DepEd prioritizes violence-hit campuses in hiring counselor associates

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is conducting risk assessments to prioritize large schools and those with a history of violence in the hiring and deployment of school counselor associates amid budget constraints, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

“Every year we are given a budget for the hiring of counselor associates. We distribute it for the 40,000-plus schools based on risk and usually, we have a risk assessment. Usually, incidents of bullying and violence tend to happen in bigger schools, in schools in urban areas. So, those schools that have a history, we will really provide them counselor associates,” Angara said.

The DepEd aims to complete the hiring of 10,000 school counselor associates by the end of 2026.

Angara noted that only 5,000 of the more than 45,000 schools nationwide have registered guidance counselors.

“What we hope is that we hire a combination of guidance counselors and have school counselor associates. Not a full-fledged guidance counselor, but with experience or units in psychology, in behavioral science, so will be able to spot any mental health issues and be able to guide our students,” he added.

Angara said the hiring is timely amid increasing incidents of bullying, school violence, mental health issues and depression among learners.

The DepEd is also seeking an additional P147.9 billion from the Senate to fund important programs left unfunded under its proposed P975.96-billion allocation for 2027.

“If you look at the most successful countries with the most successful education systems, they tend to spend more on education,” Angara said.

He admitted, however, that securing the additional funding would be a long shot.

“It is a long shot… but it’s a shot we have to take because it’s our duty. I think the fact that the senators are asking what are the most important items for us, I think that’s an indication that they really want to, at least at a minimum level, restore some of the budget that was taken away and fund other programs that may not be funded anymore,” he added.