Low pay stops DepEd from hiring more guidance counselors
The Department of Education said low salaries and lack of career progression have hinder its need to hire more school guidance counselors.
DepEd spokesperson Michael Tan Poa said the department only has 2,093 guidance counselors to cater to the needs of over 28 million students in the basic education sector, or a ratio of one guidance counselor per 14,000 students.
“The ideal ratio should have been one guidance counselor per 250 students,” Poa said.
The need for more guidance counselors has been emphasized by the increase in the number of students with mental health issues and recent suicides.
He said as much as the DepEd wants to solve the problem, it can only do so much due to the low salary and lack of career progression.
“The entry-level salary amounts to only P27,000 and the qualification is one should have a masteral degree so based on that, the salary is not really attractive,” he said.
Poa said the DepEd will also talk to the Department of Budget and Management to see if salaries for guidance counselors can be increased.
“The role of our guidance counselors is very important not only on the issue of providing advise on mental health problems but also on the thoughts of our learners since they are the ones talking to them,” he said.
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