SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a bill to expand government assistance to private schools.

Senate Bill No. 2911 seeks to amend Republic Act No. 6728, or the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (GASTPE), to include all basic education levels.

This law was later amended by Republic Act No. 8545, or the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (E-GASTPE).

Under the proposed measure, government assistance will cover learners from kindergarten to Grade 6. The bill also proposes a uniform tuition subsidy through a voucher system, already used in the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP).

E-GASTPE was further amended by the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. Following its passage, the Department of Education (DepEd) developed the SHS-VP to provide financial assistance in the form of vouchers to qualified Senior High School learners from participating schools. This program was introduced to address classroom shortages due to the addition of Grades 11 and 12.

Another form of assistance under GASTPE is the Educational Service Contracting (ESC), which awards grants to qualified beneficiaries. Through the ESC, the government contracts excess capacity in private junior high schools by allocating slots to learners who would otherwise attend public schools. One of its main goals is to decongest public schools.

Last year, Gatchalian led an inquiry into the implementation of the E-GASTPE Program. The hearings revealed that the ESC, in its current form, failed to decongest public schools and prioritize low-income but deserving learners.

Gatchalian believes discontinuing the ESC Scheme in favor of a voucher system is simpler and more cost-effective. He added that it would foster competition among private schools, incentivizing them to improve the quality of education while keeping costs affordable.

The proposed bill includes criteria for assistance, such as classroom congestion, private school performance, tuition, and other fees. To ensure quality education for grantees, the DepEd will also be mandated to develop accreditation and quality assurance standards for recipient institutions.

The measure also seeks to prioritize learners from low-income households and those who have completed the Alternative Learning System.