DepEd intensifies advocacy for Jan. 26 early registration in Misamis Occidental

By Rutchie C. Aguhob

Tuesday 22nd of January 2013

OROQUIETA CITY, Misamis Occidental, Jan. 22 (PIA) -- An intensified advocacy campaign on the January 26, 2013 Early Registration Day (ERD) for School Year (SY) 2013-2014 have been waged by the Department of Education (DepEd) in Misamis Occidental.

The campaign actually started on January 7 with the “Child/Youth Find" activities with the help of the barangay officials and other stakeholders to ensure that no child who is supposed to be in school during the incoming SY will be left out, Superintendent Jonathan S. Dela Peňa of the Misamis Occidental Schools Division said.

Focused on the theme "Makapag-aral ay Karapatan Mo, Magpalista Ngayong Enero,” (You have a right to education. Enroll this January), the campaign aims to achieve universal participation in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the Education for All (EFA) in all public elementary and secondary schools of the country.

Along with the regular pupils and students, the campaign also targets out-of-school children (OSC), out-of-school youths (OSYs), including the children and youth with disabilities (CWD/YWDs).

Pursuant to DepEd Order No. 89, s. of 2012, the ERD aims to reach out to all five-year-old and six-year-old children to ensure their enrolment for SY 2013-2014 in kindergarten and Grade 1.

Hence, Dela Peňa said all children born on October 31, 2008 or earlier will be eligible for early enrolment in Kindergarten, while those born on October 31, 2007 or earlier, with or without Kindergarten experience, will be eligible for early enrolment in Grade 1.

The early registration also guarantees enrolment of the OSC and the OSY from the disadvantaged groups for the indigenous peoples (lPs) and street children ages 5 to 13 years old in their preferred educational education delivery system either formal through the alternative delivery mode (ADM) or alternatjve learning syslem (ALS).

Another aim of the ERD is to establish census of the OSC and OSY with disabilities, ages 5 to 18 years old, to provide them with appropriate education interventions to prevent pupils and students from dropping out from school.

On the other hand, early registration enables the different levels of DepEd to prepare the Three-Year Catch-Up Plan in Basic Education from SY 2012-2013 to SY 2014-2015 to accommodate the registered learners, Dela Peňa added. (RCA-PIA10, Misamis Occidental)