The Department of Education, in partnership with various government agencies, launched their “Oplan Kalusugan sa DepED” (OK sa DepED) campaign and “Healthy Learning Institutions” (HLI) initiative, on Tuesday, Oct. 11, in hopes of ensuring the well-being and health of students for the school year 2022-2023.
Officially launched in 2018, OK sa DepED covers six of the department’s flagship programs namely School-based Feeding Program (SBFP); Medical, Dental, and Nursing Services, including the School Dental Health Care Program (SDHCP); Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS) Program; Adolescent Reproductive Health; National Drug Education Program; and the School Mental Health Program.
With a “strengthened” approach, DepED also launched its HLI initiative.
DepED, earlier this year, entered into a partnership with the Department of Health (DOH) and other government agencies, aiming to strengthen schools under the Basic Education sector as HLIs.
“This is the importance of having healthy learning institutions – so that our children will not be affected by Covid-19, and even without the pandemic, we ensure that the everyday lives of our students or learners who come to school will be healthy,” said DepED Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III.
DOH Officer in Charge-Undersecretary Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, on the other hand, stressed that learning institutions play a vital role in championing the health of learners. This, according to Ho, is one of the reasons why DOH has partnered with DepED and other government agencies in this initiative.
“Hindi makukuha sa pagbisita ng clinic o hospital. 80 percent ng health natin ay combination ng ating educational attainment, sweldo, security at ilan ito sa mga dahilan kung bakit DOH na kailangan mag reach out sa mga eskwelahan (We will not get everything at a clinic or a hospital visit. 80 percent of our health is a combination of our educational attainment, salary, security and these are some of the reasons why the DOH saw the need of reaching out to schools),” said Ho.
The National Kickoff of OK sa DepEd and HLI was held at Quirino High School in Quezon City on Tuesday, Oct. 11.