DRUG TEST FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDES SET

Starting September until October, all public and private secondary
school students in Negros Oriental will undergo random drug tests.

Education and Nutrition Officer Joy Catacutan of the Negros Oriental
Schools Division revealed this during a Philippine Information Agency
(PIA) forum last Wednesday at City Burger.

Catacutan said all teachers and Department of Education (DepEd)
employees would also undergo the random drug tests.

She explained that the random drug test order is based on general
guidelines issued by the regional office of the DepEd.

"Pursuant to the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, random
drug testing of students in public and private secondary,
tertiary/higher educational institutions and vocational-technical
schools shall be conducted starting September 2003," Catacutan quoted
a DepEd memorandum signed by Regional Director Carolino Mordeno.

The memorandum dated last August 13 was addressed to all schools
division, city superintendents, and public and private secondary schools.

She said the Dangerous Drugs Board approved the DepEd general
guidelines.

The guidelines direct all school division and city superintendents and
school heads to implement the drug test and to disseminate the
guidelines to teachers, students and parents.

Mordeno directed each school to create a selection board to handle the
random sampling of students to be tested, assign a counselor to guide
and counsel students found to be drug users, coordinate with concerned
government agencies, and ensure the confidentiality of test results.

Catacutan emphasized that the government will handle the costs of the
drug tests.