Policies and Guidelines for the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education

Mrs. Editha M. Mansueto

Important Acronyms:

• ESC - Education Service Contracting

• GASTPE - Government Assistance to Students and Teachers Private Education

• PEAC – Private Education Assistance Committee

• FAPE – Fund for Assistance to Private Education

• BEIS – Basic Education Information System

LEGAL BASES• Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution of the

Republic of the Philippines and Republic Act 8545 (RA 8545), otherwise known as the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers Private Education(GASTPE), provide the legal bases for the Education Service Contracting (ESC). It is the declared policy of the State, in conformity with the mandate of the Constitution, to promote and make quality education available to all Filipino citizens. The State also recognizes the complementary roles of public and private schools in the education system, especially the latter’s invaluable contribution to education. The ESC, since its pilot test in 1982-1984, has become a symbol of private-public school partnership in making secondary education accessible to all Filipino citizens

LEGAL BASES• A key provision of Republic Act 10533(RA

10533)-the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 – is the introduction of two (2) additional year levels in secondary education. In School Year 2016-2017, secondary education shall consist of four (4) years of junior high school and two (2) years of senior high school. Further, RA 10533 expands support for private education by extending the coverage of GASTPE to qualified students in senior high school.

• The management of GASTPE has been contracted out by the Department of Education(DepEd) to the Private Education Assistance Committee(PEAC), which is the trustee of the Fund for Assistance to Private Education(FAPE), a perpetual trust fund created by and between the Philippines and United States governments under Executive Order 158, series 1968 for the purpose of providing assistance to private education in the country.

GENERAL GUIDELINESThe following general guidelines shall apply to the ESC programA.CONDITIONS OF THE ESC GRANTS

ESC Grantees in Formal Schooling1. The ESC grants shall cover four (4) years of

junior high school from Grade 7 to 10. The provision of ESC grants starts at the Grade 7 level. No new grants shall be awarded at higher grade levels. If the grantees are enrolled in night high schools or evening classes designed for a five-year curriculum, the grant can be availed for four (4) years only.

2. The grant is deemed renewed for the next school year if the student is promoted to the next level and enrolls in the same school. Since the ESC is a system of financial assistance to grantees, no maintaining grade shall be required for retention in the program.

GENERAL GUIDELINES3. The grant is deemed terminated for any one

of the following reasons:a) If the student drops out for non health reasons in the middle of the school year;b) If the student does not re-enroll the following school year;c) If the student is retained at the same grade level or not promoted to the next higher grade level;d) If the student is suspended for more than two (2) weeks or is dismissed or expelled by the school for disciplinary violation; ore) If the student transfer to a non-ESC-participating school

4. A grantee may apply for transfer to another ESC-participating school; however, transfers from outside the National Capital Region(NCR) into NCR are not allowed. Transfers from NCR to participating schools outside the NCR may be allowed, but the amount of the grant is reduced accordingly.

GENERAL GUIDELINES5. Grantees that dropped out due to the

following reasons shall be readmitted into the ESC program provided that they submit documents that will support their claim:a) Death of the grantee’s parent or guardianb) Force majeure eventsc) Sickness supported by a medical certificate

GENERAL GUIDELINESB. AMOUNTS OF THE ESC AND OTHER FINANCIAL MATTERS

ESC Grantees in Formal Schooling1. The amount of subsidy for Grade 7 and Grade 8

grantees in School Year 2015-2016 in regions outside the NCR shall be Seven Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (Php 7,500.00) per grantee for an entire school year, subject to adjustments approved by the State Assistance Council (SAC). Meanwhile, the amount or subsidy for Grade 9 and Grade 10 ESC grantees shall be the same as that received by these students in the previous school year, School Year 2014-2015 (Grade 9 and 10 – Php 6,500.00 per grantee).

2. If a grantee transfers to another ESC-participating school before the 15th of July, the DepEd shall pay the subsidy to the receiving school, not the school of origin. No payment of subsidy to the receiving school shall be made for transfers beyond this date.

GENERAL GUIDELINES3. If a grantee transfers to another ESC-

participating school after the 15th of July, DepEd shall pay the subsidy to the school of origin. It shall be the responsibility of the grantee to settle accounts with the receiving school. It has been the policy per DepEd Order No. 31, s. 2010 that the receiving school cannot collect payment from DepEd for the transferee/s. For statistical purposes, the student who transfers after said date shall be counted as a grantee at the school of origin for the current school year.

4. It shall be the responsibility of the receiving school to report in its online school account in the ESC information Management System (ESC IMS) in the PEAC Secretariat’s website the names and other details of transferees in and out of the school concerned.

ESC Grantee Enrollment ContractOn the Part of the Parent/Guardian:That I ___________, parent/guardian of aforesaid student, fully agree to enroll my child/ward at the abovementioned school under the “Educational Service Contracting” program;That I will abide by the rules of the aforecited school;That I will help my child/ward to finish the course for every year level during the period specifiedThat I will help in the best way I can in ―

a.Preventing truancy and/or absenteeism of my child/ward;

b. making my child/ward attend seriously to his/her school work; and

c. attending/participating in school activities that need my presence.

That since the ESC program sets for every school year a maximum amount as subsidy for student’s tuition and other fees, I agree to pay to the school any excess of the fees charged which is not covered by the ESC subsidy; andThat in case of problems relative to the fulfillment of this contract, I will consult the school authorities concerned of the Division Project Committee.

Grading System• How is the learner’s progress reported?

Descriptor Grading Scale Remarks

Outstanding 90-100 Passed

Very Satisfactory 85-89 Passed

Satisfactory 80-84 Passed

Fairly Satisfactory 75-79 Passed

Did Not Meet Expectations Below 75 Failed

When a learner’s raw scores are consistently below expectations in Written Work and Performance Tasks, the learner’s parents or guardians must be informed not later than the fifth week of that quarter. This will enable them to help and guide their child to improve and prepare for the Quarterly Assessment. A learner who receives a grade below 75 in any subject in a quarter must be given intervention through remediation and extra lessons from the teacher/s of that subject.

Grading System• How are learners promoted or retained at the end of the

school year?This section provides the bases for promoting a learner to the next grade level or for retaining a learner in the same grade level. These decisions must be applied based on evidence and judiciously.A final grade of 75 or higher in all learning areas allows the student to be promoted to the next grade level.

For Grades 4 to 10 LearnersFinal grade of at least 75 in all learning areas

Promoted to the next grade level

Did Not Meet Expectations in not more than two

learning areas

Must pass remedial classes for learning areas with

failing mark to be promoted to the next grade

level. Otherwise the learner is retained in the

same grade level.

Did Not Meet Expectations in three or more learning

areas

Retained in the same grade level

Grading System

For Grades 1-10, a learner who Did Not Meet Expectations in at most two learning areas must take remedial classes. Remedial classes are conducted after the Final Grades have been computed. The learner must pass the remedial classes to be promoted to the next level. However, teachers should ensure that learners receive remediation when they earn raw scores which are consistently below expectations in Written Work and Performance Tasks by the fifth week of any quarter . This will prevent a student from failing in any learning area at the end of the year.

Must pass all learning areas in the Elementary

1. Earn the Elementary Certificate

2. Promoted to Junior High School

Must pass all learning areas in the Junior High School

1. Earn the Junior High School Certificate

2. Promoted to Senior High School