
25/10/2023
The Department of Education's (DepEd) Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd (OK sa DepEd) convergence initiative aims to enhance the health and wellbeing of students, teachers, and other staff members. It is carried out through five principal initiatives:
1. School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP): Provides nutritious meals to learners to improve their nutritional status and cognitive function.
2. National Drug Education Program (NDEP): Educates learners about the dangers of drug abuse and how to avoid it.
3. Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH): Provides learners with information and services on reproductive health and s*xuality.
4. Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS): Promotes proper sanitation and hygiene practices among learners to reduce the risk of diseases.
5. Medical, Dental, and Nursing Services (MDNS): Provides basic medical, dental, and nursing services to learners, teachers, and other personnel.
The implementation of OK sa DepEd is done in collaboration with various governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations, and the corporate sector. Additionally, it receives assistance from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), which is affiliated with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
OK sa DepEd has played a significant role in improving the health and well-being of learners in the Philippines. For example, the SBFP has helped to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition among learners. The NDEP has helped to raise awareness of the dangers of drug abuse and has contributed to a decline in drug use among adolescents. The ARH program has helped to reduce the incidence of teenage pregnancy and s*xually transmitted infections. The WinS program has helped to improve the sanitation and hygiene conditions in schools, which has led to a decrease in the incidence of waterborne diseases. And the MDNS program has provided essential medical, dental, and nursing services to learners, teachers, and other personnel, helping to ensure that they are healthy and productive.
Overall, OK sa DepEd is a successful program that has made a significant contribution to the health and well-being of learners in the Philippines.