Challenges Encountered in Guidance Services among Private Educational Institutions in Marinduque: Basis for a Comprehensive Guidance Program

This research identified the challenges in implementing guidance services in private schools in Marinduque and proposed a Comprehensive Guidance Program. Following RA 9258 and RA 12080, the implementation of guidance services was inconsistent with the limitations in human, financial, and infrastructural resources. This research adopted a descriptive-correlational quantitative design. There were 324 respondents, composed of 300 Junior High School students and 24 guidance designates in 12 private schools. About 5 percent of each school's population of students were surveyed, from grades 7 to 10. The research utilized a researcher-made questionnaire, which was pilot tested and validated, and data were analyzed using percentage, weighted mean, standard deviation, and Spearman's Rho. The research concludes that institutional and structural factors were more correlated than students' profiles with guidance services in private schools. Most of the respondents were female, aged 14-17, and were in Grade 10. Guidance designates are mostly females with their tertiary or college education and years of experience, but without formal training in guidance, without institutional support, and with insufficient resource materials. The student-respondents confirmed that guidance services are available, but they were not sure if these services were good, responsive, and useful. To address these, students suggest the provision of adequate training for guidance designates, provision of the needed resources and facilities, pro-activeness of programs, and effective collaboration with stakeholders to guarantee a relevant service for all students. The study developed and proposed the Comprehensive Guidance Program that emphasizes training, provision of the required resources, collaboration, proactiveness, and relevance in order to make guidance services effective, utilized, and sustained.