2012 National Conference on the Administration of the NCAE Dr. Nelia V. Benito, Director III

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NCAE Overview: Frequently Asked Questions 3

1. What is the NCAE? NCAE = National Career Assessment Examination It is an aptitude test geared toward providing information through test results for self-assessment, career awareness and career guidance of high school students for their post-secondary courses / application for scholarship. Test-taking is mandatory. Test results are recommendatory. 4

2. What other features characterize the NCAE? A locally developed test which was standardized and validated using Filipino respondents A paper-and-pencil test which utilizes scannable answer sheets that are processed electronically A multiple-choice type of test Culture fair and sensitive Provides an end-user-friendly report format (COR) 5

3. Why was NCAE developed? The NCAE was developed to: To foster the highest quality of education in the Philippines by regulating and monitoring the flow of students to post secondary institutions of learning and their potential contribution to national development To minimize indiscriminate wastage of manpower and resources by working for a match between manpower skill outputs and job market demands 6

4. What are the specific objectives of the NCAE? To assess the skills of high school students planning to proceed to post secondary courses and other career options, toward providing relevant information on their skills, abilities and readiness for academic and non-academic courses; To provide information that will help high school students make wise career decision; and To provide bases for selecting scholarship awardees and recipients of study grants from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). 7

5. How is NCAE different from NCEE? Similarities Differences Both are general scholastic aptitude tests (GSAT) NCAE includes scientific ability as an area in GSAT Still recommendatory – without cut-off score Includes technical-vocational aptitude, entrepreneurial skill, non-verbal ability, logical reasoning ability and interest inventory 8

6. Who are the target examinees of the NCAE? All enrolled Third Year HS students in public and private high schools operating with permit Fourth Year HS Students and Out-of-school youths who are applying for the CHED and TESDA scholarship 9

7. What are the domains measured in the NCAE? A. General Scholastic Aptitude (GSA) Scientific Ability (SA) ------------------------------------------------- 40 items Reading Comprehension (RC) ------------------------------------- 50 items Verbal Ability (VA) ---------------------------------------------------- 50 items Mathematical Ability (MA) ------------------------------------------ 40 items B. Technical-Vocational Aptitude (TVA) Clerical Ability (CA) -------------------------------------------------- 20 items Visual Manipulative Skills (VMS) ---------------------------------- 20 items C. Entrepreneurial Skills (ES) -------------------------------------------------- 20 items Planning and Decision Making (PD) Budgeting, Marketing and Forecasting (BMF) Creativity (C) D. Logical Reasoning Ability (LRA) ------------------------------------------ 15 items E. Non-Verbal Ability (NVA) --------------------------------------------------- 20 items F. Occupational Interest (OIISSS)--------------------------------------------- 260 items 10

Professional Services Personal Services Cyberservices Aesthetics Areas of Occupational Interests: (New) Sciences Engineering Commerce Professional Services Personal Services Cyberservices Aesthetics Environment Military Training Spiritual Vocation Agriculture and Fishery 11

8. What information is derived from the NCAE COR? COR = Certificate of Rating The COR contains the report on how the examinees performed in the test which is presented in a graph alongside the Standard Scores and Percentile Ranks. The descriptive rating of the Percentile Rank is also included. The overall GSA and TVA scores are reported along with scores in the subtests. The GSA score is the average of the standard scores in these areas: SA, RC, VA and MA. 12

Likewise, the TVA score is the composite of the CA and VMS scores. Additionally, the NCAE reports scores for LRA, NVA and ES. The level of preference for each area of occupational interest is displayed based on percentage score which is as follows: high (76-100), moderate (51-75), low (26-50) and very low (0-25) Examinees can gauge their individual strengths and weaknesses in every domain/area measured based on the test results. 13

Facsimile of the NCAE COR (2012) FRONT BACK 14 TDPU-pjdc/7/16/12

9. How are the NCAE scores reported and interpreted? The scores are reported in Standard Scores and Percentile Ranks. Standard Score - where the mean is 500 and the standard deviation is 100. The highest scores are in the 700’s; the lowest scores are in the 300’s. Percentile Rank - shows the examinees’ position among all the examinees. If an examinee scores at percentile rank 99+, it means that he scored above the other 99 percent of the examinees. 15

Sample Plot of a Percentile Rank (PR) in a Normal Curve X PR = 80 16

10. What is the legal basis of the NCAE? 17

11. Is NCAE a prerequisite for entry to college? Yes. NCAE will be part of the requirements for admission to the tertiary education institutions starting SY 2010-2011. Although a requirement, the results of the NCAE are still recommendatory. There is still no passage of law that makes the results of the NCAE mandatory prior to enrolment in college/university courses or in vocational/technological courses or other short entrepreneurial courses. 18

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All expenses are shouldered by the Department. 12. Is there a testing fee required in taking the NCAE? None. The cost in the preparation of test materials and administration of the test does not entail any amount from the schools, parents and students. All expenses are shouldered by the Department. 20

3-4 months How long does it take for an examinee to receive his/ her individual COR (test results)? 3-4 months 21

How will the NCAE guide high school students and their parents in determining the career track they should take? The NCAE intends to provide information that will help outgoing high school students make wise career decisions based on the results of the three domains of the test. It also provides an interest inventory that will show the inclinations of the students in a particular occupational field. The test results will validate the previously thought career choice by showing the student’s strengths and weaknesses in the aforementioned domains. 22

15. How has the general public responded to the results of the exam 15. How has the general public responded to the results of the exam? Are parents willing to follow the test results for their children’s career plans? In 2007, DepED-NETRC conducted a survey on the utilization of the NCAE results for SY 2006-2007. Nineteen (19) higher education institutions and TESDA accredited schools in twelve (12) schools divisions participated in the survey. The NCAE annual administration was viewed positively by 81.31% of the students. 80% of their parents affirmed in the necessity to administer the NCAE yearly. 23

85% of the school officials favored the annual administration of the NCAE. Across the four groups of respondents (students, parents, school officials and CHED/TESDA institutions), the NCAE elicited high acceptance level. All groups manifested agreement on the yearly administration of the NCAE. 24

Based on the results of the test, what are the policy directions of DepED on the basic education curriculum? Policy Directions: Based on the results of the NCAE over the years, majority of our high school graduates have inclinations toward technical-vocational (tech-voc) occupations. The strengthening of 261 technical-vocational high schools is being carried out by the Department wherein improvements are being made in their curriculum, training, physical and policy support. 25

The results validate DepED’s decision to put great stress on tech-voc program, that is, to equip high school students with technical-vocational skills that can empower them to find meaningful employment, whether or not they pursue college education. DepED’s tech-voc curriculum is being aligned with the training regulations of TESDA. This will allow tech-voc high school graduates to acquire TESDA certificates. It is also the Department’s goal to improve the abilities of students in the general scholastic domain. 26

Moreover, the Department is currently working on intensifying the career guidance programs in public national high schools and in orienting the guidance staff in the schools and division offices on how to maximize the utilization of the NCAE results in order to properly guide students in making wise career decisions. 27

17. How can the results of the exam help solve the problem of job mismatch? With the results of the NCAE, the students will be directed to occupational fields where they would be potentially productive and successful. 28

18. Can the results of the NCAE be used in ranking schools? No. The results of the NCAE should NOT be used for other purposes other than career guidance. 29

TEST RESULTS Number of Examinees: September 27, 2011 PUBLIC 1,174,346 PRIVATE 328,594 TOTAL 1,502,940 September 27, 2011 TEST RESULTS 30

National Performance Areas # of Items Mean SD MPS General Scholastic Aptitude GSA 180 72.87 23.50 40.48   Scientific Ability SA 40 14.49 5.82 36.22 Reading Comprehension RC 50 25.17 8.69 50.33 Verbal Ability VA 20.10 8.01 40.21 Mathematical Ability MA 13.11 5.36 32.78 Technical-Vocational Aptitude TVA 24.24 7.09 60.61 Clerical Ability CA 20 12.23 4.00 61.13 Visual Manipulative Skill VMS 12.02 4.07 60.09 Non-Verbal Ability NVA 11.32 4.72 56.60 Logical Reasoning Ability LRA 15 5.32 2.46 35.50 Entrepreneurial Skill ES 25 10.41 2.85 41.64 Planning & Decision Making PD 4 1.40 0.98 34.88 Budgeting, Marketing & Forecasting BMF 11 3.67 1.78 33.32 Creativity C 10 5.35 1.60 53.49 31

National Performance by Domains: TVA & NVA The junior high school students performed best in Technical-Vocational Aptitude (60.61) with the Non-Verbal ability trailing behind (56.60). GSA Of the four GSA subtests, they scored highest in Reading Comprehension followed by Verbal Ability. As evidenced the junior high school students have a relative proficiency in reading comprehension in contrast with the relative low performance profile in oral expressions. ES They scored highest in Creativity Component of the ES when compare with the remaining components LRA They rated low in this subtests (41.64). This results is quite consistent with the Verbal Ability Score; closely linked domains. 32

performance in mean percentage score NCAE SY 2011-2012 1b. What is the performance of the Junior high school students in Mean Percentage Scores in the NCAE subtests? A relative good performance was yielded in Technical-Vocational Aptitude (especially in Clerical Ability), Nonverbal Ability, and Reading Comprehension of the General Scholastic Aptitude. A relatively low performance was shown in the following sustests: Mathematical Ability, Scientific Ability And Logical Reasoning Ability. 33

frequency distribution of examinees by aptitude level 2. What is the performance of the junior high school students in the NCAE domains? NCAE DOMAIN APTITUDE LEVEL TOTAL HIGH MODERATE LOW n % GSA 347900 23.15 286539 19.07 868501 57.79 1502940 100.00 TVA 475525 31.64 323139 21.50 704276 46.86 NVA 468640 31.18 321620 21.40 712680 47.42 LRA 434521 28.91 209608 13.95 858811 57.14 ES 345166 22.97 370219 24.63 787555 52.40 Legend: High Aptitude (75%-100%) Moderate Aptitude (50%-74%) Low Aptitude (0%-49%) Cutting across all domains, the junior high school students who rated high aptitude ranged from 22.97 (ES) to 31.64 (TVA). On the average about one-third of the takers rated high except in GSA and ES. Apparently, majority of the takers rated low aptitude; most of them had shown in GSA and LRA. 34

percentage distribution of examinees by aptitude level NCAE SY 2011-2012 A. General Scholastic Aptitude (GSA) 35

percentage distribution of examinees by aptitude level NCAE SY 2011-2012 B. Technical and Vocational Aptitude (TVA) 36

percentage distribution of examinees by aptitude level NCAE SY 2011-2012 C. Non–Verbal Ability (NVA) 37

percentage distribution of examinees by aptitude level NCAE SY 2011-2012 D. Logical Reasoning Ability (LRA) 38

percentage distribution of examinees by aptitude level NCAE SY 2011-2012 E. Entrepreneurial Skills (ES) 39

HIGH GSA career guidance for high performers H M L TECH-VOC APTITUDE H M L 9.04 1.71 0.66 4.43 1.10 0.49 3.78 1.18 0.76 ENTREPRENEURIAL APTITUDE 40

MODERATE GSA career guidance for average performers H M L TECH-VOC APTITUDE H M L 2.21 1.55 1.10 2.41 1.78 1.34 3.44 2.77 2.48 ENTREPRENEURIAL APTITUDE 41

LOW GSA career guidance for low performers H M L TECH-VOC APTITUDE H M L 0.99 1.58 4.13 1.62 2.83 8.63 3.72 7.00 27.28 ENTREPRENEURIAL APTITUDE 42

public schools vs. private schools 3. What is the performance profile of the NCAE examinees by Type of High Schools? NCAE DOMAIN NCAE 2011 PUBLIC PRIVATE GSA 38.61 47.19 TVA 58.60 67.78 NVA 53.82 66.52 LRA 34.04 40.68 ES 40.87 44.41 43

public schools vs. private schools In MPS 44

male vs. female In MPS NCAE DOMAIN NCAE 2011 MALE FEMALE GSA 38.32 4. What is the performance of NCAE examinees by Gender? NCAE DOMAIN NCAE 2011 MALE FEMALE GSA 38.32 42.43 TVA 58.84 62.26 NVA 55.32 57.82 LRA 33.05 37.70 ES 40.09 43.05 45

percentage distribution of examinees by field of interest (NCAE SY 2011-2012) 5. What is the percentage distribution of NCAE examinees by Field of Interest? 46

Thank you