MikeLigalig.com

Press Release
SOLON TO DEPED AND CHED:
SECURE STUDENTS’ AND ENROLEES’ DRUG TESTING DATA; SUSPEND DRUG TESTING
 
Kabayan Party-list founder also seeks protection for out-of-school youths
 
As Vice Chair of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture and Member of the House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability, I ask the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to suspend immediately their implementation of policies on drug testing pending their adoption of specific measures that shall ensure full protection of the privacy of the students tested positive, and adoption of clear rehabilitation measures in coordination with the Department of Health.
 
The suspension of drug testing implementation by the public and private schools is necessary to make sure that the identities of those who test positive will be protected and that the students and aspiring enrollees will not be targeted either by rogue cops or by the drug lords and traffickers.
 
Parents and guardians must be assured of the safety and security of their children. The data on and access to the drug testing results must have safeguards.
 
We want the drug testing data/results secured. We want the human rights of all the youths who undergo drug testing respected. Those data must be kept away from the police and anyone else who should not get access to that data.
 
We do not want more of our children tortured and executed.
 
I am NOT questioning the legality of the drug testing by the schools, DepEd and CHED. The private schools have the academic freedom to determine who they admit into their schools. Our state universities and colleges also have that same academic freedom on admission policies. The DepEd has sound policies on random drug testing and safe schools.
 
The DepEd has guidelines on the conduct of random drug testing in schools. The CHED has been conducting national and zonal consultations on its policies, guidelines, and procedures for higher education institutions requiring drug testing.
 
The out-of-school youths also need protection just like the kids who go to school. I am asking the Department of Interior and Local Government, the National Police Commission, the Dangerous Drugs Board and the governors, mayors and barangay chairmen to promulgate and implement protection policies and programs for the OSYs.
 
I also ask the DepEd, CHED, and private schools to work with the National Privacy Commission to make sure the drug testing data are secure and the privacy rights of all those tested are upheld.
 
Let us ensure full protection of the lives of our youth, who are the hope of our motherland. (END)

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=87586.0