By Stephanie Sevillano
MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday said it has tapped the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate alleged irregularities in the voucher program of Senior High School (SHS).
In a statement, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara assured full cooperation with the NBI as it conducts an independent probe into the alleged misuse of public funds through “ghost students” or undocumented beneficiaries of the SHS voucher program in some private schools in the country.
“We will ensure that the SHS Voucher Program remains a tool for educational access, not a loophole for fraud. We are strengthening safeguards, reinforcing accountability, and making sure only rightful beneficiaries receive assistance,” he said.
The education chief also vowed continuous transparency amid the investigation, assuring to hold the people behind the irregularity accountable.
The DepEd said it placed a more stringent verification process and multiple-layered cross-checking for the Voucher Management System (VMS) and the Learner Information System (LIS).
Accounts with discrepancies in billing statements and LIS records will be flagged, consequently withholding payments unless resolved by schools.
The DepEd will also upgrade the LIS with an audit feature to track all changes.
All changes in data will be automatically alerted via email containing the complete learners’ history.
Besides coordination with the NBI and more stringent mechanisms, Angara also vowed to work with lawmakers and other concerned government agencies to address the problem.
Earlier, Angara authorized the Executive Committee to pursue “all legal and administrative actions” related to the issue to uphold the integrity of the SHS voucher program and prevent similar incidents. (PNA)
