The Department of Education (DepEd) has filed criminal charges against seven private schools for allegedly listing “ghost students” as beneficiaries of the government’s voucher program, Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed on Wednesday.
Angara made the disclosure in response to a query from Bulacan 6th District Representative Salvador Pleyto during the House appropriations committee hearing.
“Nag-file kami ng kaso sa seven private schools na may ghost beneficiaries dito, so na-file na sa fiscal’s office na ‘yan at may demand letters tayo diyan,” Angara said.
“May criminal cases tayo with the total amount involved of 61.9 million [pesos]. Tapos may pending investigation sa [DepEd] legal department regarding similar situations,” he added.
The Senior High School Voucher Program provides financial aid to students enrolled in private schools, with the DepEd paying tuition fees based on the beneficiaries’ names and reference numbers indicated on the vouchers.
In February, DepEd confirmed it was investigating 12 private schools for the same anomaly. At a Senate basic education committee hearing last year, government officials also revealed that more than 19,000 ghost students were discovered under the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (E-GASTPE), which covers the Senior High School Voucher Program.
The scandal has once again raised concerns over systemic fraud within programs meant to widen access to education.