Ilocos Region hits over 146K early registrants as DepEd preps for upcoming school year
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) — With 146,637 early registrants, the Department of Education (DepEd) in Ilocos is gearing up for a more efficient and well-prepared school year (SY) 2025-2026, ensuring enough resources are in place for the upcoming academic year.
Early registration is a crucial step in helping DepEd prepare for the demands of the next academic year, allowing the agency to adjust resources, staff numbers, and classroom assignments accordingly.
Statistician at the Policy, Planning, and Research Division Joey Pimentel said that the majority of the schools in the Ilocos region participated in this year’s early registration activity held from Jan. 22 to Feb. 15.
“Out of the 3,050 schools in the region, there were only 32 schools that were not able to participate due to pending change of school IDs, and some were private schools,” Pimentel said during the recent episode of Kumustahan sa DepEd Rehiyon Uno.
The breakdown of early registrants by grade level includes Kindergarten (30,850); Grade 1 (43,595); Grade 7 (35,129); and Grade 11 (37,063).
“The early registration numbers allow us to make more informed decisions on teacher assignments, ensuring that schools with the highest need for educators receive adequate staffing,” said Jackelyn Aguinaldo, education program supervisor of the Curriculum and Learning Management Division.
She added that it can help DepEd determine and strategize if a school has excess teachers who they can possibly transfer to another school with a lean personnel complement.
Currently, the region maintains a teacher-student ratio of 1:40 for regular classes, which aligns with national standards, ensuring manageable class sizes and effective teaching.
DepEd Ilocos assures adequate teacher staffing at 49,639 to support the learning needs of 1,121,304 enrollees for SY 2024-2025.
Joy Salazar, a mother from Sual, Pangasinan, enrolled her daughter in Kindergarten during the early registration period.
“As a working mom, enrolling my kid ahead of time is convenient so I can take things one at a time and I won’t have to worry about the enrollment while preparing for her school supplies and other needs for the opening of classes in June,” she said.
For those who missed the early registration window, DepEd reminds families that regular enrollment begins on June 16, ensuring that no student is left behind.
Students for other grade levels, such as grades 2 to 6 and 12, are already considered pre-enrolled.
As the June enrollment period draws near, DepEd continues to prioritize accessibility and efficiency, ensuring that all students in the Ilocos Region are ready for a successful school year. (AMB/CGCC, PIA Region 1)
