400,000 teachers back as students

More than 400,000 public school teachers are going back to school today — as students.

Some 250 school health officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) will be giving the teachers an intensive orientation on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and other ailments common to public school students such as lice infestation, luga (otitis media), dengue fever, leptospirosis, tuberculosis, tooth decay and malnutrition.

The orientation will last at least two to three days, possibly until Friday.

DepEd publication personnel worked overtime last weekend to print 12 million information sheets on basic cleanliness, water safety, SARS and other health topics for distribution to the teachers during the orientation.

Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus earlier said that parents are also encouraged to attend the orientation. DepEd officials, however, said it remains to be seen how many parents of public school students will actually attend.

Thelma Santos, DepEd School Health and Nutrition Center director, said teachers and other participants in the orientation are encouraged to discuss among themselves the ways to deal with a suspected SARS case on campus.

She added that they should also discuss "discreet" means of finding out if students have a balikbayan relative who had just come from abroad, particularly from a SARS-affected country.

The 250 school health personnel who will play "mentors to the mentors" were themselves given an orientation by specialists from the Department of Health last month.

The 400,000 teachers, who will be students for a week, are expected to pass on what they learned to 19 million public school students when the school year officially starts on June 16.