The Role of Teacher Clinic in Ensuring Safety School Environment in Taligaman Central Elementary School
By VENUS D. PERO
Safety and health are top priorities.
With all the knowledge gained through the Covid-19 epidemic, schools in the Philippines are more than ready to fully deploy face-to-face instruction in November 2022.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte announced that starting November 2, 2022, all public and private schools should have transitioned to five days in -person classes. This was included in Department of Education (DepEd) Order 34 series of 2022 which contained the calendar of activities for school year 2022 to 2023.
On the other hand, Jan Chavez-Arceo, Executive Trustee and Vice President for Academic and External Affairs of St. Vincent College of Cabuyao in Laguna, claimed that the Covid-19 experience taught the school that foresight, planning, steadfastness, agility, and strong faith are the keys, if not vital, to education resiliency. Now that classes are in full swing, Chavez-Arceo said parents should always remember that the safety and health of their children should be their priority and grades are secondary during this next normal phase.
When seen in a broader framework, every student in the nation deserves access to a high-quality education in a secure atmosphere. It is more crucial than ever for schools and communities to put the health and safety of students, faculty, and families first as our nation continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is for this primary reason the rationale of Online training on first aid and basic management of common medical emergencies in school for school clinic teachers of DepEd Caraga issued Regional Memorandum No. 739 s.2021 on the School Dental Health Care Program (SDHCP) to provides for the dental and medical emergency treatment for learners, teaching, and non-teaching personnel by establishing fully functional clinics that will serve as hub for nearby schools. These clinic hubs shall be manned by a health personnel or a designated clinic teacher. Furthermore, this was in compliance with the DepEd and DOH Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 01, s.2021 entitled, Operational Guidelines on the Implementation of Limited Face-To-Face learning Modality, which provides guidance on the mechanism and standards on the resumption of classes to ensure effective, efficient and safe implementation, all schools shall designate Clinic Teachers and Safety Officers to provide basic health services and implement safety protocols. Clinic teachers shall be non-smokers, without comorbidity, have been fully vaccinated against COVID-l9, and preferably below 60 years old. Those with background on health are preferred.
Referring to DepEd Memo no.14 s.2022 on Guidelines on the Required Health Standards In Basic Education Offices and Schools. As stipulated, the teacher clinic manages the clinic every school day, to provide basic health services and facilitate referral as needed, in close coordination with the school health personnel at the SDO. Clinic teachers shall be provided prior orientation by the school health personnel at the SDO for proper guidance on how to effectively run the school clinic.
Moreover, these are some of obligations as a teacher clinic. The school clinic shall ensure that learners, teachers, and personnel who manifest COVID-19 symptoms shall not physically report to school and shall seek medical advice-virtual, if possible-as needed. The school clinic shall cooperate with the local health authorities in the tracing and quarantine of close contacts of confirmed cases of COVID-19, consistent with DOH guideline. The school clinic shall ensure that earners and personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19 shall not return to school, even if they are already asymptomatic, unless cleared by medical authorities. And the school clinic shall ensure the availability of Emergency Health Kits that include PPEs and other needed supplies and materials. The PPEs should be available for COVID-19 DRRM team members, health personnel, maintenance, and security guards.
Therefore, it is my duty and responsibility to maintain a safe learning environment for the children and the community in my capacity as Clinic Teacher In-Charge. It simply serves to reassure that working harmoniously and strategically can provide positive feedback and outcomes to all the learners and that unity is the key to achieving that goal of the Department of Education. ###
