Monday, January 23, 2017

DEPED STRENGTHENS DRUG EDUCATION PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE

Adamant in protecting learners from the adverse effects of dangerous drugs and in supporting the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs, the Department of Education (DepEd) is strengthening its National Drug Education Program (NDEP).

The NDEP is a comprehensive educational program, which provides a holistic approach in preventing and eliminating the menace of drugs in the country. The NDEP also enables all sectors to work collaboratively—with the school system as the core—thereby unifying all sectoral endeavors.

The NDEP has five components that the DepEd builds on to create awareness on the ill effects of using illegal drugs. These components are: a) curriculum and instruction; b) co-curricular and ancillary services; c) teacher and staff development; d) parent education and community outreach; and e) research, monitoring, and evaluation.

“The DepEd has been implementing the NDEP for years now, to prevent drug use and abuse among students. The Department sees the need to continuously strengthen it because of the rampant cases of drug-related incidents in the country,” DepEd NDEP focal person Girlie Azurin said.

Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, in a recent interview, assured that the integration of the effects of illegal drugs lessons in the curriculum will be age-appropriate, “This will be age-appropriate. We are implementing it at the present curriculum but we are developing enhancements. I have already instructed the Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction to look into it.”

Moreover, the DepEd strengthens the program implementation by establishing Barkada Kontra Droga Chapters in schools; intensifying anti-drug abuse information campaigns; supporting the activities planned by the designated regional and schools division NDEP coordinators; and involving Parent-Teacher-Community Associations and pupil/student organizations in drug abuse prevention activities.

The NDEP will be further enriched by allocating funds for the replication of existing modules and teaching aides, and/or by developing other supplementary instructional materials.

The DepEd partnered with the Dangerous Drugs Board (DBB) and other government and non-government agencies to campaign this anti-illegal drug initiative.

This effort is pursuant to the DepEd Memorandum No. 200, s. 2016 or the Strengthening the National Drug Education Program in Schools which is available at http://www.deped.gov.ph/node/576924. #  Source - DepED

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