The Department of Education (DepEd) appointed 339 School Counselor Associates (SCAs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) on Thursday, following a nationwide rise in school-related violence.
“These are the ones who will guide our children in school, not only career guidance, but also personal problems,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara told reporters in mixed English and Filipino during an interview.
“They will also observe if there are children who are depressed, or who are confused, or who feel that they are not part of the community,” he added. “They are the ones who are responsible for correcting their mistakes.”
School shootings and threats that have occurred since June have pushed the agency to bolster school safety, including strengthening psychosocial support among students.
Despite efforts to hire more counselors, the agency previously expressed concerns about a shortage of professionals, pushing the creation of SCAs under Republic Act No. 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act.
Compared to school counselors, who need a professional license, SCAs require only a Bachelor’s degree with 18 units in Behavioral Science, a 200-hour practicum, and Career Service Professional Eligibility.
DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) are also working to increase the number of counselor professionals by offering scholarship opportunities to school personnel.
The initiative, under the Learning Initiatives for Nurturing Guidance Associates and Counselors Program (LINGAP), will offer 870 scholarship slots for graduate studies and professional development in Guidance and Counseling and Psychology.
The program has received a P182.055 million allocation under the General Appropriations Act.
DepEd has shortlisted 327 nominees, while CHED endorsed 230 for the first batch in Academic Year 2026-2027.
Each scholar will receive a comprehensive financial package covering tuition and other school fees, a P30,000 monthly living allowance, and up to P150,000 in research allowance.
After completing their graduate studies, grantees must take licensure examinations and serve in public schools.
“These positions have been vacant for a long time in the department, especially in guidance counselors,” Mr. Angara said. “However, the school counselor associates are newly created positions within the department.”
“As soon as we can hire, we will hire… We still have a few thousand to go,” he added.
The agency said it has already hired 5,404 SCAs of its 10,000 target by year-end. 4,423 are undergoing assessments, while 312 posts remain open for applications nationwide. — Almira Louise S. Martinez