PHThe Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines is planning to seek additional funding to hire more school counselor associates to improve student mental well-being. At a recent forum, DepEd Undersecretary Malcolm Garma stated that the agency has started hiring nearly 10,000 school counselor associates, with priority given to schools identified as hotspots for violence. He emphasized that while these associates are not fully qualified guidance counselors, they will undergo psychological or behavioral science training. Garma noted that the current number of registered guidance counselors, only 5,000 nationwide, with just 1,000 under DepEd, is insufficient for the country's 45,000 schools. The push for more counselors follows high-profile school shootings in Tacloban and Zamboanga, which highlighted concerns over youth mental health.
Bias read (Center): The article presents information about DepEd's plans for hiring school counselor associates without overtly endorsing or criticizing the policy. It includes quotes from officials and provides background on the issue, including the context of recent school shootings. While the topic is politically-ch
