Davao principals, teachers attend kids protection gab

THE Department of Education (DepEd) conducted on Saturday an orientation on Child Protection Policy in schools to around 300 teachers and principals in Davao Region.

In an interview at the Alexian Brothers on Saturday, Maria Antonia Diaz, DepEd regional assistant schools division superintendent, said the orientation was intended to educate teachers and principals on the DepEd Order 40, or the policy and guidelines on protecting children in school from abuse, violence, exploitation, discrimination, bullying and other forms of abuse.

DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro issued the order last month to DepEd regional offices in the country.

"We advocate to promote the Child Protection Policy to principals and teachers so that they will know about the policy," she said.

Diaz said that after the orientation, the Education department in the region is hoping the public schools will become more adept at handling cases of abuse within the concerned school.

The Child Protection Policy indicates two main forms of child exploitation -- are sexual and economic exploitations.

In the policy, it also shows three kinds of violence against children committed in schools -- physical, sexual, and psychological.

Meanwhile, the policy provides preventive measures to address the cases of bullying and cyber-bullying, and corporal punishment.

Diaz added it is necessary that principals and teachers will know about the policy so that they can correct the traditional approach of teaching just like collecting fees from students as payment for every violation.

"Nag-change na ang atong society (Our society has changed already)," she said.

John Diviva, program coordinator of Plan International, said the Child Protection Policy was emulated from the non-government organization's initiative to pilot-test a child program policy program in some schools in Quezon City in 2008.