National Capital Region (NCR) DepEd director Teresita Usman-Domalanta said the children belong to 100 preschool classes which were organized last January and proportionately distributed to the school divisions of Manila, Quezon City, Las Piñas City, Marikina City, Pasig City-San Juan, Muntinlupa City, Valenzuela City, Malabon City-Navotas, Mandaluyong City, Makati City, Taguig-Pateros, Parañaque City, Caloocan City, and Pasay City.

Domalanta said the 100 kindergarten classes were allocated to Metro Manila in compliance with DepEd Order No. 41, series of 2007 under the DepEd’s "Preschool Service Contracting (PSC) program for school year 2006-2007.’’

The establishment of preschool classes, Domalanta said, seeks to support the education department’s objective to reduce dropout rate particularly in grades 1, 2, and 3.

Domalanta said that DepEd studies show that preschool education well prepared children — mentally, socially and pedagogically – for formal education and eventually gives them better chances of completing the six-year elementary education course.

She explained that under the PSC program, the DepEd contracts a qualified private school or nongovernment group capable of providing preschool services in a certain area.

The DepEd, Domalanta said, pays the service provider (private school) P300 per child per month in a class of not more than 25 pupils with the amount utilized for teacher’s salary, instructional materials, and administrative cost.

Through the PSC program, the DepEd is able to provide free kindergarten education to poor children without utilizing public school teachers, Domalanta said.