Gatchalian eyes expansion of senior high school voucher program

Senator Win Gatchalian is eyeing the expansion of the Senior High School-Voucher Program (SHS-VP) to help struggling private schools recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We can expand the voucher program. Sa voucher program kasi, dadalhin ng estudyante yung voucher sa school at pwedeng maging source ng revenue ng eskwelahan. Even though private schools are non-profit, we can treat them as corporations and they should have access to capital. Ang problema kasi naubos ang capital nila because of the pandemic," said Gatchalian, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.

The SHS-VP is a program of financial assistance, where qualified SHS learners from participating private or non-DepEd schools receive subsidies in the form of vouchers. Under the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP), P39.3 billion is allocated for the implementation of the SHS-VP with an estimated voucher value of P17,793 per learner.

The Department of Education (DepEd) reported that 425 schools have closed since 2020, with around 800 suspending operations during the height of the pandemic.

According to the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Institutions (COCOPEA), around 900,000 private school students transferred to public schools since the pandemic struck in 2020. The group added that around 60% of private schools saw a decline in enrollment, which resulted in increased congestion in public schools.

To expand the coverage of financial assistance to students, including learners at the elementary level, the DepEd is seeking amendments to the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (Republic Act No. 8545). The COCOPEA, on the other hand, has also been proposing a higher amount for vouchers given to students. The private schools' group has also proposed extending vouchers to elementary students.

Considering the decline in private education participation because of the downturn of the economy, Gatchalian pointed to the need to develop a clearer vision, as well as a dynamic and responsive framework, where the government and private education institutions can further operationalize the principle of complementarity enshrined in the Constitution.

Gatchalian earlier filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 12 seeking a Senate inquiry on strengthening the complementary roles of public and private educational institutions in the Philippine educational system.

Pagpapalawig sa senior high school voucher program pinag-aaralan ni Gatchalian

Pinag-iisipan ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pagpapalawig sa Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP) upang matulungan ang mga pribadong paaralang patuloy na nagsisikap makabangon mula sa pinsalang dulot ng pandemya ng COVID-19.

"Maaari nating palawigin ang voucher program. Dito, dadalhin ng estudyante yung voucher sa paaralan at pwedeng maging source of revenue o kita ng eskwelahan. Bagama't ang mga pribadong paaralan ay non-profit, maaari natin silang tratuhin bilang mga korporasyon na nangangailangan ng access sa kapital. Ang problema kasi ay naubos na ang kapital nila dahil sa pandemya," pahayag ni Gatchalian, Chairman ng Senate Committee on Basic Education.

Sa ilalim ng SHS-VP, ang mga kwalipikadong mag-aaral sa senior high school mula sa mga pribadong paaralan o mga non-DepEd schools ay nakatatanggap ng ayuda sa pamamagitan ng mga vouchers. Sa ilalim ng 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP), halos apatnapung (39.3) bilyong piso ang nakalaan para sa pagpapatupad ng SHS-VP, kung saan ang bawat voucher kada estudyante ay katumbas ng P17,793.

Ayon sa Department of Education, may mahigit apat na raang (425) mga paaralan ang nagsara buhat noong 2020, samantalang umabot sa walong daan (800) ang nagsuspinde ng kanilang operasyon noong kasagsagan ng pandemya.

Batay sa ulat ng Coordinating Council of Private Educational Institutions (COCOPEA), halos isang milyong (900,000) mga mag-aaral mula sa pribadong paaralan ang lumipat sa mga pampublikong paaralan simula noong tumama ang pandemya noong 2020. Dagdag pa ng grupo, bumaba ang enrollment sa private schools ng humigit-kumulang animnapung (60) porsyento, bagay na nagdulot ng lalong pagsikip ng mga pampublikong paaralan.

Upang mapalawig ang tulong pinansyal sa mga mag-aaral, kabilang ang mga mag-aaral sa elementarya, isinusulong ng DepEd ang pag-amyenda sa Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (Republic Act No. 8545). Tinutulak din ng COCOPEA ang mas mataas na halaga ng voucher para sa mga mag-aaral. Iminumungkahi din ng naturang grupo na maging bahagi ng voucher program ang mga mag-aaral sa elementarya.

Dahil sa pagbaba ng bilang ng mga mag-aaral sa pribadong mga paaralan, binigyang diin ni Gatchalian na kailangan ang mas malinaw na direksyon at epektibong framework ng ugnayan sa pagitan ng gobyerno at ang mga pribadong paaralan. Ito ay upang maipatupad ang tinatawag na 'principle on complementarity' na nakasaad sa Saligang Batas.

Kaugnay nito, inihain ni Gatchalian ang Proposed Senate Resolution No. 12 na nagsusulong ng pagrepaso ng Senado sa complementary roles ng mga pampubliko at pribadong mga paaralan sa sistema ng edukasyon sa bansa.