NCAE scrapped for Grade 8

MANILA, Philippines - The National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) will no longer be administered to Grade 8 students this year, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced yesterday.

The NCAE evaluates the students’ aptitude and skills and determines what field or discipline the student can excel in.

“As the pioneer batch of senior high school, NCAE is no longer deemed necessary for our Grade 8 students since they will have a comprehensive learning of what career they want to pursue when they reach Grades 11 and 12,” Education Secretary Armin Luistro said.

The senior high school (Grades 11 and 12), under the K to 12 program, will be implemented nationwide in school year 2016-2017.

The NCAE, however, will still be administered to third year high school students in both public and private secondary schools on Aug. 28, Luistro said.

Also covered are fourth year high school students applying for scholarship programs offered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

It is also open to out-of-school youth and passers of the DepEd’s accreditation and equivalency exam.

The results of the NCAE will show the interest and career inclination of the student, whether it is technical-vocational, entrepreneurial, or a full college education course, according to Luistro.

“This way parents and students will be guided on what career track is best to take after high school graduation, and we want to remind people that the result of the NCAE is not mandatory but recommendatory,” Luistro said in a previous statement.