DAVAO CITY (PIA) - The Department of Education-XI is planning to hike its support to private schools from the current P19-billion worth of funding assistance.

The Davao Region has 1.39 million students enrolled in 2,701 schools, this is broken down into kindergarten 109,889; elementary 656, 525; junior high school 423,667; and senior high school 206,722. Of the total number of students 81% of them are studying in public schools while 19% are in private schools.

“The absorptive capacity of DepEd public school system in Davao Region is 81% I’m talking of those enrolled in basic education and that’s kindergarten to senior high school, 19% or represented by an absolute value of 152,000 are in private education,” DepEd-XI Regional Director Allan Farnazo said during the Dagyaw Townhall Session held on Nov. 29 at Ritz Hotel in Davao City.

“Magkano ba ang investment ng gobyerno sa private education dito sa region sasagutin ko ng diretsahan ang school year 2021-2022 para malaman ng lahat P19-billion ang investment ng gobyerno sa private education dito sa rehiyon at ito ay napapaloob sa EGASTPE (Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education), vouchers, JDPB (Joint Delivery Voucher Program) na mga programa,” Farnazo revealed the current government assistance to private schools in the region.

Another kind of government support is through the Private Education Associations Committee in the form of scholarship and trainings of private schools.

RD Farnazo said he is proposing to the Regional Development Council an increase in the government support which he bared will be from P19-billion to P30 billion for 2023.

“I have proposed for 2023 na taasan ito kaya yan ang dasal natin na mataasan para ma-increase ang vouchers,” Farnazo said.

He added that not all private schools are as large as popular private education institutions.

“You will see a lot of schools (private) that really need assistance,” the DepEd regional director said.

Farnazo emphasized the importance of the collaboration of the DepEd and the private schools in the recovery of the education sector after the pandemic.

“We can only move forward if we do it together,” Farnazo said.

The Dagyaw Townhall Sessions organized by the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management highlights relevant  issues thru an open dialogue between the government and the citizen stakeholders. This year's Dagyaw Davao Region second episode focuses on education recovery. (PIA/RG Alama)