DepEd to charge individuals behind ‘ghost students’ in voucher program

February 21, 2025 , 10:34 PM

By Rodolfo Dacleson II

(February 21, 2025) – The Department of Education (DepEd) is investigating the alleged “ghost students” under its Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program, an agency official said on Friday.

DepEd undersecretary Rowena Ruiz noted that the anomalies were found in the billings submitted by private schools.

“‘Yung mga estudyante na nakasulat ay estudyante ng public senior high school na hindi naman eligible sa ating programa. ‘Yung iba naman, estudyante ng private pero ng ibang high schools na hindi nag-endorse sa DepEd for payment,” said Ruiz on One PH’s One Balita Pilipinas.

She furthered that they will seek help from the National Bureau of Investigation to determine the individuals who tried to take the supposed subsidies for students, as ordered by DepEd secretary Sonny Angara.

“Marami kaming nahagip, more than the 12 schools in the sense na hindi nabayaran. ‘Yung nakita namin na may patches of fraud, ‘yun ang iniimbestigahan namin,” added Ruiz.

In a statement on Monday, Angara said the DepEd stopped the release of vouchers covering the school year 2023-2024 to at least 12 private schools in nine regions accused of listing “ghost students.”

Vice Pres. Sara Duterte-Carpio was still the education chief at that time.

Depending on the student’s location, a voucher ranges from P14,000 to P22,500. P52 million reportedly went to “ghost students.”

“Sakaling mapatunayan na may falsification at may intensyon silang mag-fraud sa gobyerno, siguradong may administrative at criminal cases na isasampa sa kanila,” said Ruiz.

Duterte-Carpio’s two-year term came with controversies, including the request for confidential funds, the removal of learning materials in classrooms, and low scores of students in international assessments, among others.

In 2015, the DepEd implemented the voucher system to make SHS education accessible to low-income families and reduce overcrowding in public schools.

(PM)

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