DepEd: 5-M students have enrolled early in public schools for 2020-21 school year

MANILA—The Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday said more than 5 million students have registered in public schools nationwide during the first week of enrollment, as the country's learning system prepares to shift to a new normal due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A total of 5,086,600 public school learners nationwide enrolled from June 1 to June 5, the DepEd said in a statement.

Along with enrollees in private schools, that number is at 5,204,949 signups for the academic year scheduled to start on August 24, according to the DepEd.

The department has urged schools to conduct enrollment through remote methods, such as text messaging or social media. Those who cannot do that can only go to schools during the last 2 weeks of June.

Also on Friday, the DepEd said public school teachers would be allowed to work from home until June 30, except for those authorized by regional directors to be a part of the skeleton workforce required to physically report to schools.

Schools are set to implement various alternatives to face-to-face learning, which is discouraged to avoid exposing students and teachers to the new coronavirus disease.