Bam Aquino seeks charges vs. persons behind voucher program 'ghost' students

Former senator Bam Aquino on Friday raised alarm over the alleged ghost beneficiaries of the Senior High School (SHS) voucher program, saying persons behind the scheme must be held accountable.

“Nakakabahala talaga ang balitang ito ng ghost students. Pera po ito na dapat napupunta sa mga kabataang nangangailangan. Dapat matigil iyan,” said Aquino, who is seeking a Senate comeback in the upcoming May elections.

“Iyong mga nagnanakaw ng pera sa mga estudyante natin, dapat silang makulong,” he added.

The Department of Education recently removed 55 private schools from the government’s SHS Voucher Program due to questionable claims, specifically discrepancies in their billing information and the learners information system (LIS). 

Under the program, incoming Grade 11 students who finished elementary in public schools will automatically receive a voucher worth P14,000 to P22,500 for them to study in private schools, decongesting the public schools in the process. Students from private schools who are not grantees of the DepEd’s Education Service Contracting Program may also apply for inclusion in the voucher program.

Aquino expressed confidence that Education Secretary and former colleague Sonny Angara will immediately resolve the ghost students problem.

Aquino then said that if reelected to the Senate, he will work to ensure that the funding for education will be increased, and it will benefit intended beneficiaries.

“Iyong pera para sa ating kabataan, dapat napupunta sa taumbayan, at hindi binubulsa ng iilan,” Aquino, one of the authors of the Free College Law, said.

(The investment for our youth should go to them, not the pockets of the few.)

In his speech during a volunteer-led campaign rally in Iloilo Thursday night, Aquino said there is an urgent need to restore the P3-billion budget cut in the Free College Law.

“That P3 billion cut means there are 50,000 students who will receive a lesser amount of aid. Kaya napakahalaga po talaga, napaka importante po talaga na bumalik po tayo sa Senado at ipaglaban ang pondo ng bayan,”  Aquino said.

(That is why it is really important for us to be in the Senate and continue to fight for the inclusion of this fund.)

“Kailangan po ang tulong na yan mapasainyo po ‘yan upang ang mga kabataan natin ay makapagtapos sa tamang oras at makahanap ng siguradong trabaho,” Aquino added.

(The government needs to fund these assistance to your youth so they can graduate on time and secure decent jobs.)—LDF, GMA Integrated News

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