In 2011, the Department of Education (DedEd) launched the Learners? Information System (LIS), an online facility that provides for the registration of learners enrolled in public schools.
Since its installation, the LIS has allowed the agency to generate the total public school enrolment based on the actual registration of learners.
While being a tech-based solution, DepEd said the LIS involves an inclusive, community-driven process that thrives because of the active engagement and participation of teachers, principals, planning officers, and other DepEd personnel all throughout the Philippines.
According to DepEd secretary Armin Luistro, ?Considering the size of the department and the number schools under it, it is very critical for the agency to be equipped with the right information at the right time to be able to make better decisions. This is essentially an online registry of learners that is important for any educational system or institution. We need to continually get to know our learners better so that we can respond better.?
Out of the 46,648 public schools in the country, only 140 (0.3 percent) schools have failed to submit data for School Year 2014-2015, which demonstrates a high participation and submission rate by the schools. The concerned divisions have already been instructed to complete the remaining school information.
The system is envisioned to allow the department to better track its learners in both formal and non-formal instruction so that more appropriate interventions can be formulated in the provision of quality education for all Filipino learners.
As an example, students who transfer from one school to another can be monitored and better assisted by using data from the LIS.
The use of automation and technology has helped the department update information on enrollment for planning, budgeting and resource allocation among others.
Luistro added that, ?What used to take ten months to collect, consolidate and validate has now been reduced to three months. This is a result of the use of technology and the power of our people.?
As of June 6, 2014, the Department is looking at a total of more than 20 million student enrollees for public schools.
