(Eagle News) — Public schools nationwide opened today, Monday, June 4, for the start of the school year 2018-2019 with almost 29 million elementary and high school students expected for this school year opening.
The Department of Education said it’s all systems go with the perennial problems on classroom shortage now being addressed, with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) deploying 1,444 enforcers to secure the June 4 school opening.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones also urged parents who have not yet enrolled their children of school age to still push their children to go to school as enrolment will continue until the end of June.
“The enrollment will continue to allow those who have yet to enroll to catch up,” Briones said.
DepEd said it is expecting around 29 pupils and students in public schools this school year, 2018-2019.
“Last year, we had 29 million pupils and students in the public schools,” Briones said.
“This year we expect around the same number as the number of those who graduated high school will be replaced by new entrants. In the kindergartens, we are expecting over a million new pupils.”
The Education chief said that the usual “physical problems” of lack of classrooms, school buildings and other education facilities, have already been addressed.