Press Release
January 15, 2025

Gatchalian files bill expanding coverage of government assistance to private schools

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a bill that aims to expand the coverage of government assistance to private schools.

Senate Bill No. 2911 seeks to further amend Republic Act No. 6728 or the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (GASTPE) to integrate all basic education levels. The law was later amended by Republic Act No. 8545 or the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (E-GASTPE).

Under the proposed measure, government assistance to private education shall include learners from kindergarten to Grade 6. The bill also proposes a uniform implementation of tuition subsidy through a voucher system, which is already being used in the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP).

The coverage under E-GASTPE was further amended by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. After the law's passage, the Department of Education (DepEd) developed the SHS-VP to provide financial assistance in the form of vouchers to qualified SHS learners from participating schools. The program was introduced to address classroom shortages caused by the addition of Grades 11 and 12 in basic education.

Meanwhile, one form of assistance under GASTPE is the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) which awards grants to qualified beneficiaries. Through the ESC, the government contracts the excess capacity of certified private junior high schools by allocating slots to learners who would otherwise have attended public schools. One of the main goals of the ESC is to help decongest public schools.

Last year, Gatchalian led an inquiry on the implementation of the E-GASTPE Program. The hearings found that the ESC in its current form failed to decongest public schools and prioritize poor but deserving learners. For Gatchalian, discontinuing the ESC Scheme in favor of a voucher system is simpler and more cost-effective. He added that it will foster competition among private schools by incentivizing them to enhance the quality of education while keeping costs affordable.

Among the criteria for assistance under Gatchalian's proposed measure are classroom congestion, as well as a private school's performance, tuition, and other fees being charged. To ensure quality education for grantees, the DepEd will also be mandated to formulate measurement standards for the accreditation and quality assurance of recipient institutions. The measure also seeks to prioritize learners belonging to low-income households and Alternative Learning System completers.


Tulong pinansyal sa mga pribadong paaralan nais palawakin ni Gatchalian

Naghain si Senador Win Gatchalian ng panukalang batas na layong palawakin ang saklaw ng tulong pinansyal ng pamahalaan sa mga pribadong paaralan.

Layon ng Senate Bill No. 2911 na amyendahan ang Republic Act No. 6728 o ang Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (GASTPE) upang maging saklaw ang lahat ng antas ng basic education. Matatandaang na-amyendahan na ang naturang batas sa pamamagitan ng Republic Act No. 8545 o ang Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (E-GASTPE).

Sa ilalim ng naturang panukala, magiging bahagi na ng tulong pinansyal ng pamahalaan sa mga pribadong paaralan ang mga mag-aaral mula kindergarten hanggang Grade 6. Isinusulong ni Gatchalian ang paggamit ng voucher system para sa lahat ng antas kagaya ng ipinapatupad na sa Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP).

Matatandaang naamyendahan ang saklaw ng E-GASTPE noong isabatas ang Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. Kasunod nito, nilikha at ipinatupad ng Department of Education (DepEd) ang SHS-VP upang magbigay sa mga kwalipikadong mag-aaral ng tulong pinansyal sa pamamagitan ng vouchers. Ipinatupad ang programa upang tugunan ang kakulangan sa silid-aralan dahil sa dagdag na Grade 11 at 12.

Isa pang programang pinapatupad sa ilalim ng GASTPE ang Educational Service Contracting (ESC), kung saan nakakatanggap ng mga grant ang kwalipikadong mga benepisyaryo. Sa ilalim ng ESC, ginagamit ng gobyerno ang labis na kapasidad ng mga sertipikadong private junior high schools, kung saan nagbibigay ng slots sa mga mag-aaral na papasok sana sa mga pampublikong paaralan. Isa sa mga pangunahing layunin ng ESC ay mabawasan ang siksikan sa mga pampublikong paaralan.

Noong nakaraang taon, pinangunahan ni Gatchalian ang isang pagdinig hinggil sa pagpapatupad ng E-GASTPE Program. Lumabas sa mga pagdinig na nabigo ang ESC na mabawasan ang siksikan sa mga paaralan at mabigyang prayoridad ang mga nangangailangan ngunit mahuhusay na mag-aaral. Pabor si Gatchalian na huwag nang ipagpatuloy ang ESC at gamitin na lamang ang voucher system, lalo na't mas simple ito at mas matipid. Dagdag pa ng senador, mahihikayat nito ang kompetisyon sa mga pribadong paaralan dahil bibigyang insentibo ang pag-angat sa kalidad ng edukasyon at pagpapanatili ng mas murang matrikula.

Kasama sa mga criteria na isinusulong ni Gatchalian sa pagbibigay ng tulong pinansyal ang pagiging siksikan sa mga silid-aralan, pati na rin ang performance at tuition na sinisingil sa mga mag-aaral. Upang matiyak ang dekalidad na edukasyon para sa mga benepisyaryo, magiging mandato ng DepEd ang pagkakaroon ng mga pamantayan para sa accreditation at quality assurance ng mga paaralan. Layon din ng naturang panukala na bigyang prayoridad ang mga mag-aaral na galing sa mga mahihirap na pamilya at mga kumukuha ng Alternative Learning System (ALS).

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