Question & AnswerQ&A (DECS ORDER NO. 67 S. 1992)
The main policy objective of R.A. No. 6728 is to promote and make quality education accessible to all Filipino citizens by recognizing the complementary roles of public and private schools in the educational system and their contributions to education.
The Educational Service Contracting (ESC) scheme has been directly administered by the Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE), Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) through the DECS Regional Offices (DECSROs) since SY 1991-92.
The ESC payment per student grantee shall be at the rate prescribed by the school but shall not exceed P1,320.00.
The Tuition Fee Supplement (TFS) is a government subsidy given at the amount of two hundred ninety pesos (P290.00) per student enrolled in a private secondary school which charges less than P1,700.00 including the subsidy.
A private high school may be excluded from the ESC program if it does not comply with ESC guidelines, has low NCEE performance, high dropout rate, congested classrooms, or inadequate support facilities.
ESC grantees are selected from overflow students who cannot be accommodated in public schools due to lack of space or teachers. Priority is given to overflow students whose family income does not exceed P36,000 per annum and to residents of communities with no public secondary school, prioritizing those below the poverty line.
ESC grantees must pass the minimum requirements to be promoted to the next year level; failure to do so will terminate their privileges of free education under ESC.
If tuition and other fees exceed the set ceiling, the private school may collect the balance from the ESC grantee provided the student is informed and parents’ consent is obtained.
Violations may result in the institution being barred from participating in or benefiting from GASTPE and other DECS programs, prohibition from raising tuition and other fees, and possible administrative and criminal charges.
Private high schools register annually with the Division Coordinating Committee (DCC) through submission of TFS Form 1; DCC and Regional Project Committee submit reports to BSE-GASTPE Unit; vouchers are processed at DECS Regional Offices which issue checks directly to schools based on approved amounts.