The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday, March 26 said it recovered approximately P65 million from 54 private schools involved in irregularities related to the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP) for the school years (SY) 2021-2022 and 2022-2023.

Following an investigation, 38 schools have fully refunded the government, and two have made partial refunds.

However, 14 schools have yet to return the funds, prompting DepEd to issue final demand letters to ensure full compliance.

DepEd also pointed out that further investigation is required to determine if these irregularities amount to fraud.

Ongoing investigation

For SY 2023-2024, 12 schools are under investigation by DepEd’s Investigation Division.

In addition, three schools flagged by the Government Assistance and Subsidies Service (GASS) have been referred to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for a parallel investigation.

To prevent future financial discrepancies, DepEd, in coordination with the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC), has implemented stricter oversight measures for SY 2024-2025.

These measures include cross-referencing and verifying information, conducting a 100 percent system audit, and carrying out random field visits to participating schools.

DepEd’s regional and school division offices have been mobilized to conduct inspections and submit detailed reports to the central office.

Enhanced validation processes were also established to ensure that only eligible students would benefit from the program.

Strengthening accountability

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara noted the importance of these interventions in preventing the release of inaccurate or questionable claims.

“We are taking decisive steps to strengthen our validation processes, hold erring schools accountable, and restore public trust in the SHS Voucher Program,” he said.

Further reforms are expected in the coming months, including PEAC’s validation for the second semester, which is set to begin next month, and the establishment of a billing schedule for SY 2025-2026 to streamline the disbursement process.

In addition to financial oversight, DepEd is strengthening other areas of its operations.

The Private Education Office is working on enhancing regulatory compliance for Senior High School recognition, while the Information and Communications Technology Service is improving digital safeguards.

These safeguards include an audit trail, automated email notifications for system changes, and a full school history of learners.

DepEd assured stakeholders that it will continue to enhance its oversight mechanisms to ensure integrity and fairness in the participation of private schools in government education subsidy programs.