Senator Win Gatchalian has filed a bill aimed at expanding government support to private schools by enhancing the coverage of the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) program.
Senate Bill No. 2911 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 6728, or the GASTPE Act, to include learners from kindergarten through Grade 6, further extending the benefits of the program. The law was previously expanded under Republic Act No. 8545, or the Expanded GASTPE (E-GASTPE) Act.
The proposed bill also calls for the uniform implementation of a tuition subsidy through a voucher system, similar to the system used in the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP). This would allow government assistance to follow a standardized process across all education levels.
The E-GASTPE program was amended by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, which led to the development of the SHS-VP. The program, introduced to address classroom shortages with the addition of Grades 11 and 12 to basic education, provides financial assistance in the form of vouchers to qualified senior high school students attending participating private schools.
The GASTPE Act also includes the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) program, which awards grants to qualified students by contracting excess capacity in certified private junior high schools. The aim of the ESC is to alleviate overcrowding in public schools.
In a previous inquiry into the E-GASTPE program, Gatchalian found that the ESC had not successfully decongested public schools or prioritized financially disadvantaged students. He proposed replacing the ESC with a more efficient voucher system, which he believes would reduce costs, foster competition among private schools, and incentivize improved education quality at affordable rates.
The proposed bill also includes criteria for assistance, such as classroom congestion, private school performance, and the fees charged. Additionally, the Department of Education (DepEd) would be tasked with establishing accreditation and quality assurance standards for recipient institutions. The measure seeks to prioritize assistance for low-income households and completers of the Alternative Learning System (ALS). (Senator Win Gatchalian)
