THE Department of Education (DepEd)-Northern Mindanao launched its OK sa DepEd program to contribute to the government's plan to end hunger and improve the health of Filipinos.
OK sa DepEd or Oplan Kalusugan is the convergence of DepEd's five flagship health and nutrition programs that address the health and nutrition problems in the school level.
"We want nga ang usa ka learner or estudyante mosulod sa eskwelahan i-provide nato ang tanan niyang needs nga para efficient og mahimong nga maayo ang performance sa school og pati na ang iyahang participation og ang iyahang attendance ma-improve and at the same time ang iyang achievement (to provide all the necessities that a learner or student need so they can perform efficiently in school and to improve their attendance and achievement level)," DepEd-Northern Mindanano Medical Officer IV Myra Yee said.
The program, according to DepEd, aims to provide all public school learners with health and nutrition services to allow them to attain their full educational potential.
This includes: (1) school-based feeding program; (2) national drug education program; (3) adolescent reproductive health education; (4) water, sanitation and hygiene wash in schools; and (5) medical, dental and nursing services.
For school-based feeding program, DepEd-Northern Mindanao Nutrition and Dietitian Sheila Rose Balbanida said will run for 120 days to ensure the rehabilitation of malnourished children, from kinder to Grade 6, "to reach their normal nutritional status."
National drug education program, on the other hand, aims to integrate drug education in the curriculum, a holistic approach to reduce the drug problem in the Philippines.
"We want nga ang atong mga bata dili ma drop out og malipay sila sa eskwelahan (that the children will not choose to drop out of school). They will go to school and they will stay in school," Yee said.
DepEd-Northern Mindanao is also calling on to the schools to assist on implementing the program.
"If we keep focus on the welfare of the learners, dili ma deviate ang atong attention sa atong serbisyo (our attention will not deviate from our sevices)," DepEd Dentist III Dr. Rey Ignacio Calang said.