd regional head Ramir Uytico said in a statement.

Aside from online enrollment, school officials also placed boxes to pick up and drop enrollment forms in some villages, conduct mobile enrolment by setting up booths and kiosks, and teachers reached out to students through various means.

“Despite the pandemic, DepEd Region 8 has navigated the new normal by installing systems that are responsive to the needs of its clientele,” Uytico added.

DepEd regional information officer Jasmin Calzita said the remaining 17 percent will still be accepted as late enrollees even until the target day for the opening of classes on Aug. 24, 2020.

“But of course, it would be helpful especially for our planners to get the enrollment data the earliest possible time to prepare the resources before the opening of classes,” Calzita said in a text message.

The region has 4,171 public schools and 300 private schools in six provinces – Biliran, Eastern Samar Leyte, Samar, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte.

Meanwhile, Uytico said the DepEd regional office will continue its innovations to ensure undisrupted operations during the pandemic.

DepEd Region 8 is the first ISO Certified DepEd office in Visayas and Mindanao.

The regional office has been engaging its school officials and teachers in the implementation of the Learning Continuity Plan.

Included in the plan is to identify teachers and learners who have access to the digital platform and other forms of media.

This will help the education department measure the readiness of educators and students to engage in different modalities. (PNA)