(AFP FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — The Non-public Training Help Committee (PEAC) on Saturday known as for the expanded protection of the Authorities Help to College students and Academics in Non-public Training (GASTPE) program.
In a press release, the group mentioned it might be useful if the GASTPE would come with these enrolled in kindergarten to Grade 6, as a substitute of solely junior and senior highschool college students.
“Increasing GASTPE to the elementary stage (Okay-6) will enhance instructional entry, increase high quality requirements, and save authorities funds by using the spare capability of personal faculties,” mentioned PEAC member and concurrent Philippine Affiliation of Schools and Universities President Bern Villamor in a press release.
PEAC mentioned that GASTPE’s expanded protection might clear up the college and classroom congestion in public faculties.
“This could additionally scale back the strain on the Division of Training (DepEd) to quickly construct new faculties,” Villamor mentioned.
A research commissioned by PEAC – The Absorptive Capability of Fundamental Training within the Philippines – overlaying about 28 million learners within the faculty years 2018 to 2022, revealed that public faculties are severely overcrowded, significantly at greater grade ranges.
PEAC likewise urged the federal government to extend the quantity of subsidies given to present GASTPE beneficiaries.
“By reallocating and optimizing assets, we estimate that just about 900,000 extra learners might be accommodated throughout each private and non-private faculties,” Villamor mentioned, including that the present GASTPE subsidies “fail” to completely cowl charges in personal faculties.