PARENTS SHOULD NOT ‘INSIST’ ON KIDS’ READINESS FOR SCHOOL
This is a fact: parents usually insist that their children are ready for school, even if they are not of age yet. We understand that they are quite excited to send their kids off to school at an early age, but this is not encouraged.
The Department of Education issued the “Basic Education Enrollment Policy” or DO No. 3 s. of 2018 which states that only “children aged five years old by August 31 of the school year they will enroll in” are eligible to enroll in Kindergarten.
Despite this, parents, over the years, have continued to insist on the school readiness of their children regardless of the age requirement set by DepEd.
There is a reason why the DepEd had set an age requirement. School readiness does not depend alone on the skills of a child, but her emotional and psychological readiness to be part of a class, deal with other children, and the teacher.
A child may show signs of advancement when it comes to skills, like write his or her name, but he or she may not be ready emotionally or psychologically.
This is the reason why this coming school year, DepEd will be more strict with the compliance of age requirements for particular grade levels prior to enrollment in both public and private schools.
The DepEd is urging parents to comply with the existing policy and not give in to “pressure” to enrol their kids who are not of age yet. There is a need to regulate this practice, reason why the DepEd will operate by the rule of exemption.
Parents should not insist that DepEd’s rule does not apply to their “gifted” or “special” children. Guaranteed, DepEd will definitely “set its foot down” when it comes to age cut off and eligibility of incoming learners.
In its basic education policy, DepEd cited that for Grade 1, only “children who have completed Kindergarten programs in DepEd accredited schools and centers” and those who are “six years old and above by August 21 of the school year they will enroll in” are eligible.
Incoming Grade 7 students should be Grade 6 graduates or a passer of Philippine Education and Placement Test (PETP) or Accreditation and Equivalency Test of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and for Grade 11, they should be Grade 10 completers and also a passer PETP or ALS A&E.
--oOo— The author is Master Teacher I at Tinajero Elementary School, Madapdap, Mabalacat City