DepEd says public schools ready for late enrollees, transferees

The Department of Education (DepEd) assured the public that primary and secondary public schools nationwide will accommodate late enrollees and transferees.

"We can't reject them," Deped assistant secretary Jess Mateo said as classes for school year 2013-2014 officially opened Monday (June 3).

He noted that several public schools already set morning and afternoon shifts of classes to accommodate the late enrollees and transferees.

Classes start earlier than 7 a.m. so the schools can implement double-shifting, he noted.

The Deped expects over 20 million students to troop to schools nationwide.

Surging cost of private education continues driving the exodus to public schools around the country.

Mateo said different sets of teachers will handle public schools' morning and afternoon shifts.

They are required to maintain the mandatory six-hour daily teaching schedule, he added.

He also said teachers in kindergarten are required to conduct two sessions daily since classes at this level last for three to four hours only.

According to DepEd Order 10 series of 2013, SY 2013-2014 will cover 201 days ending on March 31 next year.

"The SY will include 180 days for non-negotiable teacher-pupils/students contact time," Mateo said.

He said some private primary and secondary schools will open later this month but are still required to observe the required time and total number of school days that the department specified in its order.

To help facilitate accommodation of late enrollees and transferees, DepEd advised parties concerned to call up its central office's command center at (02) 636-16-63 and 633-19-42 so the agency can guide them accordingly.

The command center is also prepared to provide guidance on other concerns arising from opening of classes this week, the DepEd noted. (PNA)