by Dharel Placido
MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure establishing a career guidance and counseling program for all secondary schools.
Signed by Duterte on Feb. 14, Republic Act 11206 or the Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Act aims to institutionalize a career guidance and counseling program for students in all private and public secondary schools “in order to provide them proper direction in pursuing subsequent tertiary education.”
The law also aims to equip students with the capability to make “educated career decisions and expose them to relevant labor markets,” and ensure that graduates of tertiary education meet the requirements of the government, industry, and the economy.
The law creates the National Secondary Schools Career Guidance and Counseling Program (CGCP) to be administered by the Department of Education (DepEd). It will be implemented in all private and public secondary educational institutions and commence at the Grade 7 level. It will also be a prerequisite to senior high school graduation.
The DepEd, in coordination with the Professional Regulation Commission and other relevant government agencies, is also mandated to craft a Career Guidance and Counseling Instructional Module.
The module will 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,” the law reads.
A National Career Assessment Examination will also be carried out 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 a guide for the students in choosing their respective courses or career options.”