DOH: Schools may hire nurses, health experts for sexuality education

The Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday highlighted that there are other ways to address teen pregnancy amid the controversy over Senate Bill 1979, or the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill.

This, as the DOH reiterated that there is no need for a new law to tackle the issue and that the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Law of 2012 (RH Law) just needs proper implementation.

One step to implementing the law properly is hiring health professionals or experts to teach the students, according to DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Albert Domingo in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

“Meron kasi tayong tinatawag na MAPEH, yung Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health. Ang implementation niton ay isa lang siya sa ‘MAPEH,” said Domingo.

Instead of having only one teacher for MAPEH, Domingo said the "Health" subject must have a specific and adequately trained teacher. 

"Mas maganda kung may designated na health teacher. Isipin niyo yung pe teacher, maton na basketball coach, tapos magtuturo din siya ng reproductive health. Parang medyo awkward yung dating. Dapat yung teacher ay properly trained, Hindi lahat at kontin lang ang merong health teacher. Baka iyan ang pwedeng solusyon,” explained Domingo.

(It is better if there is a designated health teacher. Think of the PE teacher bullying the basketball coach; he will also teach reproductive health. The former seems a bit awkward. The teacher must be trained appropriately; not all, and only a few, have a health teacher. Maybe that could be the solution.)

He added that since there is still a shortage of teachers in the country, employing some nurses in schools could be a solution.

Meanwhile, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros introduced a substitute bill to Senate Bill 1979 with amendments addressing concerns about Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE).

Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality Committee, expressed confidence that the revised bill would address President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s concerns about the previous version. 

DOH assured that they would help Congress to create measures to teach comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in schools more effectively.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News