Personal Safety to be integrated in curriculum of 56 schools

Lessons on personal safety will be integrated in the curriculum of fifty-six more selected public elementary and secondary schools in the country, according to the Department of Education.

DepEd Undersecretary Fe Hidalgo said that this is in compliance with Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as the Anti-Child Abuse Act, and in connection with the policy of creating a school-friendly environment within the context of the schools first initiative.

Personal safety lessons seek to develop awareness and positive values among the learners, parents and community towards the protection of children against sexual abuse in schools.

The lessons would also enhance the children's social skills, self-esteem, and the vital knowledge of their rights and responsibilities within the context of a Filipino culture.

"PSL shall be integrated in the revived character education and Makabayan subjects in both elementary and secondary," Hidalgo said.

She added that prototype lesson exemplars will be prepared to suit the point of entry in the Basic Education Curriculum learning competencies.

DepEd Cebu City Schools Superintendent Leonilo Oliva said that personal safety lessons have already been integrated in the curriculum of both elementary and secondary schools in the city.

He said that it has been integrated in subjects like social studies and health education where children are taught how to detect abuses either in school or in the community. The Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse is working with the DepEd to mandate Personal Safety Lessons for the protection of all Filipino children.

Since the establishment of the Center, it has implemented PSL in more than 100 schools, has trained more than 800 teachers, 80 school counselors and has reached more than 30,000 students from first grade to fourth year high school.

The Center works for a safe world for children free from sexual abuse and exploitation. It believes that the best way to stop child sexual abuse is to prevent children today from becoming offenders tomorrow. The Center's program consists of prevention, treatment, training, resource-building and networking.

Also, the Center teaches children the right ideas regarding appropriate touch and empathy. Further, the NGO teaches children the boundaries for touch and sex in order to help them better understand their sexuality and to build respectful relationships so they will not become future offenders. - Jasmin R. Uy