The Department of Education (DepEd) in Iloilo will launch a program to identify junior and senior high school students who may need mental health intervention, according to an official of the Schools Division Office. This initiative will begin before the 2024-2025 school year commences.

“With that, we can prevent suicide cases and other incidents that can destroy them,” Ernesto Servillo Jr., schools division superintendent of Iloilo, told the Philippine News Agency.

The program will involve designated guidance counselors assessing students in areas such as home life, education, peer relationships, and drug use. This assessment aims to proactively identify students who might be struggling with mental health concerns.

“Once they have identified these learners, the school would come up with an appropriate intervention to address their issues and prevent them from getting frustrated,” Servillo explained.

While the program intends to eventually include all students, the initial implementation will target junior and senior high school students. 

According to Servillo, this age group is considered critical due to the prevalence of recorded mental health cases within these grade levels.

Schools invest in staff training

The initiative comes alongside efforts to equip school personnel with the skills to recognize signs of mental health issues. 

Servillo highlighted that last year, guidance counselors in secondary and integrated schools underwent mental health training.

DepEd plans to train more teachers and school administrators to recognize signs of students struggling with mental health issues.

Addressing shortage of guidance counselors

A key challenge for the program is the limited number of guidance counselors. 

Servillo acknowledged the need for more licensed professionals, noting that only 11 out of 96 designated guidance counselor positions are currently filled in Iloilo province’s 1,178 schools catering to over 445,000 students.

DepEd’s proactive approach in Iloilo shows a growing acknowledgment of student mental health issues. 

The program emphasizes early intervention and staff training, demonstrating the department’s dedication to creating a supportive learning environment focused on student well-being.