SENATOR Mark Villar is seeking to institutionalize the Private Basic Education Voucher Program through the creation of Bureau of Private Education.

In his Senate Bill No. 1710, or the proposed Private Education Voucher Expansion (PEVE) Act, Villar said education is the foundation of national progress.

He added that it empowers the youth, uplifts families, and builds a nation capable of competing in a globalized world.

The government established the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) program to improve access to and the quality of education through shared responsibility between the public and private sectors.

While these programs have expanded opportunities for thousands of learners, challenges remain.

Villar noted that public schools continue to face overcrowding, and the selection and allocation process under the E-GASTPE does not guarantee that assistance reaches the most disadvantaged students.

To address this concern, Villar’s bill removes outdated provisions and integrates more dynamic and flexible approaches to the funding and regulation of private education through vouchers.

The measure also expands government assistance to private basic education to include learners from Kindergarten to Grade 6, helps decongest overcrowded public school classrooms by prioritizing learners from low-income households through a targeted beneficiary system, and supports teachers by providing in-service training funds, scholarships for advanced studies, and financial assistance for institutional improvements in accredited private basic education schools.