DepEd accelerates school counselor hiring to tackle bullying crisis

Education Secretary Sonny Angara disclosed on Monday that the Department of Education has streamlined its hiring process for school counselor associates in response to growing concerns over bullying in educational institutions. Speaking at a congressional budget hearing in Manila, Angara said the acceleration of recruitment efforts represents a key component of the department's broader strategy to curb incidents of student harassment and intimidation.

The DepEd chief indicated that the agency has compressed the typically lengthy hiring pipeline for counselor positions to expedite the deployment of qualified professionals to schools nationwide. This initiative underscores the department's commitment to providing adequate mental health support and pastoral care resources as part of its student protection programs.

The announcement reflects mounting pressure on Philippine educational authorities to address bullying as a persistent issue affecting student welfare and academic performance. Schools have increasingly reported cases of physical, verbal, and cyberbullying, prompting calls for enhanced preventive measures and support systems within school environments.

By increasing the number of trained counselors available to students, the department aims to create safer school spaces where bullying concerns can be identified and addressed more effectively. The recruitment push is expected to place additional counselors across public schools to provide direct intervention, counseling, and support services to affected students.