The Department of Education (DepEd) could recover over P100 million from private schools accused of fraud in its senior high school voucher program, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.
DepEd previously recovered P65 million from 54 schools removed from the program for claiming subsidies for “ghost students” who did not exist or were ineligible.
The ongoing investigation suggests the total recoverable amount could exceed P100 million, with both civil and criminal cases filed against the schools involved.
The voucher program, launched in 2015, provides subsidies to Grade 11 and 12 students to attend private schools, but fraud and “ghost student” claims have persisted since its inception.
DepEd continues to improve oversight to prevent abuse, noting challenges in verifying beneficiaries due to the program’s large scale.
Source: PhilNews24 | July 31, 2025
