Take part in early school registrations until Feb.29, parents told

• Source:http://news.pia.gov.ph/article/view/261455517866/take-part-in-early-school-registrations-until-feb-29-parents-told
• Monday, February 15, 2016

By Jerome R. Paunan (ICRD/RJB/JCP/PIA-NCR)

MAKATI CITY, 15 Feb. (PIA) -- Makati Mayor Kid Peña is encouraging parents and guardians of students and out-of-school children (OSC) and out-of-school youth (OSY) to take part in the Department of Education’s early school registration which started last January 30 and will run until February 29, 2016.

“I strongly urge parents and guardians, especially of children who have stopped attending school, to grab this precious opportunity and enrol your children. This early registration program gives you the means to fulfil your moral obligation to ensure that your children are able to enjoy their right to proper education,” Peña said.

The mayor assured residents that all 27 public elementary schools and 10 high schools in Makati will accommodate enrolees from Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm. He said classes for Special Education (SPED) and Alternative Learning System (ALS) are also open for registration to meet the needs of children with special conditions or situations.

With the theme “Makapag-aral ay Karapatan Mo, Magpalista,” this year’s early registration targets incoming kinder, grades 1 and 7, and children and youth who have stopped attending school for various reasons. These may include financial constraints, disabilities and discrimination.

DepEd-Makati officer-in-charge Dr. Dominico C. Idanan expressed his gratitude to barangay officials, and parents for their support. “I deeply appreciate the constant support we have been receiving from barangay officials, especially in locating out-of-school children and youth. I also thank the parents for their active participation in the early registration,” Idanan said.

As a general rule, no child must be denied admission in school, according to Maria Theresa M. Ruiz of DepEd-Makati, overall in-charge with the city schools’ early registration.

“If the child meets the basic requirements, for instance, the minimum prescribed age for kinder, and is still denied admission, such incident must be reported to us immediately so we can take the necessary actions to resolve it,” Ruiz underscored.

Residents with children aged five years old and above are urged to register their toddlers in the kindergarten program. Enrolees must present their NSO-certified birth certificate for age verification. Only five-year old toddlers or those who will turn five on or before June 1, 2016 will be admitted to preschool.

DepEd Order No.5, Series of 2016 issued last January 26 declares January 30, 2016 as the commencement of early registration for school year 2016-2017 in all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide. It is in line with the thrust of DepEd to provide learner-centered education.

Through the persistent joint efforts of DepEd-Makati and the city government, some 61,274 had been enrolled in the city’s public schools during the early registration last year, while the final count of enrolees for school year 2015-2016 has reached 84,890.