DepEd flags over 1,000 schools in questionable voucher program claims
Metro Manila, Philippines - The government has flagged more than 1,000 schools in questionable subsidy claims worth hundreds of millions of pesos in the last school year, officials told a congressional hearing on Wednesday, March 19.
A total of 1,347 schools have been flagged by the Department of Education (DepEd) for School Year 2023-2024 over questionable claims in the Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program.
Under the program, the Department of Education (DepEd) provides subsidies to qualified students to enroll in private schools, but a close scrutiny showed discrepancies in enrolment data.
DepEd program manager Tara Rama told the House of Representatives basic education and culture committee that the questionable claims reached P250 million covering 13,109 students.
“May sinubmit ‘yung school na [The schools submitted a] billing statement sa [to] DepEd. When upon checking sa [the] Learner’s Information System (LIS), it can say na [that] number one, they are enrolled in another private school or enrolled in another public school or there’s no enrollment data,” Rama said.
Earlier, DepEd has terminated the voucher program in 55 schools over questionable beneficiaries. The Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), the agency’s partner in implementing the program, noted that more schools may have discrepancies as physical monitoring only covered 10 percent of participating institutions.
PEAC pledged to validate all participating schools for the school year 2024-2025.
Committee chairperson and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo questioned PEAC in plans to carry out 100 percent validation only now.
“There were issues with the LIS before. For example, in 2016, some students had several learner reference numbers, even if isa lang ‘yung bata [there is only one child]... There are also issues with the billing,” PEAC Monitoring and Processing Unit head Rodrick Malonzo replied, adding that they reported it to the DepEd.
DepEd, in turn, said it already had the system checked.
