The Department of Education (DepEd) is considering seeking the help of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) concerning the "ghost students" scheme in private schools.
The report by RH 52 Edniel Parrosa stated that it was DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara who made the statement after discovering that 12 private schools were involved in the senior high school (SHS) voucher program scheme.
In an ambush interview at Pasig City, Angara mentioned the possibility of seeking the NBI and PNP's assistance on the matter.
The education secretary stated that they have made necessary preparations to terminate the schools’ accreditation and have gathered enough evidence against the responsible individuals.
The DepEd is currently looking into the possible legal and criminal charges against the schools.
The scheme pertains to the undocumented beneficiaries in the 12 private schools across nine divisions. The voucher program for SHS students was rolled out in 2015, alongside the implementation of the SHS education. It was put into effect to minimize overcrowding in public schools and make SHS education more accessible for students who come from low-income families.
Incoming Grade 11 students who graduated from public schools will receive the voucher that ranges from PHP 14,000 to PHP 22,500.
