Qualified private school teachers are set to receive an additional Php 6,000 in their annual Teachers’ Salary Subsidy (TSS) starting Academic Year 2025–2026, following the approval of increased funding under the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) Program.
From the original Php 18,000 subsidy, private school teachers will now receive Php 24,000 after it was approved by the State Assistance Council (SAC), the body that oversees GASTPE.
To qualify for the TSS, the teacher must be licensed, employed full-time at a participating private school, and must teach Education Service Contracting (ESC) grantees for at least three hours per week.
The initiative, according to the Department of Education (DepEd), aims to recognize and support the vital role of private school teachers in the country’s education system.
This also aims to address the long-standing disparity in salaries between private and public school teachers, with the latter receiving standardized government salaries and benefits.
DepEd secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara said they will be working with the national government, Local Government Units (LGUs), development partners, and private education institutions for this move to be successful.
This subsidy is part of the GASTPE program established under Republic Act No. 8545 or the “Expanded Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act” which aims to provide financial support to students and teachers in private schools.
It can be recalled that president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, pledged to make education a top national priority by increasing budget allocations to the sector.
