TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is GASTPE?
GASTPE stands for Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education.
This was provided for by Republic Act (RA) 6728 called the GASTPE Act, which was amended by RA 8545 known as the Expanded GASTPE (E-GASTPE) Act.
E-GASTPE was further expanded by RA 10533 or the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 to cover senior high school
What are the GASTPE Programs currently provided by DepEd?
- Education Service Contracting (ESC)
- Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS)
- Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP)
- In-Service Training (INSET)
- Research
What is FAPE? What is PEAC?
DepEd is the institutional owner and regulator of the GASTPE programs it implements through the PEAC.
Executive Order No. (EO) 156, s. 1968 created the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE), a perpetual trust fund for financing programs of assistance to private education.
The same EO created the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC) which serves as the trustee of FAPE.
PEAC has been contracted by DepEd to administer the GASTPE Programs: ESC, TSS, SHS VP, among others.
PEAC is represented nationally by its National Secretariat (PEAC NS) and in each region by its Regional Secretariats (PEAC RS).
EDUCATION SERVICE CONTRACTING (ESC)
What is ESC?
ESC is a GASTPE program wherein financial assistance (in the form of tuition subsidies) is extended to qualified elementary school graduates who wish to pursue Junior High School (JHS) – Grades 7 to 10 – in private schools.
How does ESC work?
JHSs apply and are certified by DepEd through PEAC to be part of the program.
JHSs that become ESC-participating schools are given a number of slots that come with subsidies called ESC grants.
Program beneficiaries are called ESC grantees.
Who are ESC grantees?
Those who want to be ESC grantees must enroll for Grade 7 in an ESC-participating school. Each ESC-participating school has a School Committee that will select Grade 7 ESC grantees. No new ESC grants are awarded at higher grade levels.
How are ESC grantees selected?
Eligibility
- Elementary graduate from a DepEd public school or DepEd-recognized private school
- Incoming Grade 7 student
- Has not been a recipient of the ESC in previous school years
- Filipino citizen
Requirements
- ESC Application Form
- Recent Identical 2×2 ID photo (2 copies)
- For leaners with no learner profile in the Learner Information System (LIS): Certified true copy of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
- Certified Birth Certificate
- Grade 6 Report Card
- Proof of income of parents/guardian
Evaluation
- Selection is subject to the limited slots allocated to the ESC-participating school.
- Elementary graduates of DepEd public schools are automatic ESC grantees.
- For elementary graduates of DepEd-recognized private schools, the School Committee shall profile and assess the students based on the documentary requirements submitted.
How much is the ESC grant?
The amount of subsidy given to the grantee at Grade 7 is the same amount the grantee will receive until Grade 10. For this school year (SY) 2018-2019:
| Grade Level | Schools in NCR | Schools in Highly-Urbanized Cities | Schools in All Other Locations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 7 | Php13,000 | Php11,000 | Php9,000 |
| Grade 8 | Php13,000 | Php11,000 | Php9,000 |
| Grade 9 | Php11,000 | Php8,500 | Php8,500 |
| Grade 10 | Php11,000 | Php8,500 | Php8,500 |
However, if the total school fees declared by the school in the ESC Information Management System is lower than the amount of the ESC grant, the school will only be paid the total school fees.
What are the terms of the ESC grant?
The ESC grant starts at Grade 7 and covers only four years of JHS.
The grant remains in force for the next school year if the grantee is promoted to the next grade level and enrolls in an ESC-participating JHS. No maintaining grades are required of grantees.
The grant is terminated if a grantee does any of the following:
- Drops out in the middle of the school year
- Does not reenroll the following school year
- Fails to be promoted to the next grade level
- Transfers to a non-ESC-participating JHS
- Is suspended for more than two (2) weeks, dismissed or expelled by the ESC-participating JHS for disciplinary reasons
What if the ESC grantee has a valid reason for dropping out?
Grantees who drop out due to prolonged illness, accident, force majeure, or death of a parent or guardian may be reinstated in the ESC program, provided they submit relevant documents to the PEAC NS. The documents to be submitted are to support their claim e.g. for illness, a medical certificate issued by a licensed medical doctor.
Can ESC grantees transfer schools?
Transfers to another ESC-participating JHS are allowed.
In cases when the applicable subsidy amount of the releasing JHS is different from that of the accepting JHS, the accepting JHS will be paid the lower of the two applicable subsidy amounts.
The accepting school is responsible for reporting transfer details in the ESC Information Management System.
Can I give my ESC slot to someone else?
No, the ESC grant is not a legal tender and cannot be transferred from one student to another.
I had to transfer in the middle of the school year, I had no choice.
Involuntary transfers, such as when a school closes or is terminated from further participation in the ESC program, are allowed and considered special cases. Such cases shall be dealt with individually. ESC-participating SHSs that close shall promptly inform PEAC.
Where can I find a list of ESC-participating schools?
PEAC website: http://peac.org.ph/educational-service-contracting-esc/
DepEd website: http://www.deped.gov.ph/2018-gaa-special-provisions
TEACHERS’ SALARY SUBSIDY (TSS)
What is Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS)?
Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS) is a GASTPE program wherein an annual salary subsidy is given to licensed teachers in ESC-participating JHSs. These teachers are called TSS recipients.
Who are Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS) recipients?
Teachers in ESC-participating JHSs that meet the following conditions qualify for the TSS:
- With a valid PRC license, or pass the Licensure Exam for Teachers (LET) by October of the current school year
- Is a full-time employee in the JHS
- Is teaching a subject in the DepEd Curriculum for JHS at least 180 minutes a week
How much is the TSS?
Php1,500 per month of service to the JHS
Full subsidy of Php18,000 if employed until the end of the school year
Can I transfer the TSS to another teacher?
No, TSS payments to ESC-participating JHSs are meant for the TSS recipients only and shall not be distributed to other teachers and school personnel who are not qualified to receive the TSS.
How will beneficiaries receive the ESC grant / TSS fund?
Beneficiaries will not receive payment. The ESC grant and TSS funds will be released by DepEd directly to the ESC-participating JHS.
The TSS remitted to teachers shall be in proportion to actual services rendered.
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM (SHS VP)
What is Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS VP)?
SHS VP is a GASTPE program wherein financial assistance (in the form of tuition subsidies) is extended to qualified public and private Grade 10 completers enabling them to enroll for SHS – Grades 11 and 12 – in private and non-DepEd public schools.
Who can be SHS VP beneficiaries?
Eligibility
- Grade 10 completers in SY 2017-2018 may be Qualified Voucher Recipients (QVRs)
- QVRs are subdivided into (1) automatically qualified students and (2) voucher applicants
Qualified Voucher Recipients
Automatically qualified students
- Category A: All Grade 10 completers in Public JHSs
- Category B: All Grade 10 completers in SUCs and LUCs
- Category C: All Grade 10 completers in private schools who are ESC grantees
Voucher Applicants (VAs)*
- Category D: All Grade 10 completers in private schools who are not ESC grantees
- Category E: Students who took/will take the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test and the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) in the current school year and passed and have been certified for admission to Grade 11 in SY 2018-2019, provided that they received their certification not later than May 31, 2018
*Successful applicants or Qualified Voucher Applicants (QVAs) are QVRs.
The following are not eligible:
- Learners who graduated High School in March 2015 or earlier
- Grade 10 completers who completed Grade 10 before or after SY 2017-2018
- Incoming Grade 12 students who were not part of the voucher program in Grade 11
- Non-Filipino students
I’m a private non-ESC Grade 10 completer, how do I apply?
Voucher application for private non-ESC Grade 10 completers could have been done either manually or online. However, the application period has already ended.
Deadline for application
- 1st batch (manual): Jan. 31, 2018
- 1st batch (online): Feb. 28, 2018
- 2nd batch (strictly online): April 27, 2018
How will I know if my voucher application is successful?
Results may be viewed through the Online Voucher Application Portal (OVAP) – http://ovap.deped.gov.ph
Date of release of results:
- 1st batch (manual/online): April 2, 2018
- 2nd batch (strictly online): May 25, 2018
Successful applicants will be able to download a QVA Certificate (formerly called a QVR Certificate) which signifies they are QVRs.
I’m an ALS A&E/PEPT passer, how do I apply?
- Voucher application for ALS A&E and PEPT passers is strictly manual
- Deadline is June 15, 2018
- Results to be released on June 30, 2018
Manual Application for ALS A&E and PEPT passers
1. Fill out the Voucher Application Form (VAF-1) which is Annex 1B of DO 60, s. 2017 and may be downloaded from the DepEd website and printed.
2. Enclose the following documents in a long brown envelope:
- Completed VAF-1
- Recent 2X2 colored ID photo
- Proof of financial means of the parents, guardian, or the person who is helping send the student to school (as shown in the table in the next slide)
- Certificate of Financial Assistance received (issued by the school), if applicable
- Certificate of Eligibility to enroll in Grade 11 (Same as Certificate of Rating)
3. Mail or submit the application package to:
SHS Voucher Program Applications
PEAC National Secretariat
5th Floor Salamin Building
197 Salcedo Street
Makati City 1229
How are applications approved?
Applications are first evaluated based on eligibility i.e. is the student a Grade 10 completer fo the previous school year? Was he/she from a private school and not an ESC grantee? Was he/she a voucher recipient before?
Then on the completeness of the application. Did they fill out the form completely? Did they complete the application of the form and submit on time?
All information and documents required such as household size, Income Tax Return, Affidavit of Unemployment, etc. are considered in the evaluation of the application, as guided by the criteria provided by RA 8545.
Usual queries/requests re: SHS VP Application
I’m a private non-ESC Grade 10 completer, I was not able to apply, can I still submit? No.
I wasn’t able to apply because the school said they will apply for me, the school did not inform me about application, I was not aware of the deadline: Per DO 60, s. 2017, it is the responsibility of the VA to ensure that his or her application is complete and correct, and that it is received on or before the deadline.
Please reconsider, we found out about the program too late, we didn’t have time to prepare: This is the third year of the SHS VP. Applicants were given three months to apply (from December 1, 2017 to February 28, 2018). Applicants who were still unable to apply were given a second chance in the reopening of the online application from April 3 to 27, 2018. Counting the month of March which could have been used to complete the documentary requirements. A total of five months were given to applicants.
I’m a QVR. How do I use the voucher?
A QVR redeems the voucher by enrolling in a private SHS or non-Deped public SHS (SUC/LUC), upon satisfying the admission requirements of the SHS
Upon enrollment, a QVR will inform the VP-participating SHS of his status and present the necessary documentary evidence (shown in the next slide)
A QVR who successfully redeems his/her voucher becomes a voucher program beneficiary (VPB)
How will schools know that I’m a QVR?
QVRs who intend to redeem their vouchers by enrolling in Grade 11 must submit the following documents as evidence of their QVR status:
| QVR category | Document | Where to obtain document |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 10 completer from a public school (DepEd JHS or SUC/LUC JHS) | Report card bearing a Learner Reference Number | Junior high school |
| Grade 10 completer who was an ESC grantee in a private JHS | ESC Certificate | Junior high school or PEAC NS |
| Grade 10 completer from a private school, not an ESC grantee, applied for SHS VP and was approved | QVR Certificate | PEAC NS through OVAP |
Where can I use the voucher?
There is a list of participating SHSs on the DepEd website: http://www.deped.gov.ph/2018-gaa-special-provisions
If students/parents are unsure if their chosen school is participating in the SHS VP or if they do not have ready access to the internet, they can ask the school directly or contact their DepEd Division or Regional office
When can I use the voucher?
Vouchers shall be redeemed in the first semester of SY 2018-2019
The voucher shall no longer be valid if not redeemed in the said period.
The voucher covers the two years of SHS, Grades 11 and 12. If the VPB extends beyond two years, the voucher still covers only the first two years.
How much is the voucher subsidy?
| Location of non-DepEd SHS | Category of QVR | Voucher amount | Voucher amount if the SHS is a SUC or LUC |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Capital Region (NCR) | Categories A, B, D, E | 22,500 | 11,250 |
| Category C | 18,000 | ||
| Highly urbanized cities (HUCs) outside of NCR | Categories A, B, D, E | 20,000 | 10,000 |
| Category C | 16,000 | ||
| All other locations | Categories A, B, D, E | 17,500 | 8,750 |
| Category C | 14,000 |
What is a top-up?
The top-up is the difference between the school fees charged by SHS VP-participating schools and the voucher subsidy provided
This is not covered by the voucher subsidy and shall be shouldered by the student
What are the terms of the SHS voucher?
A VPB retains the subsidy if the VPB is promoted to the Grade 12 and enrolls in a private or non-DepEd public SHS. No maintaining grades are required of VPBs.
A VPB loses the subsidy if the VPB does any of the following:
- Drops out in the middle of the school year
- Does not reenroll the following school year
- Fails to be promoted to the next grade level
- Transfers to a different VP-participating SHS within the school year
- Transfers to a DepEd SHS
What if the VPB has a valid reason for dropping out?
VPBs who drop out due to prolonged illness, accident, force majeure, or death of a parent or guardian may be reinstated in the SHS VP, provided they submit relevant documents to the PEAC NS. The documents to be submitted are to support their claim e.g. for illness, a medical certificate issued by a licensed medical doctor.
Can VPBs transfer schools?
Transferees are allowed. VPBs who wish to retain their voucher subsidy may transfer
- Only to another non-DepEd SHS and
- Only at the end of the school year
In cases when the applicable subsidy amount of the releasing SHS is different from that of the accepting SHS, the accepting SHS will be paid the lower of the two applicable subsidy amounts.
The accepting school is responsible for reporting transfer details in the Voucher Management System.
I had to transfer in the middle of the school year, I had no choice.
Involuntary transfers, such as when a school closes or is terminated from further participation in the SHS VP, are allowed and considered special cases. Such cases shall be dealt with individually. VP-participating SHSs that close shall promptly inform PEAC.
I didn’t have a voucher in Grade 11, can I get a voucher for Grade 12?
Unfortunately, per policy, this is not allowed. Vouchers are granted and used upon enrollment in Grade 11 only.
Can the voucher be transferred to a different student?
No. The voucher is not a legal tender and cannot be transferred from one student to another.
I don’t have a voucher, how will I enroll for SHS?
The SHS voucher is merely financial assistance for students who wish to enroll in private schools or non-DepEd public schools. It is not, in any way, a requirement in pursuing senior high school.
What if the school is not registered at ESC can we still avail of the program?
When can we get the teacher salary subsidy for 2018-2018?
Can a substitute Licenced Teacher received an amount for the Teachers Salary Subsidy? How much?
Nakatanggap po ng subsidy yung mga estudyante, pero yung mga LET passers na teachers nila na nag-apply for the said subsidy ay walang natanggap. According sa school, wala daw ni-release na budget for the teachers. Posible po ba yun?
My son has been a payee since grade 7…to my surprise on my 8month on his grade 10 the school told me that there wa an error in incoding my sons name and he was in the GATSPE list….that means to say my sons tuition has been paid already by the govt..but why the school is accepting & keep on collecting our payment..until this was discovered our monthly payment not a member of GATSPE….are we intitled for a refund on this case?
How will the parents know that the ESC they appplied is approved and already received by the school.
Ang anak ko po ay may esc since gr.7. Ngayon po ay grade 11 sya at nabigyan sya ng scholarship ng kanyang school for being topnotcher nun sya ay gr. 10. Paano po mangyayari sa kanyang esc?
Ask ko lang..free tuition ang anak ko..dahil top 1..tama po ba ibawas ang ESC nya sa tuition?eh samantalang free tuition sya..bakit di po sa miscellanous binawas ang ESC?
Good day until now hindi ko pa din po narerecieve yun TSS 2018-2019 ko po,wala po akong balita sa dati kong employer kung kelan nya ibibigay.Matagal na po ako nagfofollow up s kanila pero wala po nangyayari.
Same po tayo maam di pa din naibibigay tss ko pero sabi naman po ng school naapproved yun wait lang irelease.
Ano recquirements para makatanggap ng tss ang senior high teacher na nagtuturo sa tvl department….kung ang isang teacher mayroon ng TMC 1 sa tesda makatanggap naba ng tss?
May child is Grade 10 completers who is ESC recipient. She transfer to another private school can she used her ESC certificate for Grade 11 &12? Or she need to apply for SHS voucher? Thanks po…
makakatangap ba ng TSS ang mga Senior High School Teacher ng isang Private School.
Ang anak ko po ay esc grantee noong grade 7 at grade 8. Kaya lng po dhil po sa pandemic ay nagtransfer po cya last school year sa public school as grade 9. Ngayon po schoolyr 2022-2023 ay sa private school na po uli Siya nag enroll. Entitled pa Rin po ba cya sa ESC.? Sana nman po ma avail pa Rin niya nung esc niya. Malaki tulong po yun s Amin Lalo na solo parent po ako na ngsusumikap n mabigyan ng magandang edukasyon Ang aking anak. Sana matulungan po ninyo ako.
same slot pa din po ang sa 2023-2024 sa esc participating school if ang other slots ay ma utilized to the higher level?