2nd Board Exams: Question #2

Gud pm sir. sori 4 txtng L8. jst wnt 2 ask snce wud wnt 2 tke d goard xam in guidnce. Im from S.C.. Im a grad of guidncecounselng&psych. Dnt hav ma n guidnce but curently im d scul guidnce counselor & im also teaching psychology n colege. Am I qualified jst wnt 2 mke sure il b spendng much & sayang pag di rn pla pwd. hpe u cud help me wid ds matr Fr. Bern [name withheld here].

Good pam sir. Sorry for texting late. Just want to ask since (I) would want to take the Board Exam in Guidance. I'm from (place name withheld here). I'm a graduate of Guidance Counseling & psychology. I don't have Masters in Guidance but currently I'm the school guidance counselor and I'm also teaching Psychology in college. Am I qualified(? I) just want to make sure I'll be spending much and sayang if I am not qualified (pala). Hope you could help me with this matter Fr. Bern.

My response: Good pm. The Board wants to implement the law this time so you will need to have an M.A before you take the board exam.

His text reply: How many units at least to qualify for the test? Or do you have to finish?

My response: Finish a nonthesis M.a in Guidance. Ensure you know the contents of the six Board exam subjects.

His text reply: Fr.so ur advising me not 2 file nymor in dvao? I have MA thou n a difrnt discipline Teaching english as a second language 33 units? wud dat count? thnk u so much 4 enlightening me at least dnt hav 2 spend so much na wla dn pala..

My response: The Rules and Regulations of R.A. 9258 says in Rule III Sec. 13 that M.A in Guidance is needed

His text reply: Woow.okay thanks.i just read thru d nfo kc nga tgal din magpost or even if u nquire sa prc dey dnt knw. thank u super.

Thus far today's text communication.

This is really interesting, no? It's just a few weeks before the deadline for submission of applications for the second Board examinations in Guidance and Counseling which is supposedly scheduled for Aug. 27-28, 2009 (the same days when IPCAP is going to hold its 2nd National Convention with the theme centering on Guidance Management practices - I shall be writing on this in the next few days), and it seems that people are waiting for some invitation to apply for this 2nd licensure exams. One thing that complicates this matter is shown in a reader's comment which I'd like to put here (it's a comment posted after my June 23, 2009 entry):

Anonymous said...

nakakainis ang batas ng sa board exam na to ang gulo gulo. di ko malaman kung alin ang may problema yung batas ba o yung nag iimplement. First board exam pinakuha nila mga fresh grad. (Candiate for M.A. na ako at that time!) Tapos ngayon mag second board exam ilang beses ako nag pabalik balik sa PRC papalit palit ng requirements. Ilang araw Lang ang pagitan nagpunta classmate ko iba rin sinabi sa kanya. NAKAKAWALANG GANA!!!

My reply to that comment was this:

BRC said...

Hi Ma'am/Sir,
Peace!
Thanks for your comment. Please be specific about your concern so that we can address the matter. I believe that PRC and the PRBGC may only be able to address those concerns when they are specific (remember the SMART framework in doing behavior change arrangements and management?). By all means feel free to tell us those things that did not have consistency other than this requirement of MA which was not mandated in last year's Board exam. Ano ba yung mga pabago-bagong requirements [nila ngayon]? In this way we can concretely alert the PRC about what the Board should be releasing at this time.

Hope you can use your madness to steer you into passing the exams. I shall include you in my prayers. God bless and take care


For those who are going to take the Board exams on Aug., by all means send in your applications na. The qualifications are stated in the Rules and Regulations of R.A. 9258, and let me quote verbatim the relevant provision here:

Rule III Sec. 13. Qualifications of Applicants. - To qualify for the examination, an applicant at the time of the filing of the application must:

a. Be a citizen x x x
b. Not have been convicted x x x

c. Be a graduate of a baccalaureate in guidance and counseling or in other allied discipline/degree from an accredited college or university with subject units covering those in Sec. 15, Rule III of this RR and a holder of an MA, MAEd, MAT, or MS, in guidance and counseling the curriculum of which covers the core subjects in guidance and counseling on the masteral level, or those in Sec. 15 Rule III of this RR; or a holder of the PhD or Ed.D in guidance and counseling, the curriculum of which covers the core subjects in guidance and counseling on the doctoral level, or those in Sec. 15, Rule III of this RR.

So, the texter above appears to be partly qualified since he is a college graduate in Guidance and Psychology (he should have taken it last year when guys like him were allowed to take the Board, and made it!!! sayang talaga!). While he may have an MA in a different field (teaching English as a 2nd language), it is not the MA that is definitely required by the regulatory law on Guidance and Counseling. So, my response was: take a non-thesis Masters in Guidance and Counseling like many I know who are targeting to take the Board Exams and get the license after passing, after which one can return and write the masters thesis, a matter of arrangement with one's respective department in school where they finished their nonthesis masters in G.C.

And I added that the core subjects for Board Exams must be definitely in that curriculum since currently there appears to be no official curriculum on Masters in Guidance and Counseling from the CHED or the Board of Guidance Counseling. What was constructed was a curriculum for bachelors in Guidance and Counseling, something that is not essential since anyone may take and finish the Masters in Guidance & Counseling despite coming from allied disciplines like Psychology and Education.

Nonetheless, Sec. 15 Rule III of the Rules and Regulations of R.A. 9258 has the following six subjects identified for licensure examinations, and let me quote it here verbatim again:

Sec. 15. Scope of Examination. - The examination shall be in English and shall consist of a written test covering the following subjects:

a. Philosophical, Psychological and Sociological Foundations of Guidance
b. Counseling Theories, Tools and Techniques
c. Psychological Testing
d. Organization, Administration and Supervision of Guidance Services, and Program Development
e. Group Process
f. Career Guidance

Every curriculum for the Masters in Guidance and Counseling needs to have these six subjects (of course we know the Masters curriculum in Guidance and Counseling has other subjects which must be prescribed by the CHED and the Board of Guidance and Counseling [PRBGC]) or else, chances for failure in the licensure exams will be high. Anyway, we just have to be watchful, and act with resolve.

All the best and God bless