On Thursday, the Department of Education (DepEd) declared that it has modified the admission guidelines for Kindergarten to facilitate greater enrollment in formal education.
“This initiative aims to create a more inclusive and developmentally appropriate enrollment timeframe, particularly for households with children born toward the end of the year,” the press release stated.
According to DepEd Order No. 15, s. 2025, the permissible cut-off date for children reaching the age of five has been prolonged from August 31 to October 31.
The department indicated that this effort supports President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas vision for a more inclusive, learner-focused educational framework.
“This policy is grounded in our acknowledgment that each child develops and learns at an individual pace,” stated Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara.
“By introducing more adaptability in the Kindergarten age criteria, we ensure that every learner has the chance to commence strongly and thrive from the very beginning,” he continued.
Children who turn five between November 1 and December 31 may also gain admission after completing a one-year Early Childhood Development (ECD) program at an accredited Child Development Center or Learning Center, or by passing the ECD checklist during the enrollment process and the first week of classes.
The department observed that while private institutions must also adhere to the updated policy, they retain the option to perform their own readiness evaluations as part of the admission process.
In 2024, more than 1.8 million students were registered in Kindergarten out of 26.4 million learners in both public and private educational institutions, including Philippine Schools Overseas.
With this revised policy, the department anticipates an increase in student enrollment during the national enrollment period for public schools, scheduled from June 9 to 13, leading up to the start of classes on June 16. – Almira Louise S. Martinez