ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (Screenshot from Zoom)

Members of the Makabayan bloc have filed House Resolution (HR) No.1533, which seeks an inquiry into the discontinuation of financial assistance to senior high school (SHS) students in state universities and colleges (SUCs) and local universities and colleges (LUCs). 

HR No. 1533 aims to probe the latest issuance of the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) with regard to the right to access quality education. 

"Ang kalidad na naman ng edukasyon ng ating mga mag-aaral lalo na ang mga Grade 11 at 12 sa mga SUCs at LUCs ang tatamaan dito kaya marapat na imbestigahan ito,” Makabayan member ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro said in a statement on Sunday, Jan. 7. 

(The quality of our students' education, especially Grades 11 and 12 in SUCs and LUCs will be affected so this should be investigated.) 

“Huwag muna sanang ipatupad ang mga memo habang gumagawa ng karampatang solusyon para dito," added Castro. 

(The memos shouldn't be implemented while we are working on a competent solution for this.) 

In a memorandum order dated Dec. 18, 2023, CHEd announced that there should be no more GASTPE beneficiaries from SUCs and LUCs starting School Year (SY) 2023-2024, except those entering Grade 12 to finish their basic education. 

"This issue highlights the failure of the government during the transition period that it even failed to simply call for a thorough consultation with all the stakeholders but now is unilaterally removing the subsidies for these students,” Castro stressed. 

The teacher-solon noted that the inquiry will also determine whether or not the discontinuation of financial aid “aligns with the constitutional mandate of providing quality education for all, regardless of their economic status”. 

Citing initial figures from the DepEd, around 17,700 Grade 11 students in SUCs and LUCs will be affected by the directive. 

"It is the duty of the House of Representatives to exercise its oversight function in ensuring that government programs and initiatives, particularly those concerning education, are in line with the principles of equity, transparency, and accountability," Castro said. 

CHEd recently said that the SHS program will be discontinued in SUCs and LUCs as it should only be offered during the transition period of the K to 12 program, covering 2016 to 2021.