SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday gave assurances that private schools in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will be included in the Government Assistance and Subsidies to Students and Teachers in Private Education or GASTPE.

The ratified bicameral conference committee report on the 2023 national budget carried a special provision proposed by Gatchalian that the Department of Education shall continue to implement the assistance programs for beneficiaries, learners, teachers and schools in BARMM.

The DepEd will provide guidelines on the implementation, release and monitoring of payment to BARMM schools.

Gatchalian added that including BARMM learners in the GASTPE Program should help address low enrollment and cohort survival rates in the region.

The lawmaker pointed out last August that while enrollment in all regions reached 99% compared to that of the previous school year, enrollment in BARMM has remained at 89 percent.

“Magandang balita sa ating mga mag-aaral sa private schools ng BARMM. Sila ay makakatanggap ng tulong pinansyal mula sa pamahalaan sa ilalim ng 2023 budget. Mahalaga ito upang matiyak natin na mas maaabot natin ang mas maraming mag-aaral sa rehiyon at hindi sila mapag-iiwanan pagdating sa dekalidad na edukasyon,” said Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education.