Deadly shooting prompts call for more guidance counselors
The deadly shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22 has highlighted the urgent need to fully implement a law that would increase the number of guidance counselors and strengthen mental health services in schools, an education official said Wednesday.
Julienne Rosa Saballa, senior guidance coordinator of the Department of Education (DepEd) Tacloban Schools Division, said only two of the city's four public high schools have registered guidance counselors. The remaining campuses, including dozens of elementary schools, rely on teachers designated to perform guidance-related functions.
Ideal ratio far from met
"The ideal ratio is one registered guidance counselor for every 500 students. At the Leyte National High School (LNHS), we are only two guidance counselors serving more than 8,000 students," said Saballa, who has served as one of the two guidance counselors at LNHS for more than a decade.
The other school in Tacloban with a registered guidance counselor is Sagkahan National High School. A registered guidance counselor holds a license from the Professional Regulation Commission and at least a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling, competent to perform guidance and counseling, career guidance, and implement mental health programs.
Role of counselors in preventing violence
Saballa emphasized that registered guidance counselors play a vital role in promoting students' mental health and well-being, which can help prevent violence and other behavioral concerns in schools. "We are not here to punish students. We are here to listen and care for them. We do not teach values education, but we help them develop life skills and provide career guidance," she said.
Full implementation of RA 12080 needed
She said full implementation of Republic Act 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, would significantly improve delivery of mental health services by creating more plantilla positions for mental health professionals in schools. Signed into law on Dec. 6, 2024, the measure creates specialized positions within DepEd, including school division counselors, school counselors, and school counselor associates. It also mandates establishment of care centers in every public basic education school to provide direct counseling services, preventive mental health programs, and mental health first aid.
Aftermath of the shooting
Meanwhile, Saballa said guidance counselors have completed psychological first aid sessions for school personnel and students affected by the June 22 shooting and are now preparing teachers for the resumption of classes next week. "They are not expected to immediately resume regular classroom instruction because many students are still coping with the trauma brought about by the incident," she said. The shooting at San Jose National High School on June 22 left three students dead and 20 others injured. As of Wednesday, two of the victims had been laid to rest.
