DepEd hikes number of students for tuition subsidy program

The Department of Education announced on Friday that it has increased by 24 percent the number of slots for Grade 7 students availing of tuition subsidy in private schools under the education service contracting scheme.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that from 250,896 slots in school year 2012-2013, the ESC slots for Grade 7 students have been increased to 310,709 slots for school year 2013-2014.

ESC is a scheme under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education whereby the government subsidizes the tuition of students who enroll in private schools because public secondary schools cannot accommodate them anymore. It is jointly implemented by DepEd and the Fund for Assistance to Private Education.

The subsidy is P6,500 per student in participating schools outside the National Capital Region and P10,000 per student in private schools in the NCR.

“The decision to accommodate more students under the ESC is part of our continuing thrust to democratize access to quality education across the country,” added Luistro.

DepEd and FAPE determined the distribution of Grade 7 slots under the ESC based on public school shortage in the regions, schools division and municipalities.

“We also put weight to the participating schools’ compliance to performance-based standards," the education chief said.

Based on DepEd Memo No. 65, the total number of Grade 7 slots comprises the actual number of grantees in the previous school year, which are fixed, plus additional slots in areas where there are serious overcrowding.  

Another basis for the allocation of additional slots is the certification/accreditation ratings given to compliant schools as of March 18.