Expanded GASTPE coverage pushed

(AFP FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines —  The Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) on Saturday called  for the expanded coverage of the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) program.

In a statement, the group said it would be beneficial if the GASTPE would include those enrolled in kindergarten to Grade 6, instead of only junior and senior high school students.

“Expanding GASTPE to the elementary level (K-6) will improve educational access, raise quality standards, and save government funds by utilizing the spare capacity of private schools,” said PEAC member and concurrent Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities President Bern Villamor in a statement.

PEAC said that GASTPE’s expanded coverage could solve the school and classroom congestion in public schools.

“This would also reduce the pressure on the Department of Education (DepEd) to rapidly build new schools,” Villamor said. 

A study commissioned by PEAC – The Absorptive Capacity of Basic Education in the Philippines –  covering about 28 million learners in the school years 2018 to 2022, revealed that public schools are severely overcrowded, particularly at higher grade levels.

PEAC likewise urged the government to increase the amount of subsidies given to current GASTPE beneficiaries.

“By reallocating and optimizing resources, we estimate that nearly 900,000 more learners could be accommodated across both public and private schools,” Villamor said, adding that the current GASTPE subsidies “fail” to fully cover fees in private schools.