(Eagle News) — The Department of Education (DepEd) said it won’t allow elementary students or grade school pupils to go through mandatory drug testing as proposed by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said they are still not convinced that a 10 year-old should undergo mandatory drug testing as children’s identities would become exposed to public scrutiny.
“Hindi pa kami kumbinsido na 10 years old. Kasi ang 10 years old na exposure namin sa curriculum sa pagturo ng mga bata dapat pag–iingatan natin dito na ma-e-expose ‘yung mga bata o ‘yung mga learners ‘yung public scrutiny ‘yung kanilang mga identities,” Briones said in a television interview.
Because of this, the secretary said it will request a meeting with PDEA director to discuss on the matter.
Before this, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino had asked the Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) to come up with a regulation on the agency’s proposal to conduct mandatory drug testing for students Grade 4 and up, and personnel in public and private schools nationwide.
The proposal was made after PDEA agents caught a 10-year-old Grade 4 pupil who was allegedly using drugs.