ARMM uncovers .2 M ‘ghost’ students

MANILA, Philippines — The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has uncovered a little over 200,000 “ghost students” listed in various public schools in the region from 2011 to 2016.

The discovery of the non-existent students was raised by ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman during deliberations on the proposed P33-billion budget for the region before the Senate finance committee.

“We have been doing actual headcounts and have been cleansing the lists in districts of the Department of Education (DepEd),” Hataman told the committee chaired by Sen. Loren Legarda.

The cleansing of the enrollment lists is ongoing.

From 2011 to 2016, corrupt school officials, teachers and their cohorts in government agencies have padded their rolls with 207,884 ghost students. The padding of enrollment figures was uncovered in an audit conducted by his office, Hataman said.

In 2011–2012, there were 28,153 ghost students out of 860,509 in the rolls or 18 percent of the total enrolment; in 2012 – 2013, 75,242 ghost students out of 785,267 or 50 percent; in 2013 – 2014, 48,066 ghost students out of 710,201 or 32 percent.

Padding enrollment figures allows the concerned public schools to obtain more funds for maintenance and other operating expenses as well as “chalk allowance.” Any excess is pocketed by corrupt officials, Hataman said.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri lamented what he said was the “the web of corruption in the educational system.”

“We have to change the system in the budgeting of public schools… this racket has been going on and it is to the credit of the initiative and candor of ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman that this is now exposed,” Zubiri said.

Zubiri tasked the Southern Philippines Development Authority and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process to submit to the committee their comprehensive plans on improving the educational system in Mindanao independent of the Madrasah system and massive technical and vocational skills training program under the Pamana program of the OPAPP.