POOR health conditions such as malnutrition, early pregnancy, susceptibility to drugs and other dangerous substances and poor mental health are among the top issues that affect the ideal transition and promotion rate of learners in public schools. These concerns, which may or may not be directly instigated by poverty and other socio-economic reasons, can certainly be reduced and eventually resolved to ensure that no learners will be left behind.
To address these issues, the Department of Education launched in 2017 the Oplan Kalusugan (OK) sa DepEd as a flagship program that showcases the six major school health programs of the Department, including the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP); National Drug Education Program (NDEP); Adolescent Reproductive Health Education (ARH); Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS) Program; Mental Health Program, and medical, nursing, and dental services, through health booths and exhibits, caravan, forums, presentations, and other advocacy and social mobilization activities participated by DepEd officials and employees, local government units and other community stakeholders.
The objectives of the OK sa DepEd program include the provision of basic primary health, nutrition and dental services to learners to allow them to achieve their full educational potential; the practice of healthier behavior among school personnel and learners that they can do on their own; and the strengthening of linkages with health providers and the local governments for child and adolescent health services.
On its third year now, OK sa DepEd now includes the School Mental Health Program on top of its existing policies and guidelines on mental health such as the promotion of mental health. These include the conduct of trainings on mental health and psychosocial support, and the issuance of policies as complex as child protection and addressing bullying, and even as simple as unloading children of homework during weekends.
DepEd, taking into account the rising incidence of suicide cases, depression, bullying, and other psychosocial behavior problems, vows to continue and strengthen its advocacy to ensure the health and well-being of both DepEd personnel and learners, in partnership with various agencies and organizations.
This is also in consonance to the (RA) 11036, or the Mental Health Act, which provides the duties and responsibilities of the DepEd including the integration of age-appropriate content pertaining to mental health into the curriculum at all educational levels both in public and private institutions; development of guidelines and standards on age-appropriate and evidence-based mental-health programs both in public and private institutions; pursuit of strategies that promote the realization of mental health and well-being in educational institutions; and the assurance that mental health promotions in public and private educational institutions shall be adequately complemented with qualified mental-health professionals.