CORRUPTION is just as contagious as drug addiction. It also doesn’t have boundaries – not even in schools where students are honed to be honest and righteous through a curriculum embarking on values, good manners and right conduct.
In what appears to be another bizarre turn of event in the midst of congressional inquiries over systematic corruption concealed behind various government assistance programs for the vulnerable sectors, the Department of Education (DepEd) has commenced an investigation over what looks like another scheme involving its own officials and private schools.
By his own admission, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said that there’s no way private schools would be able to collect government education subsidies intended to partially cover tuition fees without the connivance of somebody from the agency.
According to Angara, they’re not taking the issue seriously as the scheme doesn’t involve funds. It also compromises the future of the younger generation. To start with, the education department is investigating 12 private schools for allegedly having “ghost students” listed as beneficiaries of the government’s voucher program.
SENIOR HIGH VOUCHER
DepEd’s Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP) is a form of financial aid primarily intended to help students who have completed Grade 10 in public or accredited private schools to continue their education in Grades 11 and 12 at private institutions.
The financial aid varies based on the type of school the student chooses to enroll in, with voucher amounts ranging from P14,000 to P22,500 per year for as long as the transition time frame remains in effect.
Students from public schools automatically receive the aid, while those from private institutions must apply if they are not covered by DepEd’s Education Service Contracting Program.
The program also covers state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs). Qualified SHS learners who were previously allowed to enroll in SUCs and LUCs may avail of the financial assistance.
TRANSITION PERIOD
However, in January 2024, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) stood firm in its decision to discontinue the implementation of the SHS program in SUCs and LUCs since the K-12 transition period has already ended.
But then Education Secretary Sara Duterte insisted on continuing the SHS-VP for as long as the institution (private schools) will be the ones to shoulder the operation costs from their own budget. The former DepEd chief also extended the voucher program privilege to Grade 11 students enrolled in SUCs and LUCs in SY 2023-2024 until they complete their Grade 12 studies until SY 2024-2025.
Beginning SY 2024-2025, DepEd however emphasized that it will no longer be extending the voucher program to incoming Grade 11 learners in SUCs and LUCs.
With this, affected SHS learners were given the option either to enroll in a public school offering basic education or enroll in a private school and avail of the voucher program.
THE HUNT BEGINS
With an investigation in place, DepEd claims to have spotted areas where ghost students are benefiting from the SHS voucher program – in 12 private schools classified under nine schools division offices (SDOs).
On the list are private schools located in Quezon City (Metro Manila), Pangasinan, Bulacan, Tarlac. Pampanga and Rizal. DepEd is also looking into ghost beneficiaries in the Eastern Visayas, Northern Samar, Davao del Sur, and Maguindanao.
Angara warned that schools or personnel and officials in connivance may face sanctions — cancellation of accreditation (for the private schools) while cahoots in DepEd would face administrative and criminal charges.
“We take these allegations seriously. Any form of misuse of public funds intended for critical education programs will not be tolerated,” Angara said in a statement, “This investigation is a necessary step as we pursue the truth and hold accountable those responsible.”
The department, he added, is collating evidence and preparing termination notices for implicated schools.
SIMILAR PATTERN
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a similar pattern involving the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) and private hospitals were uncovered. The amount – a whopping P26.8 billion.
PhilHealth’s interim reimbursement mechanism (IRM) allowed the agency to provide advance payments to hospitals tending to patients found positive for COVID-19 virus.
Of the P26.8 billion, P15 billion reportedly went to agency crooks, while the rest went to private hospitals by declaring most of those who died in their medical facility as COVID-19 positive. Then Health Secretary Francisco Duque served as PhilHealth board chairman.
The Philippine Senate also found that a significant chunk of the funds has also been disbursed to dialysis centers and maternity clinics, which were not catering to virus patients.
The Senate recommended filing of malversation, graft charges against Duque and a handful of PhilHealth officials over the improper and illegal implementation of the IRM. Not one though has been jailed.
