CoA flags DepEd over ‘ghost students’

The Commission on Audit (CoA) flagged deficiencies in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) implementation of its Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education program in 2025.

State auditors found 58 “unverifiable” senior high school Voucher Program Beneficiaries for school year 2025-2026, resulting in nearly P1 million in overpayments.

CoA also found five voucher recipients misclassified under incorrect categories, resulting in P14,700 in excess payments.

“These lapses expose the program to the risk of erroneous billing and overpayment, compromise the reliability of beneficiary validation, and may result in the disbursement of funds to ineligible beneficiaries,” the report said.

The program had a 96.48-percent overall compliance rate, but CoA urged DepEd to strengthen post-billing validation and reconciliation and ensure schools promptly and accurately update beneficiary information in the Learner Information System.

CoA also flagged three school projects in Davao del Norte.

Two one-story school buildings in Talaingod, worth P36.35 million, had been fully paid despite auditors finding no structures at Kamingawan Elementary School and Dulyan Integrated School.

The projects included solar power systems, furniture, rainwater collectors and water systems.

A two-story building at Dugayan National High School in Kapalong was also 98.90 percent paid despite only its structural frame being completed.

CoA recommended that the Davao del Norte Schools Division Office terminate the contracts and initiate blacklisting proceedings against the contractors.