BACOLOD City – The number of enrollees in Negros Occidental for school year 2023-2024 dropped by more than 13 percent from a year ago, according to the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Negros Occidental.
The current quick count indicates approximately 294,000 students enrolled from kindergarten to senior high school, said DepEd-Negros Occidental spokesperson Ian Arnaiz.
The decline in student population can be attributed to various factors, including migration and delayed enrollment of young learners, he said.
The opening of classes for public schools was initially scheduled on Tuesday, Aug. 29, but was postponed due to inclement weather.
Some schools in the province resumed classes on Aug. 30 and 31.
Meanwhile, the town of Pulupandan is set to begin classes in the coming week.
According to Arnaiz, 37 schools reported flooding in Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Murcia, Pulupandan, San Enrique, and Valladolid towns.
The floodwaters have since receded and evacuees who sought shelter in schools have returned home.
Public schools in the province will continue to accommodate late enrollees for the next two months, Arnaiz added. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
