DepEd: More 5-year-olds can start kindergarten

More children will be eligible to start kindergarten this coming school year following a revision to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) age requirement.

Under the new policy, children who turn five years old on or before 31 October are now eligible to enroll in kindergarten. The previous age cutoff was 31 August.

The change takes effect with the start of the 2025-2026 school year on 16 June 2025.

Children who turn 5 between 1 November and 31 December may also be admitted if they have completed a one-year Early Childhood Development (ECD) program at a recognized Child Development Center or Learning Center, or if they pass an ECD checklist administered during enrollment.

“Private schools are likewise required to comply with the revised age cut-off, but may conduct their own readiness assessments as part of their admissions process,” the DepEd said.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the policy is based on the understanding that children develop and learn at varying paces.

In 2024, over 1.8 million kindergarten learners were enrolled nationwide. This was part of the 26.4 million learners across public and private schools, including Philippine Schools Overseas.