DepEd: 76 private schools in Western Visayas closed down

Seventy-six private schools in Western Visayas have stopped their operations for this school year, according to a regional office of the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday.

DepEd Western Visayas Regional Information Officer Hernani Escullar said of the 76 schools, 17 from six school division offices have announced permanent closure.

Majority of them catered to kindergarten and elementary students, while some had junior and senior high school students, he added.

Escullar cited low enrollment turnout and financial instability brought by the COVID-19 pandemic as reasons for the shutdown.

“The most common reason that was stated on the intention of these private schools, especially those requesting to have a temporary closure for this school year, is the low enrollment turnout of their schools in Western Visayas, especially in our private schools,” Escullar said in an ANC interview.

“The other is the financial constraints or instabilities of our private schools in their operations that are somehow affected by the COVID-19 pandemic that was a result of their temporary closure. Same for the schools that intend to permanently close,” he added.

Escullar said they are still identifying how many learners were affected by these closures, but stressed that they are providing them the necessary assistance to transfer them to another private or public school.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a resolution seeking a legislative inquiry on the impact of school closures due to COVID-19 pandemic to identify mechanisms for the recovery of the basic education sector.  —KBK, GMA News