2011年-世界发展银行全球_Philippines_Private_Provision_Public_Purpose___A_Review_of_the_Governments_Education_Service_Contracting_Program_100页_1mb

Summary of the Philippines' Education Service Contracting Program

Core Content

The Philippines has implemented a significant Education Service Contracting (ESC) program, which is one of the largest public-private partnership initiatives in education globally. The program aims to improve access to quality secondary education by providing financial assistance to "poor but deserving" students who would otherwise attend public high schools. Since its inception in 1982, the ESC program has grown substantially, with over 500,000 students benefiting in 2009, representing 9% of public high school students and 36% of private high school students.

The program is managed by the Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE), a private agency, under a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Department of Education (DepED). The ESC program helps reduce congestion in public schools, improves school quality, and encourages households to invest in education. The cost of enrolling a student in a private school through the ESC is significantly lower than the cost of public schooling, with the government spending only 58% of the public school cost per student.

Main Points

• Program Objectives:

  • Improve access to quality secondary education for underprivileged students.
  • Reduce overcrowding in public schools.
  • Maintain the financial sustainability of private secondary schools.
  • Encourage household investment in education.

• Program Structure:

  • The ESC program provides financial assistance to students who attend private high schools.
  • The Fund for Assistance to Private Education (FAPE) is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the program.
  • The DepED is the managing agency and is responsible for policy oversight.
  • The program operates under a fixed-price contract with FAPE, which incentivizes cost efficiency.

• Financial Aspects:

  • The direct cost per public secondary student is PhP 9,048 ($185) annually.
  • The cost per ESC grantee is PhP 5,233 ($107) annually, representing a 58% saving compared to public schooling.
  • The program has led to significant cost savings for the government, as it is more efficient to support students through private schools than to expand public school infrastructure.

• Student Performance:

  • Private schools outperform public schools in academic outcomes, as evidenced by TIMSS 2003 results.
  • Students in private schools, including those supported by ESC, show improved academic performance, even after controlling for socioeconomic and background factors.
  • The program may also help improve quality in public schools by reducing congestion and freeing up resources.

• Challenges:

  • Regional disparities in the distribution of ESC grants are not proportional to the number of "aisle students" (students in need of assistance).
  • The regulatory framework is not fully aligned with the program's goals, as DepED's role in overseeing FAPE is not clearly defined.
  • The funding allocation is based on the number of grantees rather than grantee-years, which may lead to inefficiencies.
  • Equity concerns arise because many ESC grantees come from non-poor households, which may not align with the program's original intent.

Key Recommendations

1. Expand ESC coverage:

   • Allocate ESC grants to more students and schools rather than expanding public school infrastructure.
   • Leverage private school capacity to alleviate overcrowding in public schools.

2. Clarify roles and responsibilities:

   • Define the roles of DepED and FAPE in the MOA to ensure accountability and ownership.
   • Introduce a performance-based agreement that links funding to outcomes.

3. Introduce performance measures:

   • Include performance indicators in the MOA, such as student achievement targets.
   • Use a results-oriented approach to ensure that private schools meet quality standards.

4. Estimate capacity and demand:

   • Conduct a systematic study to estimate the demand (aisle students) and supply (private school capacity).
   • Use DepED's BEIS system to evaluate the full capacity of public schools and the number of aisle students.

5. Establish a high-level committee:

   • Create a GASTPE Board within DepED to oversee the ESC program and ensure ownership.
   • Develop a GASTPE Secretariat to support the board.

6. Consider performance-based funding for private schools:

   • Introduce minimum achievement targets for private schools receiving public funds.
   • Ensure quality improvements through performance-linked funding.

7. Strengthen impact evaluation:

   • Allocate resources for monitoring and evaluation within DepED.
   • Conduct a rigorous impact assessment using a baseline and counterfactual group.
   • Develop a three-year research agenda to evaluate the program's effectiveness.

8. Improve budgeting and slot allocation:

   • Track grantee-years rather than just the total number of grantees.
   • Ensure timely release of GAA funds for the GASTPE program.

9. Align grant distribution with need:

   • Adjust the distribution of ESC grants to reflect the actual need of students in different regions.
   • Ensure fair allocation of resources to schools with the greatest demand.

10. Build a stakeholder constituency:

    • Hold annual conventions to engage stakeholders and share best practices.
    • Use these forums to present annual reports and evaluation results.

11. Explore innovative financing models:

    • Consider private finance initiatives (PFI) to fund new school construction.
    • Allow private operators to manage schools under a concession model to introduce competition and risk-sharing.

12. Enhance transparency and accountability:

    • Ensure objectivity and fairness in program evaluation by involving independent bodies.
    • Adopt a randomized longitudinal study to assess the program's impact.

Conclusion

The ESC program has shown promise in improving access to quality education, reducing public school congestion, and promoting financial efficiency. However, to fully realize its potential, the program needs to address regulatory, financial, and equity challenges through streamlined governance, performance-based funding, and data-driven decision-making. Strengthening the program's impact evaluation and aligning grant distribution with need will be critical in ensuring that the ESC program fulfills its public purpose while maintaining its private provision model.