Budget cuts threaten reach of DepEd private school voucher program

MANILA – The Department of Education faces a potential reduction in beneficiaries under its joint delivery voucher program due to a lower budget allocation for the coming fiscal year, according to Education Secretary Sonny Angara.

Angara raised the concern during a congressional budget hearing on Monday, noting that the consolidated funding for the voucher initiative would decline. The program allows eligible families from low-income brackets to use government-funded vouchers to enroll their children in accredited private schools as an alternative to the public education system.

The budget cut threatens to restrict access to the program at a time when many families continue to seek alternatives within the education sector. The exact extent of the reduction in beneficiaries will depend on how the remaining funds are allocated and distributed across participating private institutions.

The private education voucher program has served as a key policy tool for the government to expand educational options and relieve pressure on overcrowded public schools. Angara's warning underscores ongoing fiscal constraints affecting various government education initiatives as officials prepare the next budget cycle.