June 30 – The House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to institutionalize a career guidance and counseling program for students in all public and private secondary schools nationwide to provide them proper direction in pursuing subsequent tertiary education.
The approved House Bill 5576, also known as the proposed “Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Act,” is principally authored by Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Third District Rep. Arthur Defensor.
The guidance and counseling program shall be implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd), starting at the Grade 7 level and shall be a prerequisite to senior high school graduation.
The bill recognizes the role of the youth in nation building and in the acceleration of social progress. In this regard, the State shall ensure their total development by promoting relevant education to generate human resources that shall be responsive to the needs of the government, industry, and the economy.
The bill aims to: provide proper direction to private and public high school students nationwide in pursuing subsequent tertiary education; equip these students with the capability to make educated career decision and expose them to relevant labor markets; and ensure graduates of tertiary education meet the requirements of the government, industry, and the economy.
It provides for the creation of a National Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Program (CGCP) to be administered by the DepEd.
The DepEd shall, in coordination with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), accredited professional organizations on guidance counseling, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) formulate , develop and review a Career Guidance and Counseling Instructional Module (CGCIM), which shall serve as the basic instructional material to guide secondary students in their pursuit of meaningful and rewarding tertiary education based on their capacity and skills, the accessibility of public tertiary education institutions, the labor market, and the requirements and expectations of the government, industry, and the economy.
A CGCP Center which shall function as a resource center for the implementation of the CGCP and responsible primarily for providing guidance and counseling based on the CGCIM shall be established and headed by the school administrator, assisted by a trained career and employment guidance counselor.
In accordance with Section 9 of Republic Act No. 10533, otherwise known as the “Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013,”and notwithstanding the provisions of Section 27 of RA 9258, otherwise known as the “Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004,” career and employment guidance counsellors who are not registered with the PRC shall be allowed to conduct career advocacy activities to secondary level students of the school where they are currently employed.
The guidance counsellors shall undergo a training program developed an accredited by the DepEd.
The DepEd, through the National Education Testing and Research, shall conduct an annual National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) among students in the appropriate grade level in all public and private secondary schools nationwide as a tool to assess and evaluate the aptitude, skill or inclination of the student in a particular occupational field and to serve as guide for the students in choosing their respective courses or career options.
The DepEd shall determine the content of the NCAE, the date of examination, the location of examination centers, and the appropriate grade level of examinees, and shall issue the guidelines necessary for effective implementation of the Act.
This is in consonance with the government’s mandate to promote relevant education which will be responsive to the needs of the government, industry and the economy, so training the students as early as in the secondary level is expected to raise a studentry capable of making educated career decisions and expose them to relevant labor markets.
A Career Guidance and Counseling Instructional Module (CGCIM) will be formulated, developed and reviewed to serve as the basic instructional material which will guide secondary students when they graduate and pursue college, based on their capacity and skills, access to public tertiary institutions, the labor market, and the requirements and expectations of the government, industry and the economy.
The module will be a joint undertaking between the DepEd and the different regulatory, educational and training institutions, such as the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), accredited professional organizations on guidance counseling, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs).
Non PRC-registered career and employment guidance counselors will also be allowed to conduct career advocacy activities to secondary students of the school they are currently employed, provided that they undergo a training program developed and accredited by DepEd first.
The National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) will be used as a basis to assess and evaluate the aptitude, skill or inclination of the students in particular occupational field, and will serve as a guide for the students in choosing their respective courses or career options.
A systematic and timely review of the NCAE will be required to maintain the relevance, validity and integrity of the examination. / CM | HOR