The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has approved the qualification standards for newly created school counseling positions, clearing the way for the government to hire 10,000 mental health workers for public schools under a landmark law aimed at expanding support services for learners.

The CSC approval allows the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to create 10,000 School Counselor Associate I positions, the first batch of personnel to be deployed beginning School Year 2026-2027 under Republic Act No. 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act.

In CSC Resolution No. 2600920, the commission approved the qualification standards for the positions of Schools Division Counselor, School Counselor I to IV, and School Counselor Associate I to V, setting the education, eligibility, training and experience requirements for the new plantilla posts.

The standards are a prerequisite for creating and filling the positions under the civil service system.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara welcomed the CSC's action, saying it marked a major step in implementing the school mental health law.

"The approval of the Qualification Standards is a major milestone in the implementation of RA 12080. It establishes the professional standards for our school counseling workforce and brings us closer to ensuring that learners across the country have greater access to quality mental health and psychosocial support services in our schools," Angara said.

Signed into law in 2025, RA 12080 institutionalized school-based mental health promotion, counseling and psychosocial support services in public schools.

It also created a dedicated counseling workforce, including School Counselor Associates, to help bridge the gap caused by the shortage of licensed guidance counselors.

The move comes as the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to grapple with a severe shortage of guidance personnel.

Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showed that DepEd had 4,460 unfilled guidance counselor positions as of 2024.

The commission also noted that only about 300 graduates of master's programs in guidance and counseling enter the workforce each year, making it difficult for the department to fill vacancies through the existing system.

EDCOM 2 had warned that, at the current rate of producing licensed guidance counselors, it could take years to fill existing vacancies.

The commission urged the government to adopt alternative staffing measures while expanding the pipeline of qualified professionals.

DepEd said the 10,000 School Counselor Associate I positions represent the first phase of the law's implementation.

Once the DBM formally creates the posts, the department will issue guidelines for the recruitment, appointment and deployment of qualified applicants.

The department said it would continue coordinating with the CSC and DBM to ensure the positions are filled in time for deployment to public schools.###