THE DEPARTMENT of Education on Thursday said that the number of enrollees in formal basic education this school year increased by four percent.

Based on the agency’s learner information system, 27,232,095 enrolled as of November 15, 2021, which is 1,005,073 or 3.83 percent higher than the 26,227,022 enrollment last school year.

DepEd said there was a slight decrease in enrollment in private schools, state universities and colleges and local universities and colleges, and Philippine schools overseas.

“The enrollment data is not yet final. There are still 520 schools (47 public, 437 private, 25 SUCs/LUCs and 11 PSOs) that have yet to update their enrollment profile in the LIS. For this reason, we have kept the system open to allow these schools to update their enrollment profile in the LIS up to end-November 2021,” it said.

There was greater migration from private to public schools last year but this year there is a net migration from public to private schools.

“More than 612,140 learners transferred from public to private schools, while more than 305,513 learners transferred from private to public schools, for a net transfer from public to private schools of 306,627,” it said.

Alternative Learning System enrollment is at 239,616, which is 359,749 or 60 percent less than the 599,365 ALS enrolment last year.

“We are doubling our efforts to increase this number. Enrollment in ALS is on a rolling basis that extends beyond the enrollment period in formal education,” DepEd said.

The agency noted that the turnout of the official enrollment validates the trend in their quick-count surpassing the enrollment last school year.

“This confirms our earlier statement that our learners last year continued their participation in formal school this year, and that a considerable number of those who skipped last school year have returned to school,” it said.

“We expect to move close to the enrollment quick count of 28 million with the extension of enrollment updating to end-November. We will release a more granular enrollment analysis after November 30,” the agency added.