CEBU, Philippines - Department of Education -7 director Juliet Jeruta has issued a memorandum authorizing the conduct of a mandatory drug test on public school teachers in at least 19 school divisions throughout Central Visayas.
In a report over dyLA, teachers who will refuse the test owing to some reasons, old age for example, will be asked to give official explanation.
Jeruta said the drug test will now become a mandatory requirement for those teacher-applicants.
Prior to DepEd-7’s memorandum, there have been proposals to submit public school teachers to a random drug test.
DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro, who was in Cebu yesterday for two events, said he welcomes the move but stressed that this should be done "right” in order to prosecute whoever is found positive of illegal drugs.
"If we have to do it, we want to do it right,” Luistro said in an interview with the media at the Casino Español de Cebu where DepEd signed a memorandum of agreement with the Cebu Provincial government for a donated lot.
Luistro said there were cases in the past of "forced drug testing” that were junked by the court due to technical issues.
"We can’t prosecute if we are going against human rights,” he said.
Luistro said they are willing to conduct drug tests, "but we have to do it carefully,” with "respect” to the rights of the teachers.
"As far as I’m concerned, I think it is possible to do that, but we have to respect the rights of the teachers,” he added.
Calls for a random drug test on school teachers became ripe when one in Badian town was arrested for alleged illegal drug dealing. The Cebu Provincial Board even went to the point of urging DepEd to submit its teachers to drug test.
Challenge to business sector
Meanwhile, Luistro challenged all business sectors to be a tool in the elimination of out-of-school youth in the country by providing them access to education.
Luistro challenged the Philippine Business for Social Progress, as part of its corporate social responsibility, to conduct a survey or census as to the percentage of out-of-school-youth nationwide.
The survey would be done to all corporations, buildings, and households aiming to list down any child who is not in school.
"It is possible for the Philippines and for the Visayas to ensure that there will be no more out-of-school youth especially from 5 to 15 years by providing them access to education,” said Luistro, the keynote speaker of yesterday’s 27th Visayas Membership Meeting of PBSP.
With the survey, Luistro said DepEd can initiate effective and sustainable programs like alternative learning system.
In 2008, he said the number of out-of-school youth was estimated at 11 percent or 2.9 million of school children from ages 5 to 15 years old.
A 2013 study conducted by Philippine Institute for Development Studies showed that the number of out-of-school youth went down to 1.2 million from 2.9 million.
Garnering around 5.5 percent of that age sector, Luistro pointed out that the number of out-of-school Filipinos aged 5 to 15 years old dramatically gone down below a million in the past two years.
Apart from survey, Luistro also challenged PBSP to help DepEd draft curriculum with inputs of business-community skills.
"In past decades, the critique of the curriculum is that our graduates are not ready of the needs of business. Business sector do not complain if you get graduates who are not tailor-fit for industry needs today,” he said.
Around 300,000 students are expected to enroll June next year and the figure will still increase in the succeeding years with an estimated 600,000 new enrollees in Visayas alone.
"In the past decade, the graduate of grade 10 who will go to college will be just around 56 percent. But next year, our target is that our graduates will be provided with two more years ready to go to college and the same time ready to start their business or enter the world of work,” said Luistro, adding that DepEd will also partner with other local government units and private entities.
Further, Luistro asked business sectors to "free up” their firms, allowing their employees to teach part time in the implementation of the senior high school program and to open up corporations and firms for emersion and on the job training of senior high school students.
PBSP executive director Rafael Lopa said they are committed to support DepEd’s programs.//
DEPED-7 issues order: Drug test required for teachers
