Voucher program questioned due to alleged 'ghost students' | ABS-CBN
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Voucher program questioned due to alleged 'ghost students'
Voucher program questioned due to alleged 'ghost students'
Security personnel at the Department of Education (DepEd) headquarters in Pasig City on March 19, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File
Security personnel at the Department of Education (DepEd) headquarters in Pasig City on March 19, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File A Senate hearing on Wednesday flagged alleged “ghost” or undocumented students as a possible “leakage” in the voucher program of the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (E-GASTPE).
A Senate hearing on Wednesday flagged alleged “ghost” or undocumented students as a possible “leakage” in the voucher program of the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (E-GASTPE).
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, head of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, cited the 2016 and 2018 reports from the Commission on Audit (COA).
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, head of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, cited the 2016 and 2018 reports from the Commission on Audit (COA).
According to COA Supervising Auditor Imelda Celso, ghost students include students “whose absence cannot be satisfactorily explained by the school officials”, students under a specific school but who attend a different school or campus, or are “listed as enrolled but have not attended classes since the start of the semester.”
According to COA Supervising Auditor Imelda Celso, ghost students include students “whose absence cannot be satisfactorily explained by the school officials”, students under a specific school but who attend a different school or campus, or are “listed as enrolled but have not attended classes since the start of the semester.”
The Department of Education (DepEd) confirmed that there were “ghost students” but said it would rather call them undocumented students.
The Department of Education (DepEd) confirmed that there were “ghost students” but said it would rather call them undocumented students.
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Rodrick Malonzo, Monitoring and Processing Officer of the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), noted for example, that Saint Joseph School of Candaba could not prove the existence of 4,600 of its pupils.
Rodrick Malonzo, Monitoring and Processing Officer of the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), noted for example, that Saint Joseph School of Candaba could not prove the existence of 4,600 of its pupils.
“We specifically asked for the class records of the VPBs (voucher program beneficiary)—the school form 1 which is a DepEd required school form, DepEd school form 2, and their birth certificates. Unfortunately for majority or for a big portion of their VPBs, they were not able to present any documents during the visit, during the monitoring activity,” Malonzo said.
“We specifically asked for the class records of the VPBs (voucher program beneficiary)—the school form 1 which is a DepEd required school form, DepEd school form 2, and their birth certificates. Unfortunately for majority or for a big portion of their VPBs, they were not able to present any documents during the visit, during the monitoring activity,” Malonzo said.
“In other words, they are billing the government, but they cannot present documents to prove the existence of those students,” Gatchalian said.
“In other words, they are billing the government, but they cannot present documents to prove the existence of those students,” Gatchalian said.
Certain schools need to refund the government due to the issue.
Certain schools need to refund the government due to the issue.
Saint Joseph, for example, needs to refund P80 million, Gatchalian said.
Saint Joseph, for example, needs to refund P80 million, Gatchalian said.
Mary the Queen College of Science and Technology, meanwhile, owes the government P82 million, while San Jose Academy of Bulacan needs to return P68 million.
Mary the Queen College of Science and Technology, meanwhile, owes the government P82 million, while San Jose Academy of Bulacan needs to return P68 million.
“Is there deliberate effort to defraud government?” Gatchalian asked.
“Is there deliberate effort to defraud government?” Gatchalian asked.
“I cannot speak for the findings of the previous audit team but as I have said before, moving forward, we are going to look into that, perform the same audit kasi this was performed in 2016 and 2018,” Celso said.
“I cannot speak for the findings of the previous audit team but as I have said before, moving forward, we are going to look into that, perform the same audit kasi this was performed in 2016 and 2018,” Celso said.
“In my opinion, they are not ghost students but rather there is an error in the monitoring or in the listing of the beneficiaries,” she added.
“In my opinion, they are not ghost students but rather there is an error in the monitoring or in the listing of the beneficiaries,” she added.
Gatchalian countered this observation, saying: “But the mere fact there are refunds, then there are ghost students. You admit to a refund then that means you admit there is something wrong.”
Gatchalian countered this observation, saying: “But the mere fact there are refunds, then there are ghost students. You admit to a refund then that means you admit there is something wrong.”
According to Malonzo, they received anecdotal reports that there were some people who are trying to “game” the voucher program.
According to Malonzo, they received anecdotal reports that there were some people who are trying to “game” the voucher program.
“But with regards to whether the school is, kung sadya ba or hindi, I think for some schools that have less than 10 or one out of a hundred VPBs, I think this may be an honest mistake from the school. But when the numbers reach hundreds, this is really a significant issue,” Malonzo said.
“But with regards to whether the school is, kung sadya ba or hindi, I think for some schools that have less than 10 or one out of a hundred VPBs, I think this may be an honest mistake from the school. But when the numbers reach hundreds, this is really a significant issue,” Malonzo said.
Atty. Tara Rama, Director III of DepEd, said they were investigating the issue.
Atty. Tara Rama, Director III of DepEd, said they were investigating the issue.
She also said the agency is strict with its payout.
She also said the agency is strict with its payout.
“Before we pay, we actually check it or cross check it with our learners information system. In fact, right now not all billings of private schools were paid because we found out that there’s discrepancy, that’s why we hold po ‘yung payment nila,” Rama said.
“Before we pay, we actually check it or cross check it with our learners information system. In fact, right now not all billings of private schools were paid because we found out that there’s discrepancy, that’s why we hold po ‘yung payment nila,” Rama said.
“Only those that billing statements which are in sync with our learners information system, that’s the only payment that we released,” she added.
“Only those that billing statements which are in sync with our learners information system, that’s the only payment that we released,” she added.
The government has allotted P40.5 billion for GASTPE’s 2024 budget. Given the issue of “ghost students,” Gatchalian expressed apprehension in funding the program.
The government has allotted P40.5 billion for GASTPE’s 2024 budget. Given the issue of “ghost students,” Gatchalian expressed apprehension in funding the program.
“I support the voucher program, in fact records will show that we keep on pushing to increase the allocation, but if we are seeing a perverse incentive for schools to just get more students…then I don’t want to continue funding that anymore. We will just reduce it to the students that are qualified and schools that are honest and operating legitimately,” Gatchalian said.
“I support the voucher program, in fact records will show that we keep on pushing to increase the allocation, but if we are seeing a perverse incentive for schools to just get more students…then I don’t want to continue funding that anymore. We will just reduce it to the students that are qualified and schools that are honest and operating legitimately,” Gatchalian said.
He urged the concerned agencies to dig deeper into the matter.
He urged the concerned agencies to dig deeper into the matter.
The DepEd has already committed to revising its guidelines regarding the voucher program.
The DepEd has already committed to revising its guidelines regarding the voucher program.
"We will be able to come up with the revised guidelines and our timeline is in October since we also have to incorporate all other studies that will be conducted by the Asian Development Bank and Philippine Institute for Development Studies," said Rama.
"We will be able to come up with the revised guidelines and our timeline is in October since we also have to incorporate all other studies that will be conducted by the Asian Development Bank and Philippine Institute for Development Studies," said Rama.
The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) said they hope to participate in crafting the new guidelines.
The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) said they hope to participate in crafting the new guidelines.
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