SENATE Committee on Basic Education Chairman Sherwin Gatchalian confirmed that an inquiry will be conducted into the alleged existence of ‘ghost students’ in the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP), following concerns raised about fraudulent claims by certain schools.

This comes after Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s resolution calling for an investigation into the alleged scam, in which schools fabricated student records to illegally claim government subsidies intended for actual enrollees.

According to Gatchalian, the issue was first detected in late 2023, prompting an initial investigation in the Senate and a report submitted to the Department of Education.  In response, DepEd tightened its guidelines and launched its own probe into the schools suspected of fraudulent activities.

Gatchalian acknowledged the efforts of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara in addressing the issue, stating that the department took their recommendations seriously and confirmed the presence of fraudulent claims in the system.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Gatchalian said he would closely monitor developments regarding the issue. He confirmed that updates would be requested from DepEd on the measures taken since the problem was identified in early 2024.

The inquiry will aim to determine the extent of the fraudulent activities and evaluate the effectiveness of the government’s response in curbing them.

When asked whether any schools had been held accountable, Gatchalian stated that this would be a key question for DepEd. “We will request a report on whether any schools have been charged or had their licenses revoked,” he said.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that schools adhere to ethical practices and that government funds are used properly to support genuine students.