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Over
half of Grade 1 ages not in school
Over
half of the children of first grade ages are not in schools, a serious factor
that can delay their learning capacities in this time of accelerated education.
Worst,
their late sending to elementary is feared to affect their study attitude and
may discourage them later.
Another
unwanted consequence of this is the rise of the population of the out-of-school
youths, many of whom, according police observations, can end up lawless or community
misfits.
Department
of Education (DepEd) Bohol superintendent Dr. Elpidio Jala told the Chronicle
that 56% of the children of age six have lately been found out not enrolled for
Grade I.
He
clarified, though, that the statistics is of nationwide application.
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Jala would yet
verify if such a sorry state is also that obtaining among the supposedly first
schoolers in Bohol.
The
education official said many parents may have thought that six-year-old children
are "too premature" for Grade I.
Poverty
situation is also peeped into, especially that the prices now of even ordinary
school supplies have gone up.
Many
Day Care centers even have limited preschoolers. | Despite
the awakening figure, Jala expected the enrolment in public elementary schools
under his division to increase by over two percent this class opening.
Tagbilaran
City is a separate DepEd division.
Last
school year's public grade schools, enrollment reached 169,412, thus, only about
2,500 students will be added once classes start on June 10. The figure excludes
those enrolled in the city.
The
enrolment in public high schools can increase higher because of the application
of several private schools for higher tuition.
Meanwhile,
Jala urged the public school teachers and parents to actively participate in tomorrow's
start of Brigada Eskwela, a bayanihan approasch physically preparing the schools
for class opening.
Three
teams with DepEd regional representatives will roam around the province and monitor
the brigade work. (Ven rebo Arigo) | 
