In a major effort to alleviate severe classroom crowding, Congress on Tuesday afternoon ratified the bicameral conference report expanding the decades-old government assistance framework for private education, extending tuition vouchers all the way down to Kindergarten and Grade 6.
The priority measure under the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC), known as the Basic Education Voucher Program Act (Senate Bill No. 1981), overhauls the nearly 40-year-old Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) system to cover learners across the entire K–12 spectrum.
Easing Severe Public School Congestion
By extending tuition support to primary grade students, lawmakers aim to utilize unused space in private institutions while giving families greater schooling flexibility.
Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) projects that the expanded program will support 22.5 percent or roughly 121,035 of targeted learners, delivering immediate relief to overburdened public schools.
The policy shift comes amid an acute infrastructure deficit reported by the Department of Education (DepEd):
147,347 classrooms were needed to clear the national backlog as of September 2025.
1,889 schools were forced to implement double or triple class shifts during the 2024–2025 academic year.
52,000 new classrooms are estimated to be required just to end shift-based scheduling.
To maximize impact, voucher priority will be given to students in DepEd-designated congested schools, areas lacking nearby public school facilities, and heavily populated communities.
Data Transparency & Public Dashboard
To help parents navigate their options, the bill mandates that DepEd maintain a centralized public online dashboard. The portal will display essential information for participating private institutions, including locations, open slots, current tuition rates, and any out-of-pocket top-up costs required when tuition exceeds the voucher value.
Principal author and sponsor, Senator Bam Aquino praised the ratification, emphasizing the focus on student welfare and early childhood access.
“This measure is ultimately about our learners. No child should have to study in overcrowded classrooms simply because there is no available space in the public school nearest to them. By expanding vouchers to include Kindergarten learners, we are giving families more options much earlier, while making better use of existing capacity in private schools,” Aquino said.
EDCOM 2 co-chairperson Representative Roman Romulo highlighted the policy as a vital partnership between sectors.
“The expansion of GASTPE updates that partnership for today’s realities. By making the voucher system more targeted, transparent, and responsive to where learners need it most, we are strengthening the use of public resources to expand access and improve learning opportunities,” Romulo said.
Following ratification by both houses, the final enrolled bill now heads to the Office of the President for executive signature into law.