A TOTAL of 339 newly hired School Counselor Associates (SCAs) took their oath at the Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office in Pasig City on Thursday as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen mental health services and student safety in public schools.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the ceremony, with the newly appointed personnel set to serve in public schools across the National Capital Region (NCR).

The appointments form part of DepEd’s efforts to address the shortage of school-based mental health personnel and provide additional support to learners facing emotional, behavioral and other personal challenges.

During the ceremony, Angara emphasized that creating safe and supportive learning environments requires not only physical security measures but also compassionate mental health care.

“Our goal is not only to ensure that our schools are safe, but also loving, like a second home and a second family to our children, many of whom come from far from ideal family situations,” Angara said.

He reminded the new SCAs of the importance of their role in guiding students, urging them to remain approachable and practice active listening to better understand learners’ concerns.

“I would like to thank you for taking up the challenge to serve our youth. With your help, our youth are in need of proper guidance, direction, maybe a sense of mission, and something to hope for,” Angara said.

“As President Bongbong Marcos has said, this is one of the biggest challenges facing our country today and we must all work together to address it,” he added.

Established under Republic Act No. 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, the School Counselor Associate I position aims to help address the shortage of guidance professionals and strengthen psychosocial support systems in public schools.