The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) has called for a comprehensive review of the National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE), raising concerns about the exam's accuracy and overall effectiveness in guiding students toward appropriate career paths.

EDCOM 2, co-chaired by leaders of both chambers of Congress, was created under Republic Act No. 11899 to undertake a comprehensive three-year national assessment of Philippine education and recommend reforms across basic, technical-vocational, and higher education.

In its report, the commission stated: "The exam, long under scrutiny, requires evaluation to determine whether it genuinely guides learners toward pathways suited to their skills and aspirations."

"A full review of the NCAE should therefore assess both its structure and its use," EDCOM 2 added.

The commission emphasized that the examination must be evaluated on several fronts: whether it accurately measures aptitude, whether it reinforces existing socioeconomic or gender biases, and whether schools and other academic agencies are effectively using it to guide students.

"As a national diagnostic, the NCAE can illuminate potential or inadvertently narrow it," EDCOM 2 said. "Its reform is essential to building a system that channels talent toward meaningful and attainable futures."

The NCAE is an aptitude and interest test designed to help learners select academic tracks and future career paths. It is administered to Grade 10 students, who under the Philippines' K to 12 program must choose among academic, technical-vocational-livelihood, sports, and arts and design tracks as they enter senior high school. The exam comprises three main components: the General Scholastic Aptitude (GSA) test, the aptitude test for senior high school (SHS) tracks, and the Occupational Interest Inventory (OII).

The GSA measures reading comprehension, mathematical ability, verbal ability, scientific ability, and logical reasoning ability. The SHS track aptitude test covers academic strands including Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS), Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM). The OII functions as an inventory and checklist assessing students' inclinations and preferences, and can be utilized in comprehensive career guidance programs.

Drawing on NCAE results from School Years 2016 to 2019, EDCOM 2 observed that spiritual vocation — particularly priesthood — along with Science, Community Services, and Professional Services ranked among the most highly rated fields. These align with students' demonstrated strengths in reading, communication, and reasoning as reflected in the GSA component.

However, the commission cautioned that weak performance in mathematical ability could restrict students' access to math-intensive careers such as Engineering and Commerce.

"These trends underscore the need for targeted support in mathematics. Ensure that learners are not constrained in their career choices by weaknesses in one critical domain," EDCOM 2 said. "And for continued strengthening of programs that develop communication and analytical skills."

More than one million Grade 10 students are expected to take the examination annually. In 2024, a total of 191,807 students took the NCAE across 1,464 public and private schools in Central Luzon.

— Almira Louise S. Martinez