Around 16 private schools in the Cordillera have opted to shut down their operation for school year 2020-2021 due to some compelling reasons, according to the Department of Education.
Of the 16 schools, four have completed the requirement to officially close their doors while the 12 other schools are in the process of completing the requirements to permanently stop their operation.
Twelve of these private schools are located in Baguio and two each in Apayao and Benguet.
DepEd-Cordillera Quality Assurance Division Chief Aida Payang, however, clarified the closure was on a voluntary basis and not specifically related to impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Among the reasons cited by the school management for closure are poor or minimal enrollment or no enrollment at all, change of location, bankruptcy, and lack of necessary permits to continue their operation.
Around 109 teachers and 722 learners in the Cordillera were affected by the decision of the 16 schools.
DepEd-Cordillera Director May Eclar said there is a significant number of learners who migrated from private to public schools this school year.
DepEd-Cordillera records show that a total of 8,083 learners from private schools have enrolled in public schools compared to 979 learners from public schools who enrolled in private institutions for the current school year.
Around 400, 099 learners from kindergarten to Grade 12 are officially enrolled in the public schools of the region for this school year.
Nationwide, there are 748 out of 14, 435 private educational institutions, which opened last academic year, that suspended their operations for school year 2020-202affecting 3,233 teachers and 40,345 learners.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said low enrollment turnout and transfer of teachers from private to public schools are the two primary reasons for closure of the concerned private schools. – Ofelia C. Empian
April 18, 2024
