WHO proposes swimming subject in PHL curriculum

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended swimming and basic life saving to be included in the K to 12 curriculum to counter deaths by drowning, claiming that this is one of the most common causes of deaths for five to 14 year-olds.

According to a report by Dano Tingcungco on GMA News' State of the Nation with Jessica Soho on Wednesday, swimming and rescue skills should be taught to school age children six years t0 14 years old.

"Itong mahigit na tatlong libo na namamatay na nasabi ko kada taon, kadalasan dito ay nangyayari ito sa panahon na walang sakuna," Dr. John Juliard Go, the National Proffessional Officer of WHO-Philippines, said.

"Maaring nangyayari ito nahulog and bata doon sa katubigan, sa lawa, sa ilog," he added,

According to Go, knowing how to swim is a big factor during floods caused by typhoons. However, Go said the readiness and capability of government agencies should be kept in mind in its implementation.

WHO's proposal were among 10 recommendations to counter death by drowning.

A bill pushing for a mandatory swimming subject in the basic curriculum of the K to 12 program was filed in 2016. The bill did not pass.

Though the Department of Education (DepEd) believes the importance of learning how to swim, there are still matters they need to address before including the subject in the curriculum.

"Right now what we can do is to make this an offering or as a subject offering na optional. Ibig sabihin it is up to the school, especially the private school kasi meron silang flexibility talaga," DepEd Spokesperson Annalyn Sevilla said.

"The public school, and in coordination with the local government units, or any stakeholder or partner ay pwedeng include ito sa teaching, or subject matter, or curriculum," she added.

According to WHO, it was up to the DepEd how the proposal would be incorporated into the curriculum.

Ideal but unrealistic

DepEd Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said that making swimming and rescue subjects mandatory is "ideal but unrealistic."

San Antonio, undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction, in a phone interview with GMA News Online explained that swimming cannot be a compulsory subject as not all schools have swimming facilities.

The subject will be harder to implement in public schools where everything is provided for free, he explained.

However, San Antonio clarified that should the Philippine government be ready for such a construction, they would be ready to implement it.

"We can implement it if the government is ready to construct the facilities needed to implement the initiative. Since it will entail substantial costs, DepEd can only do it on a non-compulsory basis," he said.

According to San Antonio, swimming and rescue programs are already part of the curriculum offering special program for sports, and that it can be made mandatory to schools or universities with access to swimming pools.

Schools should keep the safety of their students in mind during such programs, he reminded. —LDF, GMA News