DepEd seeks return of P938K in senior high funds

The Department of Education (DepEd) said it was moving to recover P938,000 in Senior High School Voucher Program payments released to schools for 53 beneficiaries whose status could not be verified, following the findings by the Commission on Audit (CoA).

The 53 cases were among 58 flagged during CoA’s validation of the voucher program for school year 2025-26. The 58 beneficiaries included dropouts, transferees, learners no longer enrolled in the second semester, two reported deceased learners, and one learner who was absent during the validation with no supporting school records.

“As part of its five-layer validation, the DepEd, through its co-manager of the Senior High School Voucher Program, the Private Education Assistance Committee has completed its school year 2025-26 validation,” the DepEd said in a statement.

“Through this year-end validation, flagged cases are being reviewed and confirmed overpayments will be recovered,” it added.

The department said it has also tightened program safeguards through its revised Education Service Contracting and Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education guidelines issued in April 2026.

The revised rules strengthened the procedures for beneficiary validation, billing, refunds, and accountability, the DepEd said.

The department’s Government Assistance and Subsidies Service also monitors participating private schools and their compliance with program requirements.

Under the voucher program, participating schools submit billing claims based on qualified beneficiaries. DepEd’s validation process is intended to check beneficiary information before and during the release of subsidies.

CoA’s audit found that the 58 flagged beneficiaries had been included in billing statements submitted by participating private schools. Of these, payments for 53 had been released, resulting in the P938,000 overpayment. Four had been excluded from billing before payment, while one P14,000 payment had not yet been released.

The CoA also found that the status of 52 beneficiaries required further verification to establish their last dates of attendance and determine the amounts, if any, that should be refunded.

The DepEd said it had previously pursued cases involving attempts to defraud the voucher program. It cited a July 2026 Regional Trial Court conviction involving an individual who attempted to defraud the program using falsified billing statements.

“DepEd will continue to pursue accountability and the recovery of government funds where warranted,” the department said.