Career Guidance in Secondary Schools Act

The DepED, in coordination with the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), accredits professional organizations on guidance counseling.
The DepED, in coordination with PRC, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), formulates, develops, and reviews the CGCIM.
The CGCIM serves as the basic instructional material for secondary students’ career and tertiary education direction.
The CGCIM is designed to align guidance with students’ capacity and skills, the accessibility of public tertiary education institutions, labor market realities, and the requirements and expectations of the government, industry, and the economy.

Each secondary school must establish a CGCP Center.
The CGCP Center is headed by the school administrator.
The school administrator must be assisted by a trained career and employment guidance counselor.
The CGCP Center functions as a resource center for implementing the CGCP.
The CGCP Center primarily provides guidance and counseling based on the CGCIM.

Career and employment guidance counselors who are not registered with the PRO are allowed to conduct career advocacy activities to secondary-level students in the school where they are employed.
Counselors who are not registered with the PRO must undergo a training program developed and accredited by DepED.

The DepED, through the National Education Testing and Research Center, conducts an annual National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE).
The NCAE is administered among students in the appropriate grade level in all public and private secondary schools nationwide.
The NCAE assesses and evaluates a student’s aptitude, skill, or inclination in a particular occupational field.
The NCAE serves as a guide for students in choosing their courses or career options.
The DepED Secretary determines the content of the NCAE, the date of examination, the location of examination centers, and the appropriate grade level of examinees, and issues the guidelines necessary for effective implementation.
The DepED Secretary must review and revise NCAE content from time to time as necessary to maintain relevance, validity, and integrity.

The State recognizes the role of the youth in nation building and in the acceleration of social progress and ensures their total development through relevant education that generates human resources responsive to the needs of the government, industry, and the economy (Declaration of Policy).
The Act requires the following objectives:
- To institutionalize a career guidance and counseling program for students in all public and private secondary schools nationwide to provide direction in pursuing subsequent tertiary education.
- To equip secondary education students with the capability to make educated career decisions and expose them to relevant labor markets.
- To ensure graduates of tertiary education meet the requirements of the government, industry, and the economy.
The DepED Secretary must immediately include the implementation of the Act in the Department program.
Funding for implementation is included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Within ninety (90) days from approval of the Act, DepED must promulgate the necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations for effective implementation.
DepED must promulgate the IRR in consultation with PRC, CHED, TESDA, DOLE, DTI, and NEDA.
The Act’s effectivity is fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Separability: If any provision of Republic Act No. 11206 is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions continue in force and effect (Section 9).
Repealing: All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with Republic Act No. 11206 are repealed, modified, or amended accordingly (Section 10).