DepEd to prioritize health interventions for learners, teachers

The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Thursday that it aims to address students’ vision problems and teachers’ high blood pressure, which hinder quality learning outcomes.

“Overall health is important but the common illness for kids is their eyes because it affects their reading,” Education Secretary Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara told reporters in an interview.

“For teachers, some of them get high blood pressure,” he added.

Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP), under the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), supports DepEd’s health initiative by providing free health services, such as consultations and laboratory tests.

YAKAP supports Clinics for Learners’ Access to School-Health Services Plus (CLASS+), linking school clinics to local health systems.

“This is really a big help because some students struggle learning because they can’t read,” Mr. Angara said in Filipino. “Some of our teachers also have headaches and body aches.”

“They don’t have enough time for check-ups, so the YAKAP program is really a big help,” he added.

In Minuyan Elementary School in Bulacan, about 3,000 students are expected to benefit from the YAKAP program.

Mr. Angara also noted that there are no plans for higher health maintenance organization (HMO) coverage among teachers. “P7,000 is already generous; it’s only now that DepEd teachers are receiving HMO of P7,000.”

CENTRAL LUZON TEACHERS PROMOTED
Beyond physical well-being, Mr. Angara underscored his support for teachers’ career development.

On Thursday, he led the oath-taking ceremony of 1,991 teachers and school personnel from Bulacan and Pampanga.

“By streamlining and expanding promotion, we are strengthening our teachers who are key to the quality education of each Filipino child,” he said in a statement.

“This is a clear indication of the President’s priority to strengthen our education system by supporting our teachers,” he added.

The promoted personnel, including Teacher II to Teacher VII, Master Teachers I to III, and Principals I to IV, are part of the nationwide implementation of Republic Act No. 12288, or Career Progression for Public School Teachers and School Leaders.

The expanded career progression system has promoted over 16,000 teachers nationwide, and 40,000 applications are currently under review. — Almira Louise S. Martinez