DepEd uncovers school with 98% suspected 'ghost students' in voucher program

The Department of Education (DepEd) has recently uncovered significant irregularities within its Senior High School (SHS) Voucher Program, designed to subsidize tuition for qualified Grade 11 and 12 students attending private institutions. A notable case involves a private school where 98% of the listed beneficiaries are suspected to be "ghost students," prompting a comprehensive investigation into fraudulent activities within the program. 

Scope of the Issue

The SHS Voucher Program, launched in 2015, aims to provide financial assistance to students who wish to pursue senior high school education in private schools. However, recent findings have raised concerns about the program's integrity. DepEd's investigation revealed that 12 private schools across nine divisions are under scrutiny for allegedly listing nonexistent students as beneficiaries. This discovery led to the withholding of approximately ₱52.5 million in voucher funds for the 2023-2024 school year, pending further verification. 

Termination of Non-Compliant Schools

In response to these irregularities, DepEd has taken decisive action by terminating the participation of 55 private schools from the SHS Voucher Program over the past three school years. Specifically, 22 schools were removed in the 2021-2022 school year, 32 in 2022-2023, and one in 2023-2024, with an additional 12 schools currently under investigation. The primary reasons for these terminations include discrepancies in billing information and the Learner Information System (LIS), as well as the presence of ghost students. 

Financial Implications

The fraudulent activities have significant financial implications. DepEd withheld approximately ₱200 million in voucher subsidies for the previous school year due to questionable claims from private schools. These discrepancies were identified through a verification system that cross-referenced schools' billing statements with the LIS. If inconsistencies were found, payments were withheld to prevent potential misuse of funds. 

Early Warnings and Oversight

Concerns about potential loopholes in the SHS Voucher Program were raised as early as 2016 by the Private Education Assistance Committee (PEAC). Despite these early warnings, recent investigations have uncovered thousands of ghost students, indicating that the issues were not adequately addressed at the time. 

DepEd's Response and Accountability Measures

DepEd is conducting thorough investigations into personnel and officials who may be involved in these fraudulent activities. The department is preparing to terminate the accreditation of implicated schools and is gathering evidence to pursue administrative and criminal sanctions against those responsible. Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized the department's commitment to transparency and accountability, stating that misuse of public funds intended for education programs will not be tolerated. 

Public Advisory and Future Actions

DepEd urges the public to report any irregularities related to the implementation of its programs. Anonymous reports can be sent to walangkorapsyon@deped.gov.ph, as part of the department's efforts to uphold integrity and accountability in its operations. Moving forward, DepEd plans to strengthen monitoring mechanisms to prevent similar incidents and ensure that assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries. 

Legislative Actions

The recurrence of such fraudulent activities has prompted legislative attention. Lawmakers are currently investigating the reasons behind the listings of ghost students in the SHS Voucher Program. Discussions focus on tightening requirements for the voucher program and excluding underperforming private schools from receiving subsidies to safeguard public funds. 

The uncovering of ghost students within the SHS Voucher Program highlights the need for stringent monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to prevent misuse of public funds. DepEd's proactive measures in investigating and addressing these irregularities demonstrate its commitment to maintaining the integrity of educational subsidy programs and ensuring that assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries.

Sources:

• https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/03/20/2429810/deped-finds-one-school-98-possible-ghost-students-voucher-program?
• https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/938440/deped-terminates-55-private-schools-from-shs-voucher-program/story/?
• https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/03/07/2426594/ghost-students-deped-withheld-p200-million-vouchersdue-questionable-claims?
• https://tribune.net.ph/2025/03/19/deped-informed-about-loopholes-in-shs-voucher-program-as-early-as-2016-says-peac?u
• https://mb.com.ph/2025/3/19/why-were-there-ghost-students-in-dep-ed-s-voucher-program?