Are private schools required to give scholarships?

Quick answer

Generally, no. The Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act (Republic Act No. 11861, which amended RA 8972) does not ordinarily compel private schools to fund or grant scholarships from their own resources just because a student is a child of a solo parent. What the law does do is strengthen access to education support mainly through government-led scholarship, grants, vouchers, subsidies, and referral/priority mechanisms (implemented through agencies and LGUs), and it allows partnerships with private schools—but partnership is not the same as a legal obligation to give a privately-funded scholarship.

That said, a private school can still be required to honor education assistance if it is participating in a government scholarship/voucher program or is bound by its own published scholarship policies, contracts, or an applicable local ordinance.

1) What law are we talking about?

The framework

RA 8972 (Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000) created core benefits like parental leave, flexible work arrangements, and social development support.
RA 11861 (Expanded Solo Parents Welfare Act) broadened coverage and strengthened implementation, especially through clearer mechanisms at the LGU/DSWD level and improved access to services.

The law is welfare-and-labor adjacent (it touches work benefits like leave and non-discrimination) and social services oriented (education, health, housing, livelihood, psychosocial support).

2) Who qualifies as a “solo parent”?

While exact classifications are detailed in the law and its implementing rules, “solo parent” generally covers a parent or guardian who alone carries the responsibility of parenthood due to circumstances such as:

Death of a spouse
Abandonment by a spouse
Legal separation or de facto separation with sole parental responsibility
Annulment/nullity with custody/parental responsibility
Unmarried parent who keeps and raises the child
Other situations recognized by law/implementing rules where one person shoulders parental care without a partner

Important practical point

Most benefits require a Solo Parent ID issued through the city/municipal social welfare and development office (CSWDO/MSWDO) under DSWD guidance. Eligibility can involve documentation (e.g., birth certificates, proof of custody, proof of abandonment/separation, etc.), and some benefits may be means-tested (income-based) depending on the specific program.

3) What “education benefits” exist under the expanded law?

The expanded law strengthens education-related support in a few common ways:

A. Priority access / facilitation to public education support

The core theme is access—making it easier for qualified solo parents and their children to benefit from:

Scholarship programs
Student financial assistance
Training/skills programs
Referrals to education assistance offered by national agencies and LGUs

These are typically administered or coordinated through government bodies (e.g., education agencies and training authorities) and LGUs, rather than being a direct mandate on private schools to spend their own funds.

B. Local government support

A major real-world lever is the LGU, which may provide:

Local scholarships or educational aid
Transportation/allowances
School supplies assistance
Links to local foundations and private donors
Emergency aid for school continuity

If your question is “what can I realistically apply for?”, the CSWDO/MSWDO is often the gateway.

C. Partnerships with private institutions

The law’s approach often includes coordination and partnership. This can mean:

Private schools may participate in scholarship arrangements funded by government/LGUs/donors
Schools may be asked to accept grantees under a program, subject to program rules
But participation does not automatically mean “the school must grant a privately-funded scholarship.”

4) So are private schools required to give scholarships?

The legal distinction that matters

There’s a big difference between:

“Government will provide/enable scholarship assistance and prioritize solo parents and their children.” vs.
“Private schools must create or fund scholarships for solo parent families.”

The expanded law is primarily (1).

When a private school is NOT required

A private school is generally not legally required to provide a scholarship solely because a student is a solo parent’s child when:

There is no government scholarship/voucher tied to that student, and
There is no school policy granting such a benefit, and
There is no contract/undertaking by the school, and
There is no local ordinance requiring discounts/aid.

Private schools can choose to be generous, but the default rule is no automatic mandate.

When a private school MAY be required (real exceptions)

A private school may have an enforceable obligation if any of the following apply:

A. The student is a beneficiary of a government/LGU scholarship or voucher program that the school accepts. If the school is an accredited/participating institution, it must follow the program rules—e.g., honoring tuition coverage, applying the correct billing scheme, not imposing improper conditions, etc.

B. The school has an official scholarship/discount policy that includes solo parents (or a broader category the student fits). If it’s published in enrollment materials or student handbooks, it can become enforceable as a policy commitment—especially if the family relied on it and the school applied it inconsistently.

C. A contract or written undertaking exists. If the school (or foundation connected to it) issued an award letter, MOA, or written grant terms, it must follow those terms.

D. A local ordinance provides education aid or discounts and covers private schools. Some LGUs pass ordinances providing sectoral benefits. Whether it can bind private schools depends on the ordinance’s scope and legal footing, but it can be a basis for claims or negotiations.

E. Non-discrimination issues (limited and fact-specific). If a school refuses admission or imposes unequal treatment because of solo parent status, it may raise policy/rights concerns—though “non-discrimination” protections in this area are more directly explicit in employment contexts. Still, arbitrary unequal treatment can sometimes be challenged under general principles, depending on facts and the school’s representations.

5) Common misconceptions (and what’s actually true)

Misconception 1: “Solo Parent ID = automatic tuition discount anywhere.”

Not automatic. A Solo Parent ID is usually a gateway document to access benefits and programs—but it doesn’t, by itself, force a private school to discount tuition.

Misconception 2: “The expanded law created a universal scholarship entitlement.”

The law strengthens access and prioritization, but in practice scholarships still depend on:

Program funding
Eligibility criteria
Slots/quotas
Agency/LGU rules
Documentation compliance

Misconception 3: “Private schools must shoulder the cost because the law mentions scholarships.”

The presence of “scholarship” in a welfare law typically means the State will provide or facilitate it (directly or through programs), not that every private school must self-fund it.

6) If you’re a solo parent: where do you actually go for education help?

A practical path

Get/renew your Solo Parent ID at your CSWDO/MSWDO
Ask specifically for:
- Education assistance programs for solo parents
- Any LGU scholarship windows
- Referral letters for programs that require LGU endorsement
Coordinate with the child’s school:
- Ask if they accept any government/LGU scholarship grantees
- Ask if they have institutional aid, needs-based grants, alumni funds, or foundation slots
Keep records:
- Enrollment assessments
- Official receipts
- Scholarship endorsements/letters
- School policy excerpts and communications

7) If a private school denies a “solo parent scholarship,” what are your options?

It depends on what you’re actually claiming:

If you’re claiming a government/LGU scholarship the school participates in

Ask for the school’s scholarship coordinator or finance office
Request the school’s written basis for denial
Elevate to the program administrator (LGU office or agency that issued the grant)
Provide proof of eligibility and the school’s participating status (if applicable)

If you’re claiming a school-funded scholarship with no policy/contract

This is usually a request, not a legal entitlement
Your best leverage is:
- School humanitarian committee
- PTA / guidance office referrals
- Alumni foundation channels
- A negotiated payment plan

If you’re claiming a benefit under a school policy or written commitment

Present the policy/award letter
Request reconsideration in writing
Elevate to school administration
Consider formal complaint channels under the relevant regulator depending on school level (basic education vs. higher education), if the issue is misrepresentation or policy breach

8) Takeaways

RA 11861 expands support, but education assistance is mainly state-facilitated (agency/LGU programs, prioritization, linkages).
Private schools are not automatically required to give scholarships just because a family has Solo Parent status.
A private school becomes obligated only when there is a separate binding basis: participation in a funded program, school policy, contract, or possibly an ordinance.
For most families, the fastest route is: Solo Parent ID → CSWDO/MSWDO → scholarship/aid referrals → school coordination.

This is a general legal-information article for the Philippine context and is not a substitute for advice on a specific case. If you share the school level (basic ed vs. college), your city/municipality, and whether you’re applying under a government/LGU scholarship or asking the school for its own discount, I can tailor the analysis to the most relevant rules and remedies.