The Department of Education (DepEd) is aiming to support approximately 2.4 million learners through its various private school subsidy programs. This initiative is part of the government’s ongoing effort to broaden access to quality education while simultaneously addressing the perennial issue of overcrowding in public schools across the country.
The primary vehicle for this financial assistance is the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) program. Under this umbrella, DepEd manages several schemes, including the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) for junior high school students and the Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program. These programs provide tuition subsidies that allow students who would otherwise enroll in public schools to attend participating private institutions.
Education officials noted that by incentivizing enrollment in the private sector, the department can more effectively manage classroom ratios in the public school system. The SHS Voucher Program remains one of the largest components of this strategy, benefiting hundreds of thousands of students transitioning into specialized tracks in Grades 11 and 12.
In addition to student subsidies, the program also includes the Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS), which provides financial support to qualified teachers in private schools participating in the ESC program. This helps maintain the stability of the private education sector, which serves as a vital partner to the Philippine government in delivering basic education.
DepEd is currently focusing on streamlining the application and liquidation processes for these subsidies to ensure that funds are released efficiently to both students and partner schools. The department emphasized that maintaining these subsidies is crucial for educational continuity, especially for families seeking alternative learning environments outside the public system.