Senate Resolution No. 169

Bam to lead probe on sex, drugs and trolls education in schools

The Senate Committee on Education will look into how public schools educate students about reproductive health, responsible use of social media and the dangers of illegal drugs.
 
Education committee chairman Sen. Bam Aquino will conduct a hearing together with the Committees on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs and Health and Demography on Tuesday (Oct. 18).
 
Sen. Bam has filed three separate resolutions calling for an investigation into drug prevention and education in schools, reproductive health education and responsible use of social media in schools — Senate Resolution Nos. 168, 169 and 173, respectively.
 
“These three issues are crucial to today’s students as they face the problems of illegal drugs, teenage pregnancies, and cyber-bullying and misinformation in social media,” said Sen. Bam.
 
In Senate Resolution No. 173, Sen. Bam wants to be enlightened on how schools are educating and developing students regarding the responsible social media use.
 
“Our schools can play a critical role in guiding students to become productive digital citizens and to communicate respectfully online,” said Sen. Bam.
 
The move is aimed at guiding and developing students on responsible and proper social media use, considering the prevalence of misinformation and use of abusive language in social media, especially by so-called “paid trolls”.
 
With the alarming rise in number of teen pregnancies in the country, Sen. Bam filed a resolution calling for an inquiry on the status of the implementation of reproductive health education in schools.
 
Senate Resolution No. 169 seeks to clarify the status of the implementation of reproductive health education in schools amid the alarming rise in number of teen pregnancies in the country.
 
Based on 2011 to 2014 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, teenage pregnancy in the country is on the rise, with one in every ten women of child-bearing age is a teenager and 24 babies are born every hour from teenage mothers.
 
In Senate Resolution No. 168, Sen. Bam aims to determine the status of drug education and prevention programs in schools and alternative learning systems (ALS) to help keep the youth away from the drug menace.

Bam eyes probe on status of sex education in schools

Amid the alarming rise in number of teen pregnancies in the country, a senator has filed a resolution calling for an inquiry on the status of the implementation of reproductive health education in schools.

In Senate Resolution No. 169, Sen. Bam Aquino said the Department of Education (DepEd) is tasked by Republic Act 10354 or to develop a curriculum for reproductive health education that will be used by public schools and may be adopted by private schools.

In 2013, the DepEd released the K to 12 Curriculum Guide for Health, which incorporates lessons on Reproductive Health and Responsible Parenthood.

“Ngayong tumataas ang bilang ng mga kabataang nabubuntis, nais nating malaman kung ano nga ba ang estado ng nasabing curriculum at kung paano ito itinuturo sa ating mga paaralan,” said Sen. Bam, chairman of the Committee on Education.

Based on 2011 to 2014 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Sen. Bam said teenage pregnancy in the country is on the rise, with one in every ten women of child-bearing age is a teenager and 24 babies are born every hour from teenage mothers.

 “The youth are faced with critical decisions involving sexual and reproductive health that could have a major impact on their lives,” said Sen. Bam.

The senator added that research by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) shows that majority of adolescents still lack the knowledge to make responsible decisions.

 “UNFPA Country Representative Klaus Beck highlighted the importance of including sexuality education in our Philippine education system to help ensure young girls and boys make responsible choices based on accurate information,” said Sen. Bam. 

Without adequate information, Sen. Bam said teenagers are left vulnerable to coercion, sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies.

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