PREVENTIVE DRUG EDUCATION

CURRENT EDUCATIONAL ISSUE

What are illegal drugs?

 Illegal drugs are harmful substances that people take for pleasure.
 Examples are heroin, cocaine, LSD and marijuana
What is preventive drug education?
 The Department of Education (DepEd) issues the enclosed Preventive Drug Education Program
Policy for Curriculum and Instruction in support of the National Drug Education Program as
provided in Section 43, Article IV of Republic Act No. 9165
 PDEP is a presidential directive to strengthen and enrich further curricular reforms on anti-illegal drugs
which is part of the 10-point agenda for DepEd. The Department has always been focused on the
preventive approach as part of its broader, more holistic drug education program.
 The Department of Education (DepEd) designed the Kindergarten to 12 (K-12) curriculum in such
a way that students would learn about “Substance Use and Abuse” in their health classes in Grades 5,
8, and 9.
 But old and new problems persist: There’s the perennial issue of inadequate textbooks for students and
schools without proper audio-visual equipment for lessons. Under the Duterte administration, teachers
are now confronted by students with questions about the drug war.
How shall it be implemented in instruction?
Such instructions shall include:
1. Adverse effects of the abuse and misuse of dangerous drugs on the person, the family, the school and
the community;
2. Preventive measures against drug abuse;
3. Health, socio-cultural, psychological, legal and economic dimensions and implications of the drug
problem;
4. Steps to take when intervention on behalf of a drug dependent needed, as well as the services available
for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependents;
5. 5) Misconceptions about the use of dangerous drugs such as, but not limited to, the importance and
safety of dangerous drugs for medical and therapeutic use as well as the differentiation between medical
patients and drug dependents in order to avoid confusion and accidental stigmatization in the
consciousness of the students otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2001.

With the policy in place, PDEP shall be mainstreamed in all programs and projects of the Curriculum
and Instruction, covering curriculum standards, curriculum delivery, learning resources, and
assessment. While the policy’s guiding principles stated that learning outcomes shall be anchored on
areas such as Health Education and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP) to ensure progression and
continuity, it was also emphasized that preventive drug education concepts shall also be integrated with
other learning areas
 What does this policy aim?
 Strengthen the implementation of the PDEP in schools and CLCs through curriculum integration across
all learning areas;
 Provide capability for DepEd personnel in the implementation of the
PDEP;
 Ensure that PDEP services are available and accessible to all learners, teaching and non-teaching
personnel;
 Encourage PDE research for evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation;
 Establish a strategic and systematic monitoring, evaluation and feedback mechanism to ensure
continuity of the program; and
 Ensure allocation of funds for program sustainability.
 Create strong partnership with various stakeholders in promoting the PDEPlA

What is the importance of this policy?

 Drug education enables children, youth and adults to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes to
appreciate the benefits of living healthily (which may or may not include the use of psychoactive
substances).
 Promote responsibility towards the use of drugs and relate these to their own actions and those of others,
both now and in their future lives.
 It also provides opportunities for people to reflect on their own and others' attitudes to various
psychoactive substances, their use and the people who use them.
 Young people are faced with many influences to use both licit and illicit drugs. Education can play a
counterbalancing role in shaping a normative culture of safety, moderation, and informed decision
making
INFORMATION VS IGNORANCE
Carol Manalaysay, Arellano High School’s head teacher for its music,
art, physical education, and health classes (MAPEH), said they also do
not hesitate in teaching the students about the different street names of
the drugs
“We don't want to teach the value of ignorance, because it’s there. You
have to be informed. If you don't give the information, it's there and they
don't know about it, we're teaching ignorance. We don't want to produce
youth who [are] unaware .Drugs are everywhere. If we're not going to
[correct] the information about it, there will be more curiosity. We're
here, as teachers, we're here to inform”, said Manalaysay in Filipino