The Department of Education (DepEd) announced Thursday it is streamlining the hiring process for guidance counselors, with a target of deploying approximately 15,000 school counselor associates (SCAs) by the end of the year, as reported by BusinessWorld.
DepEd Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development Wilfredo E. Cabral said the agency proposed and received approval for a compressed timeline to expedite hiring. The initiative aims to address the growing need for mental health support in schools across the country.
The move comes amid increasing recognition of the importance of mental health services in educational settings. The SCAs will work under the supervision of licensed guidance counselors to provide support to students.