BACOLOD City – Twenty private schools offering preschool education in this city are not operating this school year due to economic shock of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
These schools cited low enrollment and their inability to adapt to the distance learning delivery modalities prescribed by the Department of Education, according to Bacolod Schools Division Superintendent Gladys Amylaine Sales.
“They signified that they are not prepared to the present situation that we are now under the pandemic as face-to-face classes are not allowed and the turn out of their enrollment was very low while others have no enrollees at all,” Sales explained.
The DepEd Region 6 already approved the request of the schools for temporary closure, Sales said.
Due to the threat of COVID-19, DepEd is implementing new learning systems this school year like the do-it-yourself learning modules; radio-based instruction; and online or offline platforms.
Classes in public elementary and high schools nationwide begin on Oct. 5 for school year 2020-2021. Sales said that they are ready for today’s resumption, which is also coincides with the World Teacher’s Day celebration.
Schools, according to Sales, will still continue to accept late enrollees until the end of the month.
“We encouraged parents of students enrolled in modular system to monitor their children if they are really studying the modules given to them,” she said.
Meanwhile, 10 private schools under the DepEd-Division of Negros Occidental have also requested temporary closure this school year.
Ian Arnold Arnaez, spokesman for the DepEd division, said in an interview with The Manila Times that top reasons for the closure are COVID-19, low enrollment and lack of funds.
Arnaez added that eight of the 10 schools have forwarded their requests to the regional office while the two others have not done so./PN
