RANDOM DRUG TESTS IN MINDANAO SCHOOLS

THE Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday subjected to random drug
testing secondary students in public and private schools in Southern
Mindanao (Region XI).

DepEd School Health and Nutrition Center (SHNC) Director Thelma Santos and
Undersecretary Ramon Bacani carried out the drug testing with Department of
Health (DoH) personnel.

Under the program, selected public and private high schools in the region
are required to undergo the test with about 30 students randomly selected
from each school. A total of 17 schools are included in the test.

Bacani said the program is pursuant to R.A. 9165 or the "Comprehensive
Dangerous Drug Act of 2002" which mandates the random drug testing of
students in public and private secondary, tertiary, higher educational
institutions and vocational-technical schools.

Santos said the program has five objectives: to determine the prevalence of
drug users among the students; to assess the effectivity of school-based
and community-based prevention programs; to prevent the use of illegal
drugs; to facilitate the rehabilitation of drug users and dependents, and
to strengthen the collaboration of agencies in the rehabilitation of drug
dependents.

Under the program, the results of the test shall be strictly confidential.
No school shall publish the results whether positive or negative.

Santos said if the results are positive during the initial and confirmatory
drug test, the students to government or DoH-accredited hospitals to
determine the student's dependency level.

If the students are found dependent, the school may impose the appropriate
sanction against them based on the school regulation. The students shall
undergo a three-month observation and counseling period.