Drug testing continues in S. Mindanao high schools

The Department of Education (DepEd) continued yesterday the random drug testing program in private and public high schools in Southern Mindanao.

Dr. Thelma Santos, DepEd School Health and Nutrition Center (SHNC) director, said that they foresee little resistance to the random drug tests after the success of the program in Metro Manila early this year.

Under the random drug testing program, the DepEd, in coordination with the Department of Health, administers drug tests to public and private high school students chosen randomly in about 17 schools in a certain region.

Results of the test are kept strictly confidential but students found positive for drug use are referred to government or DOH-accredited hospitals to determine the level of their drug dependency and eventually recommended for counselling or rehabilitation.

When the drug tests were conducted in Metro Manila early this year, three students were found positive for drug use.

Some camps questioned the program’s Constitutionality and its possible violation of student’s human rights and privacy. But Santos pointed out that the random drug testing program was provided for by Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, which mandates the random drug testing of students in public and private secondary, tertiary/higher educational institutions and vocational technical schools.

Yesterday, the DepEd-DOH team conducted the random tests at the Mintal Comprehensive National High School in Davao City.

School principal Divina Solis said they welcome the drug tests in their school.