Bill establishing private basic education voucher program gets final House nod


At a glance

  • On the strength of 202 "yes" votes, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the proposed Act establishing the private basic education voucher program.


IMG-cf9820b20b730fe6dd24aee38f87379e-V.jpgThe House plenary (Speaker’s office)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the strength of 202 "yes" votes, the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading the proposed Act establishing the private basic education voucher program.

The measure, embodied in House Bill (HB) No.11214, was granted final approval by the lower chamber during plenary session Tuesday, Jan. 28.

Nominal voting for HB No.11214 showed three "abstain" votes. None of the House members in attendance entered a "no" vote.

The measure provides for the creation of the Bureau of Private Education (BPE) under the Department of Education (DepEd) to serve as the focal office for the administration, supervision, and regulation of all matters relating to private basic education institutions, including government assistance and subsidies, and provides for its specific powers and functions.

It also seeks to repeal Sections 2, 3, 4(2), 4(3), 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, and 15 of Republic Act (RA) No.8545, otherwise known as the "Expanded government assistance to students and teachers in private education Act", which amended RA No.6728, otherwise known as the "Government assistance to students and teachers in private education Act".

The aim of HB No.11214 is to make quality basic education accessible by providing financial assistance to learners in public basic education schools who wish to study in private schools.

It seeks to expand the government assistance and subsidies of the law to cover kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, and senior high school learners

HB No.11214 expands the coverage of private basic education voucher beneficiaries to kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, and senior high school learners. It sets specific criteria for voucher assistance programs given to students and participating private schools.

Under the bill, student choice is empowered through a system that allows students and parents to select their preferred schools from a registry of participating recognized schools, subject to availability of slots

It grants other forms of specific assistance to private basic education institutions and teachers participating in the voucher program

The DepEd is tasked to establish a program of assistance for the development of qualified recognized private basic education schools

It prescribes specific conditions in the implementation of the basic education voucher program, to wit:

(A) Equitable allocation of the voucher program among all regions, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) based on official data sources including giving priority to underprivileged students;

(B) 70 percent of the amount subsidized allotted for tuition or of the tuition increases shall go to payment of salaries, wages, allowances and other benefits of teaching and non teaching personnel, except administrators who are principal stockholders of the school, and may be used to cover salary increase as provided for in the existing collective bargaining agreements; and

(C) At least 20 percent of the voucher proceeds shall go to the improvement or modernization of buildings, equipment, libraries, laboratories, gymnasia and similar facilities and to the payment of other costs of operation.

The House-approved measure also establishes the following support mechanisms: In service Training Fund or Inset Fund for the purpose of improving the quality of teaching in private basic education; and Teachers' Salary Subsidy Fund to grant government subsidy to teachers in recognized private basic education schools participating in the voucher program.

It penalizes a private school, after due process, for violating this Act.

Futhermore, it provides that the implementation of the provisions stipulated in this Act for the kindergarten and elementary levels shall gradually commence in school year 2024-2025, as may be determined by the DepEd, subject to the availability of funds.