DepEd discourages physical enrollment in June as COVID-19 crisis continues

MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) said Thursday that physical enrollment in schools is highly discouraged to avoid exposing students, parents, and educators to the risk of contracting the new coronavirus disease.

This, as the department girded for the opening of classes in August, where alternative learning modes not requiring physical attendance of students and teachers will be followed.

The DepEd has set the enrollment period to take place in the entire month of June. This would also "revalidate" the early registration of students held earlier this year.

• DepEd sets month-long enrollment in June

In an order, the DepEd urged school division offices and schools across the country to exhaust all possible means to conduct remote enrollment.

The department directed schools to publish contact details of offices or teachers that would respond to questions on enrollment procedures.

"Physical enrollment in schools or other similar activity shall be highly discouraged, even in low risk areas. The first two weeks shall completely be remote enrollment, where there will absolutely be no face-to-face," the department said.

Physical submission of enrollment data can only be done on the third week and must be coordinated with the local government unit, according to the DepEd.

"Making physical appearance in school for enrollment purposes shall be the last option... such appearances shall be guided by minimum health and safety protocols in the locality," the DepEd said.

The DepEd added that enrollees would also be asked to answer a survey, which aims to gather information on their capability to facilitate the various alternative learning modes.

For the coming year, schools will implement alternatives to the traditional in-person classes, which have been discouraged due to the coronavirus pandemic. These include the use of online platforms, printed modules, television, and radio.

The following are the guidelines for enrollment:

• Parents of incoming Grades 1 to 12 learners will be contacted by the previous class advisers for remote enrollment but they may also reach out to their child's adviser through contact numbers published by the school.
• Class advisers shall contact each learner in their advisory class from School Year 2019 to 2020. This can be done through phone calls, text messaging, and social media, whichever is mutually convenient for both parties.
• Teachers without advisory class shall be designated as "enrollment focal person," who will be responsible for accommodating kindergarten, transferee, and Balik-Aral enrollees.
• Parents of incoming kindergarten learners shall communicate their intent to enroll their children via digital and/or physical enrollment platforms established by schools.
• Students planning to transfer from one school to another (the receiving school) shall directly contact the receiving school through its published enrollment contact details.
• - All Balik-Aral enrollees, or those who will resume study after dropping out or discontinuing for a period of time, shall directly contact preferred schools. Receiving schools shall register enrollee's enrollment and survey data.
• - Enrollees under the Alternative Learning System may communicate their intent to enroll via digital and/or physical enrollment platforms established by schools and barangays with community learning centers.

The DepEd noted that deadlines for the submission of documentary requirements are deferred until December 2020 in both public and private schools.

"Only schools and their personnel shall coordinate the transmission of learners' records... schools shall not compel learners and their parents/ guardians to take responsibility for transmission of school records," DepEd said.

The school year is scheduled to start on August 24.