Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 6) — The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture will draft another proposal expanding the coverage of the government’s voucher program for students in private elementary schools to address some concerns raised by teachers.
The panel on Monday approved a motion by Camarines Sur Rep. Gabriel Bordado to defer discussions on the substitute measure to the proposed Expanded Government Assistance to Students, Teachers and Schools in Private Basic Education (E GASTSPBE) Act after an hour-long hearing attended by stakeholders in the basic education system.
The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 8545 by expanding the coverage of government aid to the private education sector to kindergarten and elementary schools.Rene Luis Tadle of the Council of Teachers and Staff of Colleges and Universities in the Philippines alleged the current draft of the E GASTSPBE bill would allow private schools to arbitrarily raise tuition despite receiving government assistance, and without the assurance that 70% of the aid will go to the salaries of teaching and non-teaching personnel.Our opposition is rooted in the firm belief that they could have adverse consequences for the interest of students, parents, teachers and employees of private school,” he said.On the contrary, the Federation of Associations of Private Schools Administrators (FAPSA) said the measure, if passed into law, will allow small- and medium-sized private schools in the country to continue operations.FAPSA noted that several small private schools are struggling to remain open due to low enrollment and the exodus of teachers to public schools, which offer higher salaries.Committee chair and Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo said it was important to expand the coverage of the Department of Education’s voucher program to help solve the problem of overcrowding in public schools.Ang importante sa atin, we move on to the (grades) one to six kasi punong-puno na ang DepEd schools natin. Meron nang nasa double, triple shift na. ‘Yun lang talaga ang sinasalo natin,” he said.[Translation: What’s important is we move on to the grades one to six because DepEd schools are full. Some even take on double, triple shifts. That’s what we want to fix.]
