DepEd, PDEA postpone meeting on student drug tests

MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) have postponed their scheduled meeting this week to discuss the proposed mandatory drug testing on students.

Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said the meeting was reset to next week to invite other agencies to join the discussion.

“Mutually agreed to include the Dangerous Drugs Board and possible the Philippine National Police (PNP) because of earlier issue on locker (inspections),” he said.

Malaluan said officials are still trying to find a common schedule for the meeting.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones earlier sought a meeting with PDEA chief Aaron Aquino to discuss the latter’s proposal for mandatory drug testing for Grade 4 students and above.

The DepEd has expressed reservations over the proposal, noting that the anti-illegal drug law only allows drug testing on high school and college students.

Briones also noted the cost of the mandatory drug testing, as well as its lasting impact on the students.

“What is important is the impact on the life of a 10-year old child,” she said in a recent interview with The Chiefs on Cignal TV’s One News. “We have to make sure that our children are protected from overexposure, shock, trauma and all this that is required in testing.”

The meeting with PDEA would focus on existing programs implemented by DepEd to address the illegal drug problem, according to DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla.

“Drug testing is just one of the components of a bigger program of DepEd,” she said in Filipino.

In addition to the existing random drug testing on high school students, Sevilla said drug prevention and education are part of the basic education curriculum.

She also stressed that there are other extra-curricular activities that are being implemented to ensure that schools are drug-free.

DepEd officials have also sought a meeting with the PNP to discuss its proposal to conduct surprise locker and bag inspections on students.

Police said the inspections could be a deterrent to illegal drug use among students, although the DepEd warned that such a program has to be carefully studied as it may result in the violation of the privacy of the students.