Mandaue public schools still short of enrollment target for SY 2025–2026

By: Mary Rose Sagarino - CDN Digital Correspondent | June 16,2025 - 10:01 PM

First day of classes at Mandaue City Central Elementary School on Monday, June 16. | Photo: Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – With public schools opening on Monday, June 16, the Department of Education (DepEd) Mandaue City Division has yet to reach its enrollment target for School Year 2025–2026, with only 57,422 students enrolled so far—just 87.7 percent of last year’s total of 65,443.

One of the schools still working to meet its goal is Mandaue City Central Elementary School, which has so far recorded 2,950 enrollees. The school had 3,700 students last year, putting it at 79.13 percent of its target as of the latest update.

“Nag-expect gyud mi nga mosaka pa. Nagsige pa gihapon ang atong advocate sa enrollment, naa ta sa atoang website, FB Page. Moreach out mi sa barangay nga nalangkub sa Mandaue City Central School,” said Principal Louwela Guerrero.

(We’re really expecting the numbers to go up. Our enrollment campaign is still ongoing, and we’re promoting it through our website and Facebook page. We will also reach out to the barangays covered by Mandaue City Central School.)

Despite the current numbers, Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Bianito Dagatan said they remain optimistic that the target will be reached in the coming weeks.

He noted that delayed enrollment is common, as some parents typically register their children after classes begin.

Dagatan explained that the delay could be due to parents’ work commitments, families recently returning from the province, or other personal reasons. He said more parents have recently been arriving at schools to complete enrollment.

He added that this trend is not new and that similar patterns have occurred in previous years.

He also pointed out that it is too early to conclude there is a decrease in enrollment, especially as numbers for kindergarten are still expected to rise.

“Within two weeks we will see kung moreduce ba pero para sa among panan-aw, same ra gihapon ang scenario nga after two weeks, momeet (target) or mohigher pa—especially ang atoang gitan-aw ang kindergarten. Mao nang karon, it’s too early to say nga nagreduce ta,” said Dagatan.

(Within two weeks we’ll see if there’s really a drop, but from our perspective, it’s still the same scenario—that after two weeks, we’ll meet the target or even exceed it, especially with the expected increase in kindergarten enrollment. That’s why, for now, it’s too early to say that our numbers have declined.)

Enrollment for Grades 1 to 6 is open until July, while kindergarten enrollment will continue until October 31, in line with DepEd’s updated policy lowering the minimum age for kindergarten admission.