MATATAG na Retrospect Batang Batangueno, Project Codify, Project Xin, Project Shepherd and ENVISIONAI for SY 2025 - 2026

Career Guidance Program for S.Y. 2025-2026

Rationale

Republic Act No. 11206 otherwise known as the Secondary Career Guidance and Counseling Act of 2019 aims to: a) to institutionalize a career guidance and counseling program for students in all public and private secondary schools nationwide in order to provide them with proper direction in pursuing subsequent tertiary education; (b) to equip secondary education students with the capability to make educated career decisions and expose them to relevant labor markets; and (c) to ensure that graduates of tertiary education meet the requirements of the government, industry, and the economy.

2. Rule V of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Basic Education Act of 2013 states that the Department of Education (DepEd) is mandated to properly guide secondary level students in choosing career tracks that they intend to pursue through informed career choices towards becoming productive and contributing individuals, through (a) integration of career concepts in the curriculum and teaching in relevant learning areas; (b) conduct of career assessments; (c) conduct of regular career advocacy activities; (d) conduct of continuous professionalization and capacity building of guidance counselors, career advocates, and peer facilitators; (e) development or accreditation of training programs on career advocacy; (f) establishment of a career advocacy unit and provision of adequate office space in high schools; and (g) designation of guidance supervisors at the division level and career advocates at the school level. 3. In view of the above, this Memorandum aims to establish procedures that will guide all stakeholders in planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Career Guidance Program for S.Y. 2021-2022.

Scope

This Career Guidance Program shall be applicable in all public elementary and secondary schools for S.Y. 2021-2022.

definition of terms

a. Career Guidance Program is designed to help learners explore their choices and make responsible decisions relevant to career pathing. These include planning for their track and strand for Senior High School, choosing their curriculum exits (Higher Education, Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Middle Level Skills Development), and planning for their future.

b. Career Development Domain pertains to all occupational and world of work related concerns and issues of learners. This involves the acquisition of skills, attitudes and knowledge that enable them to make a successful transition from school to the world of work, and from job to job across their life span. This includes but is not limited to learners’ discovery of their interests, talents and skills, decision making, problem-solving, planning, and in exploring their career options and opportunities (based on DM 155 s. 2020).

c. Homeroom Guidance is a comprehensive, developmental and proactive program designed to equip K to 12 learners with life skills on three domains: Academic Development, Personal and Social Development and Career Development (based on DM 155 s. 2020).

d. Career Guidance Portfolio is a collection of learner’s outputs (in hard or electronic copy) showing his/her progress in career development. This may include a summary of assessment taken, journal entries, activity sheets, and other relevant output.

e. Curriculum Exits refer to higher education, employment, entrepreneurship, and middle level skills development.

f. Higher Education is one of the curriculum exits which SHS learners may opt to pursue after graduation leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree. This is also referred to as tertiary education, college degree, or post-secondary education.

g. Employment is one of the curriculum exits which SHS learners may opt to pursue after graduation leading to a paid work or job. This is also referred to as occupation.

h. Entrepreneurship is one of the curriculum exits which SHS learners may opt to pursue after graduation leading to developing, organizing and managing one’s own business venture.

i. Middle Level Skills Development is one of the curriculum exits which SHS learners may opt to pursue after graduation leading to further training in technical vocational education.

Policy Statement

DepEd issues this document to ensure the proper implementation of the Career Guidance Program for S.Y. 2021-2022.

This aims to:

a. ensure the continuity of the career development process;

b. employ a systematic set of activities and procedures in the implementation of the career guidance program; and

c. establish support mechanisms that contribute to the attainment of the Department’s career guidance program.

Guidelines

The Department of Education, with its strong commitment to deliver quality education, hereby presents the following specific components of the Career Guidance Program for S.Y. 2021-2022 which shall be governed and guided by the following:

1. Career Guidance Program

a. Career Guidance Orientation aims to provide relevant information on the procedures and activities related to the Career Guidance Program. This year, all career guidance orientations shall be held online or through other modalities compliant to the health and safety standards of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Career Guidance Portfolio

i. Career Guidance outputs shall be compiled in the Career Guidance Portfolio. This must contain the following:

• Accomplished activity sheets

• Copy of academic grades

• Assessment results

• Activity outputs relevant to Career Guidance

ii. Learners may create a physical (hardcopy) portfolio, using durable materials that can withstand common elements (e.g. long folder, fastener, plastic envelope, clear book or other materials available at home) or an electronic (softcopy) portfolio or e-portfolio. This portfolio will be utilized until they finish Senior High School.

d. Career Counseling and Consultation Career Counseling is the process of assisting learners with their career development by helping them plan, organize, and decide on their life and career goals. A Registered Guidance Counselor (RGC) shall conduct career counseling to learners by following the existing ethical and legal provisions for its practice, and health and safety standards set by the IATF. Career Consultation is the process of assisting learners by providing relevant information about different curriculum exits, courses, specializations, opportunities, and other information that can guide them in selecting their career path. This may be given preferably by an RGC or a Career Guidance Advocate (Annex B. Procedure in conducting Career Consultation).

e. Curriculum Exit Tracking System All schools shall ensure to account all their graduates for S.Y. 2021-2022 including their chosen curriculum exit using the link https://bit.ly/CurrExitTracking. The link shall be opened two weeks before the school year ends and shall be closed after a month. The generated data will be used for policy or curricular reforms.

Program Implementers

a. School

i. The School Head shall:

• designate Career Guidance Advocates for S.Y. 2021-2022;

lead the implementation of the Career Guidance Program including supervision and monitoring of school career guidance activities;

• conduct orientation for teachers, learners, and parents on Career Guidance Program;

• allocate budget for the materials and other related expenses for the conduct of the program; and

• submit the School Career Guidance Program Implementation Report (Annex C) to the Division EsP Supervisor.

The Guidance Counselor shall:

• assist the School Head in the over-all implementation of the school career guidance activities;

• provide technical assistance to career advocates on the implementation of school career guidance activities; and

• provide counseling and referral services when necessary (in accordance to RA 9258, Guidance and Counseling Law of 2004).

iii. The Career Guidance Advocate shall:

• facilitate the printing and distribution of learning materials and other supplementary materials on career guidance;

• disseminate information for the learners, such as Senior High School tracks and strands offered in the division, labor market information, schools and courses for college, technical courses for middle level skills development and entrepreneurship-related programs, and materials that the learners may utilize;

• conduct career consultation as deemed necessary; and

• facilitate the completion and submission of all documents relevant to the career guidance program.

b. Schools Division Office The Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP) Supervisor of the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) shall:

• lead the division implementation of Career Guidance Program;

• coordinate with the School Governance and Operations Division for the turnover of Career Guidance Program documents and budget allocation for S.Y. 2021-2022;

• provide schools with relevant and updated information relative to the conduct of career guidance activities, such as tracks and strands offering in the division, labor market information, schools and courses for college education, technical courses for the middle level skills development, certification process/guidelines and entrepreneurship-related programs, and materials that learners may utilize;

provide career guidance learning materials and supplementary materials for the schools;

• establish linkages with other government offices, NGOs, and groups relevant to the conduct of career guidance activities;

• support, monitor, and evaluate the conduct of career guidance activities; and submit the Division Career Guidance Implementation Report (Annex D) to the Regional Office.

c. Regional Office The Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD), through the Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP) Supervisor, shall:

• support Career Guidance Program activities;

• ensure proper implementation of the Career Guidance Program through monitoring and evaluation;

• provide technical assistance to Division Supervisors through orientation, training, and capacity-building activities;

• submit the Regional Career Guidance Implementation Report (Annex E) to the National Office.

d. National Office The Curriculum and Instruction Strand shall lead the implementation of the Career Guidance Program starting S.Y. 2021-2022

• The Bureau of Curriculum Development leads the planning, preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the Career Guidance Program. BCD shall develop Career Guidance learning competencies and learning materials in coordination with the Bureau of Learning Resources.

• The Bureau of Learning Resources shall ensure accessibility and quality of the Career Guidance learning materials and their compliance to the standards of the Department of Education.

• The Bureau of Learning Delivery shall support the planning, preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the Career Guidance Program.

Budget Allocation

Schools shall include all expenses relative to Career Guidance in their Annual School Improvement Plan and in accordance to the provisions stipulated in the Joint Memorandum issued on September 21, 2020 (Annex F).

4. Non-implementation or improper implementation of Career Guidance shall be subject to existing applicable administrative actions.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Bureau of Curriculum Development, together with the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD) and Curriculum Implementation Division (CID), shall monitor and evaluate compliance to the provisions stipulated in this issuance. For questions, clarifications and recommendations you may call the Bureau of Curriculum Development office landline at (02) 8632-7746.

Effectivity

This policy shall take effect immediately upon publication on the DepEd website. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Memorandum is directed.

references

DepEd Order No. 13 s. 2015 Establishment of a Policy Development Process at the Department of Education

DepEd Order No. 30 S. 2020 DepEd Order No. 29 S. 2021 – DepEd School Calendar for S.Y. 2021-2022 Joint Memorandum on the Announcement of Transfer of Management and Supervision of the Career Guidance Program issued on September 21, 2020

Memorandum from the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration (OUA) No. 00- 0520-0030 s. 2020 Transfer of Management and Supervision of the Career Guidance Program to the Curriculum and Instruction Strand issued on May 2020.

RA 10533 Enhanced Basic Education Law RA 11206 Secondary School Career Guidance and Counseling Act. RA 9258

Guidance and Counseling Act of 2004