Former DepED Sec. Lapus honored for championing innovative school health program

On March 24, 2010, Philippine NGO Fit for School presented former Department of Education Secretary Jesli Lapus with the Global South-South Development award that was given to the Department of Education and Fit for School by the United Nations Development Programme, the World Health Organization, and the World Bank in recognition of their innovative Essential Health Care Program (EHCP). Fit for School turned over the award to Sec. Lapus in appreciation of his stalwart championship of EHCP.

EHCP is DepED’s flagship school health program, which was developed in cooperation with Fit for School. The program institutionalizes three preventive health measures in public elementary schools nationwide: daily handwashing with soap, daily fluoride toothbrushing, and bi-annual deworming. At present, one million children are part of EHCP and this number is expected to increase as the program is scaled-up.

Fit for School received the Global South-South Development award on behalf of DepED at the Global South-South Expo 2009 held in Washington DC, USA last December 2009.The prestigious award recognizes EHCP’s innovation as a strategy to improve the health of children and as a winning Southern solution. As a result of EHCP’s success, neighboring countries have expressed interest in using the school-health framework devised by Fit for School to enrich their respective school-based health programs and activities.

Sec. Lapus received the award at the Closing Ceremonies of the Governing Board Meeting and Partnership Forum of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) held in Diliman, Quezon City.