AS the song goes, “I believe the children are our future” and we always hear from parents that education is a valuable gift that they can provide to their children. A good and quality education is a life-changing qualities for persons in all levels of life demographics.
It open doors and opportunities, build character and confidence, and make a strong stance to fight and challenge the world and contribute meaningfully to society.
Filipino parents are trying to provide good education to their children, but some are not as lucky. Although our government is providing free education through the public school system- parents, teachers, students are facing a lot of challenges to deal with.
Overcrowded rooms, lack of facilities, computer sets, toilets and many more, the government are struggling to meet the growing population of students and the demand for the infrastructure needed to fill.
To address these challenges, the government launch the Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act (GASTPE) under RA 8545. This law provides student on the secondary and tertiary education a voucher or coupon to help solve the overcrowding and leveraging the resources of private schools through public – private partnership program.
In this program the government provides financial assistance to both students and teachers for quality education and decongest the overcrowded rooms in the public schools and allow students to receive quality education in private institutions.
A noble collaboration between the public and private schools, the program was launched in 1989 and successfully help around 12 million students, last year the program supported at least 2.5 million learners and have given opportunities through quality education.
Dedication, passion, perseverance topped with good facilities and better education tools like books and computer sets are instruments in accessing valuable education.
Further studies revealed that over five million public school students attend classes on makeshift structure and gathered on aisle just to be accommodated and learn their lessons ignoring the limited spaces and overcrowding.
That is why GASTPE is addressing the issue of overcrowding and providing quality education through its Education Service Contracting (ESC) initiative.
Current statistics show that over 3500 private schools join this program to help ease the load on public schools and provide high standards to maximize quality education.
The program allocates funds for teacher’s training, salary subsidy, and provide resources to maintain educational standards.
Well, as our children is our future and teach them well, and surely, they will lead the way. (UnliNews Online)
