The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday said the number of learners enrolled in private and public schools for school year 2020-2021 hit 28.2 million, surpassing the previous school year’s enrollment turnout.

“We are happy with the turnout of enrollment this year, noting that we have surpassed last year’s enrollment levels, overall and in nearly all regions as of September 18,” Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said.33

Based on the latest data from DepEd’s Learner Information System Quick Count, the 28,219,623 enrollees for next year school year already exceeded 27,790,124 learners who enrolled last school year.

The DepEd would continue accepting late enrollees until September 30.

Meanwhile, the DepEd also said some 202,603 learners have enrolled in the Alternative Learning System.

“We are ending our release of the enrollment quick-count today with the above data generated as of Saturday, September 18, as we shift to the beginning of school year updating of student profiles today,” Malaluan said.

The updated student profiles will be the basis for the official enrollment for SY2021-2022, which we will release by end October.

It will also provide information on the migration of learners from public to private or vice versa, balik-aral (those that skipped last school year and returned this school year), and other important indicators.

Classes nationwide officially opened on September 13. (PNA)