More than 24.6 million learners enrolled for School Year 2021-2022 which started today, September 13, the Department of Education said.

Data released by the DepEd showed a total of 24,603,822 enrollees in private and public schools.

Of this number, 18,561,298 enrolled in public schools, 1,433,849 in private schools, 41,348 in state and local universities and colleges, and 198,297 under the Alternative Learning System program.

There were 4,557,327 Kindergarten, Grades 1, 7, and 11 learners who participated in the Early Registration held from March to May.

The region with the most enrollees is Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) with 3,226,044 followed by Central Luzon at 2,442,313 and National Capital Region with 2,238,668.

The department said that the enrollment is 93.8 percent of the 26.2 million recorded last school year.

Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan expects the school opening to run smoothly. For the second year, distance learning will be implemented.

“We give special commendation to our teachers and school leaders who are our frontliners in education delivery in these trying times, from administering enrollment, to organizing our students into classes, and supervising the remote learning of our children,” he said.