Creating a Safe World for Children
The 2nd Stakeholders Meeting for Personal Safety Lessons
The 2nd stakeholders meeting for personal safety lessons was held in Pasig on February 17. 41 Participants included representatives from DepEd (including USEC), DepEd SPED, Zonta, MROFI, UNICEF, Tan Yankee Foundation, Consuelo Foundation, World Vision, ASMAE, Centro Escolar University, Plan International, Bantay Bata, and the media.
The objectives of the meeting was to (1) identify the progress of the Stakeholders’ commitments during the National Stakeholders’ Meeting for PSL implementation held last February 2010 and (2) introduce the Personal Safety Program to new possible partners to seek their support in the implementation of PSL nationwide. The goal was commitment of support from the old and new partners in the implementation of Personal Safety Lessons.
Despite strengths that built the present program, challenges remain; these are
- DepEd mandated the implementation of Personal Safety Lessons but with no clear mention of funds, which remain provided by NGOs.
- Where to squeeze in the PSL, considering that the teaching time was overloaded with academic subjects and other school activities.
- There is no person who is in charge of PSL in DepEd to whom the teachers can raise their concerns in the implementation of PSL. This person could also provide much needed monitoring of schools at the DepEd level.
- There is a need for a mechanism (DepEd Central Office) to push for the strict implementation of PSL in the Division level down to the school level. This way, Division superintendents, supervisors will be involved and they themselves will encourage their teachers to be train and teach PSL. For example, there are school heads that are hesitant to implement as they see PSL similar to Sex Education.
- Delays of implementation by schools due to time constraints.
- Some teachers felt they were not fully prepared to teach PSL. Also, it is not uncommon to see the movement of trained teachers and school head to other schools or to see trained teachers that are not handling subject areas where PSL are integrated.
Commitment Building
DepEd Undersecretary Quijano commits to (1) Expansion of PSL to different Divisions – eight regions with high incidence of CSA and with their plans, each division will have at least 4 schools (2 elem & 2 HS) implementing PSL and they will be the model schools of that division. GAD budget will be utilized for the teachers training and CPTCSA will provide for the PSL manuals. (2) DepEd will take a look at the curriculum, partly implement K12 (curriculum mapping) and PSL will be considered in different learning areas. (3) Together with UNICEF they will consolidate all important contents of laws/ orders in education (Summarize talks in school for child protection) and will write down, indicate the grade level. This Project will be done this year.
UNICEF will help CPTCSA in the production of the PSL materials and continue to work with government, particularly DepEd, on educating teachers about laws and child rights.
ZONTA-SAGIP will continue working with DepEd and focus on the setting up of structures to handle disclosures in each of the schools in which they work.
Consuelo Zobel Alger Foundation continues its commitment in PSL in 44 CAPIN areas.
ASMAE will continue to give technical support in Silay City especially psychosocial and legal support to cases from PSL schools.
PLAN and World Vision both will continue to support and expand PSL with their stakeholders.
Tan Yan Kee (a partner of DepEd in Adopt-A-School program) and Centro Escolar University both will relate to their stakeholders about the event and PSL and see where they can help
DepEd Region 5 and Camarinas Norte are already very supportive, they will closely monitor the implementation of PSL in all divisions to assure reaching out more children and are planning to train guidance counselors on how to deal with the situation.
CPTCSA Summer Institute at Asia Social Institute
Prevention, May 9-11. This three-day session on prevention attended by social workers, psychologists, a doctor, teachers and NGO staff covered definitions, characteristics, causes, and prevention components including handling disclosures. Much of the time was spent workshopping the personal safety materials of CPTCSA. Other methodologies included interactive lectures, demonstrations, guest speakers, role playing, video showing, and sharing of materials and experiences. Read more »
CPTCSA Finalists for the 2010 WISE Award
The Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Sexual Abuse was one of 30 finalists for the 2010 WISE Award (but not one of the 6 winners) and so invited to attend the 2010 Summit in Doha.
Other attendees from the Philippines were Amelia Lourdes Reyes (Philippine Women’s University President), Ramon Bacani (Seamo Innotech Center Director), Paul Dumol (Philippine Center for Civic Education and Democracy Trustee), Dary Dacanay (De La Salle College of St. Benilde Curriculum Officer), Arnulfo Azcarraga (De La Salle University Vice-Chancelor for External Relations), and finally, former President Fidel V. Ramos.
