Taguig to send 1,000 kids to private schools

MANILA, Philippines -  More than 1,000 public high school students in the city of Taguig may now transfer to private schools with the assistance of the Taguig City government.

Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano on Thursday said public school students have benefitted from the Taguig Learner’s Certificate (TLC) Program, which allows them to transfer to private schools paid for by the city government of Taguig.

The TLC is considered an enhanced version of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASPE), a national government program aimed at decongesting public schools by funding the transfer of students to private schools.

Like the first two years of its implementation, the TLC scholars will receive financial assistance amounting to P15,000 compared to P10,000 received by GASPE recipients.

“This is the third year that the city has been implementing the TLC, one of our important education programs here in Taguig. I am happy that under this program, our students are given quality education while we help in decongesting our public school system,” Cayetano said.

Under the TLC program, P10,000 of the P15,000 will be used to pay for the student’s tuition fees while the remaining amount can be utilized either as allowance or  payment for books and school supplies.

To date, a total of 2,700 TLC scholars are studying in different private high schools in Taguig.

Under the TLC program, even private schools stand to benefit from the transfer of students from the public school system.

Education has always been the priority of the Cayetano administration since it came to power in 2010.

Aside from having a scholarship fund of P300 million, the city government under Cayetano has also made sure that education is free in the public school system.

Students in Taguig public schools enjoy free head-to-toe school uniforms, shoes and other school supplies.