Early registration for academic year 2021-2022 to be conducted late March

By Ingrid Mendoza

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Registration for the academic year 2021-2022 to be conducted as early as March 26 to April 30, as announced by the Department of Education (DepEd) on March 15, Monday.

DepEd claimed that the early registration would "ensure that incoming leaners" would be registered for the academic year, serving as a preparation for DepEd in addressing possible problems and concerns.

The early registration would only occur in location under the general community quarantine (GCQ) due to the pandemic, stated by Education Secretary Leonor Briones.

"In-person registration through parents or guardians may be allowed in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) provided physical distancing and health and safety protocols are strictly observed," Briones added as quoted by Rappler.

Remote registration had already been applied last year when the pandemic hit, which urged DepEd to coordinate with local government units in aiding families who didn’t have direct or any access to technology required for remote registration.

The early registration would also help the department identify children who may have disabilities and register out of school youth.

"The early registration campaign ensures the right of all school-aged learners to enroll and be equally provided with quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education," DepEd claimed in Rappler's article.

Since last year, schools have conducted a distance learning program, where online classes and the use of modules for lessons have been adapted. This was due to the suspension of physical classes by President Rodrigo Duterte. This program would continue until a vaccine would be available to the majority of the citizens of the Philippines.

DepEd had already made an announcement on extending the academic year 2020-2021 until July 10. Distance learning has been criticized for not being an effective means of education, for teachers have shown difficulty in coping, students have a lack of access to gadgets and there have been reports of learning modules having errors.

Due to this, lawmakers have already proposed to resume limited physical classes to slowly improve the education system.