DepEd should hire more guidance counselors than spend for drug tests — senator

Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian on Monday said the fund that the Department of Education is planning to set aside for “traumatic” mandatory drug testing among students should instead be used to hire more school guidance counselors.

Based on the Department of Education (DepEd) report, with the proposed P200 fee per student, an approximate amount of P2.8 billion pesos is needed to fund the drug test for 14 million Grades 4 to 12 students.

In a statement on Monday, Gatchalian said, “The P2.8 billion needed to fund PDEA’s [Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency] proposed mandatory drug testing of Grade 4 to Grade 12 students will be put to better use if allocated to address the shortage of guidance counselors in elementary and high schools.”

The lawmaker emphasized that guidance and counseling would “prevent unhealthy behaviors” while mandatory drug testing will be like “treating them [the students] as drug suspects.”

“I would rather have more guidance counselors who will steer young students away from drug use by encouraging them to succeed in academics, sports, the arts, and other wholesome activities,” said Gatchalian, vice-chairperson of the Senate committee on education.

Lack of registered guidance counselors

DepEd mandates all public and private elementary and high schools to hire one registered guidance counselor (RGC) for every 500 students.

However, as of July 2017, the Philippines has only had 3,220 RGCs since the country’s  first batch of licensure examinees passed in 2008.

To address the lack of guidance counselors, Gatchalian said he might file a bill to modify the requirements for guidance counselor licensure examination under Republic Act No. 9258, or the Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004.

Currently, only master’s degree holders are allowed to take a licensure exam for guidance counseling. “This may be too stringent and may have deterred guidance counselors from applying for a license,” Gatchalian noted.

“Maybe we can allow bachelor’s degree holders to take the licensure exam and waive the licensure exam requirement for those with at least a master’s degree and relevant experience,” he said. — Carol Balita/INQUIRER.net Intern

/vvp