DepEd Expands Access to Secondary Education through GASTPE

Acknowledging the vital role and invaluable contribution of private institutions in the educational system, the Department of Education (DepEd) remains committed in maintaining the viability of private education as a key partner in the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education through the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Program.

The GASTPE program aims to provide financial assistance for private junior high school learners and teachers through the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) scheme and Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS) Fund, and for senior high school (SHS) students in non-DepEd schools through the SHS Voucher Program (VP).

As of 31 March 2017, DepEd has already paid out 99.99% of the billings received for the ESC and 98.90% for the SHS VP, with actual payments amounting to P8.14 billion and P8.68 billion, respectively.

ESC grants

This grant covers four years of junior high school from Grades 7 to 10. The ESC grants shall start at the Grade 7 level and shall not be awarded at higher grade levels. The amount of the grant awarded to the student at Grade 7 shall be the same amount granted until Grade 10.

For this coming school year (SY) 2017-2018, Grade 7 ESC grantees in regions outside the National Capital Region (NCR) will receive a subsidy of P8,500. Meanwhile, for ESC grantees in schools in NCR, the amount of the subsidy is P11,000.

Moreover, DepEd has designated a portion of its GASTPE appropriations to finance the salary subsidy of licensed teachers in ESC-participating private junior high schools. The amount of the salary subsidy shall be P18,000 per teacher per year, subject to adjustments by the State Assistance Council (SAC).

Extended coverage

As mandated by Republic Act No. 10533, or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013, the coverage of DepEd’s GASTPE program was extended to qualified SHS students who wish to enroll in non-DepEd schools. These include private high schools, universities or colleges; Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs); State Universities and Colleges (SUCs); and Technical and Vocational Schools that offer SHS.

In the DepEd 2017 budget, P23 billion is allotted to provide assistance to private education in the country.

A public junior high school or an SUC/LUC Grade 10 completer who enrolls in a non-DepEd school within NCR, Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs) outside NCR, or outside the two given, will receive a voucher amounting to P22,500, P20,000, or P17,500, respectively.

Meanwhile, a private high school Grade 10 completer who enrolls in a non-DepEd school within NCR, HUCs outside NCR, or outside the two given, will receive a voucher amounting to P18,000, P16,000, or P14,000, respectively.

Furthermore, regardless of the school origin, the student may receive a voucher amounting to P11,250 if enrolled in SUCs/LUCs within NCR; P10,000 if in HUCs outside NCR; or P8,750 if within all other locations.

These efforts are pursuant to DepEd Order (DO) No. 19, s. 2017 or Guidelines on the Implementation of the Senior High School Voucher Program Effective School Year 2017-2018, and DO 20, s. 2017, Guidelines on the Implementation of the Educational Service Contracting and Teachers’ Salary Subsidy Programs in Junior High School Effective School Year 2017-2018—both are available at http://www.deped.gov.ph/. (DepEd)