DepEd @deped_ph Child Protection Policy (DepEd Order No. 40, Series 2012).

Contact for incidents at [email protected]

Here’s a quick look at the principles that govern the DepEd Child Protection Policy (DepEd Order No. 40, s 2012).

Good news await parents, educators and our children. There is now a Department of Education policy to protect children from bullying. A Child Protection Committee (CPC) will be established in all private and public elementary and secondary schools. The committee will be composed of school officials, teachers, parents, students, and a community representative.

House Bill 5496, the Anti-Bullying Act of 2012 was approved on May requiring all elementary and secondary schools to adopt anti-bullying policies. The bill requires that “anti-bullying policies be included in the school’s student and employee handbook; details of the policies should be posted in school websites and school walls; schools shall submit their anti-bullying policies to the Department of Education (DepED) within six months upon effectivity of the law; bullying incidents in schools must be reported to the division superintendents, who in turn shall report to the Education Secretary; and the DepEd must submit a report on bullying incidents to the appropriate congressional committee and impose sanctions on school administrators who do not implement anti-bullying policies.”

The objective of the policy is to observe and promote zero tolerance on any act of child abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination, bullying, and other forms of abuse in school,” said DepEd secretary Armin Luistro.

Parents are lucky these days. For so long, parents like me were helpless in communicating with the school officials.

It is the responsibility of the school to develop and maintain a safe and caring community by providing a comprehensive, school wide framework for the prevention of bullying or any form of discrimination or harassment. The school needs to ensure that students are given a consistent, coordinated, and strong message by everyone in the school that bullying will not be tolerated and that bullying can be prevented if all work together.

Let us keep our children protected. Be informed.

Contact for incidents at [email protected]

Here is the Dep Ed Child Protection Policy (DepEd Order No. 40, s 2012).

DepEd Child Protection Policy

Here is the anti-bullying act of 2012.

HB 5496- Anti Bullying Act of 2012

Image via Dep Ed Facebook