The Department of Education (DepEd)-Bacolod Division has reported a total of 94,338 enrollees in 199 public and private schools in Bacolod City for the current school year as of June 13.

According to DepEd-Bacolod spokesperson Education Program Specialist II RJ Paglomutan, there are 47,738 male students and 46,600 female students who have enrolled from June 9 to 13. This marks a 30 to 40 percent increase in enrollment compared to last year's figures of 60,000 to 70,000 students.

Paglomutan mentioned that some private schools have just concluded the previous school year and will begin classes for the new school year next month. Despite this, they are optimistic about surpassing last year's enrollment record of 125,000 students as enrollment is still ongoing.

Preparations for the opening of classes are well underway in Bacolod City, with the Brigada Eskwela program commencing earlier this week. The city has an adequate number of classrooms to accommodate the growing student population.

While there may be instances of overcrowding in some schools, Paglomutan assured that such situations have been anticipated, and school administrators have devised solutions to address them. Utilizing and modifying old buildings based on structural assessments is one way to ensure that students' learning continues uninterrupted.

The top five schools in Bacolod City with the highest number of students are Bacolod City National High School, Handumanan National High School, Sum-ag National High School, Luis Hervias National High School, and Luisa Medel National High School.