LA TRINIDAD, Benguet Pupils in low-performing elementary schools in Benguet are suffering from malnutrition, Department of Education in the province said Friday.
Division nurse-in-charge Virginia Basatan said that based on the recent National Achievement Test for 2007-2008 school year, evaluation results from 32 out of the 236 participating schools were disappointing.
Basatan said it was not coincidental that these low performing elementary schools with below 55 mean performance scores (MPS) also recorded high malnutrition rate among pupils.
To help these schools eliminate malnutrition, DepEd has launched the Division Comprehensive School Health and Nutrition Package, which is also known as Project 55."
The 32 elementary schools (ES) are: Cagui-ing ES in Atok; Bagtangan ES, Ampusongan ES, Dio-alan ES, and Ting-baoen ES in Bakun; Bantas Suanding ES and Bisal ES in Bokod; Lam-ayan ES and Paing ES in Buguias; Anteg-in ES, Baguio Gold ES, and Botic ES in Itogon district I; Dalicno ES in Itogon district II; Boklaoan ES, Cayapes ES, Gaswiling ES, Laoangan ES, and Liblibeng ES in Kapangan; Am-am ES, Balili ES, and Lasigan ES in Mankayan; Palali ES in Sablan; and Klondykes ES and Pimingan ES in Tuba.
Schools in La Trinidad and Tublay that recorded above 55 MPS were not initially included in the Comprehensive School Health and Nutrition Package.
The worst performers are Kapangan, Kabayan and Kibungan towns.
Project 55 is a comprehensive health and nutrition package for turning around low academic performance. This would be implemented starting school year 2008 2009.
The packages will ensure the provision of basic health care and nutrition services to pupils, teachers and non-teaching personnel, DepEd said.
According to Basatan, these include provision of vitamin A supplement, medical-dental check up, deworming, school feeding program and provision of supplemental reading materials, intensified gulayan sa paaralan with the provision of seeds and planting of malunggay in schools, and intensified sodium fluoride mouth rinsing and tooth brushing program. - GMANews.TV