DepEd targets 2.4 M students for private school subsidy program
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) aims to provide financial support for the education of over 2.4 million students through the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE) program.
About 990,000 junior high school students are expected to be supported under the Educational Service Contracting (ESC) program, while approximately 1.47 million senior high school students will receive assistance through the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP) for the 2026–2027 school year.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the program would allow families to enroll their children in private schools, easing financial pressure while helping to decongest public classrooms.
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“President Marcos’ priority is to ease the burden of Filipino families when it comes to tuition and other school fees,” Angara said in a statement on Friday.
“A child’s education should not stop just because of lack of money. Government assistance should reach the families who need it most. These subsidies are meant to keep children in school,” he added.
DepEd has also rolled out revised guidelines for the E-Gastpe, which now unifies the implementation of ESC, SHS-VP and the Teachers’ Salary Subsidy under a single framework.
The new rules place stronger emphasis on prioritizing learners from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those in low-income households, Indigenous Peoples communities and geographically isolated areas.
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