By Stephanie Sevillano | Philippine News Agency
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara on Tuesday assured that stricter measures are in place to prevent irregularities in the Senior High School (SHS) voucher program, particularly issues involving alleged “ghost students.”
During the Palace press briefing, Angara said the agency has pursued legal actions, alongside system tweaks and a more stringent data consolidation, to avoid similar concerns.
This includes strengthened program governance under the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE).
“Binago po natin yung sistema. Dati binabayaran kaagad, ina-advance ‘yung bayad. Ngayon tinitignan talaga yung resulta at kung naka-enroll,” Angara said.
“Tapos ‘yung learner number at nag-i-institute tayo ng mga safeguards both at the school level and at the DepEd level. Binabangga namin yung mga database natin na dati hindi ginagawa,” he added.
The safeguards include the five-step validation framework to ensure that SHS voucher subsidies are only issued to eligible students.
These include cross-checking between the voucher management system and the learner information system; resolution of data discrepancies; post-audit monitoring visits to participating private schools; site inspections in field offices; and revalidation of learner eligibility and enrollment status during the second semester.
In terms of legal actions, Angara said they have already filed seven cases against erring private schools, as well as criminal charges against personalities behind the ineligible claims.
These cases involve a total of P37.58 million worth of releases, which are currently undergoing legal processes.
“I think isang dosena pa ‘yung under investigation na malapit nang matapos,” he said.
DepEd prevented at least P200 million from being released to ineligible beneficiaries in school years 2023–2024 and 2024–2025.
The DepEd is also finalizing the updated guidelines to recognize SHS under the voucher program, which seeks to align private schools’ participation with quality and accountability standards.
