800K private school students receive DepEd subsidy

MANILA, Philippines - More than 50 percent of high school students in private schools have benefited from the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Government Assistance for Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) last school year, the agency reported yesterday.

DepEd said more than 800,000 students in private schools received subsidy from DepEd in school year 2013-2014.

The number of students availing the program, through education service contracting scheme, has increased from 666,000 in school year 2009-2010 to 809,000 in 2013-2014.

This number constitutes over 50 percent of the total secondary private schools enrolment last year.

More than 90 percent of the 809,000 GASTPE beneficiaries were enrolled in private schools outside Metro Manila, the DepEd said.

“ESC is a demonstration of the government’s commitment to maintain the viability of private education as a key partner in the delivery of quality basic education to all Filipino learners,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said.

This year, the agency has increased the subsidy for students in private schools outside Metro Manila —from P6,500 to P7,500 per student per year.

DepEd aims to increase its coverage this year with a total projected grantees of 995,000 or an increase of 44 percent on the total number of grantees from 690,000 in 2010.

According to the DepEd, the program aims to provide a solution to overcrowding in public schools nationwide.

DepEd said accommodating these students in private schools would be less costly than building new classrooms and facilities, procuring furniture and hiring more teachers.

Usually, families with an income bracket lower than the poverty threshold of P250,000 per year become beneficiaries of GASTPE.