Drug tests
Mandatory for teachers, random for students
A MANDATORY drug test for teachers and a random test for students will be conducted possibly this year, education officials said.
Department of Education (Deped) officials yesterday bared they will conduct the drug tests in line with the direction of Deped Secretary Leonor Briones who is backing the anti-drug campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte.
"It is very clear that she wants it done either this year or next year the mandatory drug testing of our Deped personnel and random drug testing for our students," Assistant Secretary Tonisito M.C. Umali said during a press briefing yesterday at Ateneo de Davao University (Addu).
Umali said that with the sensitivity of the issue, which has earned apprehension from the public, he assured that Secretary Briones is very cautious in doing the testing due to its possible psychological implication to the students.
He further said that they will ask for the parents
ents and guardians' approval when they are set to conduct the testing.
"There should be consent from the parents, at ito'y gagawin sa pamamaraan na sensitibo tayo," he added.
He said that the privacy of the students, if found positive will be considered confidential to avoid its negative effect.
In terms of the teachers and personnel who were found positive, if they are just a mere user, the agency will create an intervention for their reform and rehabilitation. But, if investigation shows that these officials are drug pushers he said that they will be subject for disciplinary action.
"If they are selling drugs, that is a ground for administrative action but if they are using drugs, we want to rehabilitate to reform them," Umali said.
Based on record, there are 722,000 teachers and 25 million students in the country.
Umali, however, said that they are still studying the approach of how to deliver the campaign effectively and efficiently without compromising the welfare of the students.
"Napakaseryoso ng ating Maam Briones tutukan ito at yong sinasabi kong wag ma kompormiso yong privacy," Umali said.
Umali also revealed that there are some teachers who were included in the drug list of President Duterte, however, he assured that the public has nothing to be alarmed as it is only a minimal number.
"Meron po, pero ito poy maliit na bilang po lamang at ginagawa po natin ang dapat po nating gawin para po mangyari yong sinasabi ko pong na ma rehabilitate po ito," he said.