Notes

A Step Closer towards the Development of Rabies Education in the Philippines

Rabies remains endemic in many parts of the Philippines, killing more than 200 Filipinos each year. Most at risk are children aged 5-14 years old. Given their vulnerability to dog bites and, consequently, rabies exposure, the national government through the National Rabies Prevention and Control Program (NRPCP) with the Department of Education (DepEd) at the forefront, seeks to intensify the rabies education in the elementary school curriculum. The Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC) shares this vision, to educate students on rabies prevention and control through the school network.

As an initial step for this initiative, a Rabies Education Planning Workshop was held last 6-7 January 2017 at The Bellevue Manila, Alabang Muntinlupa City. The activity aimed to map out the existing core messages and competencies and identify the gaps in the current rabies education curriculum, review the existing rabies education materials, and develop instructional design for rabies education at the national level.

It was attended by partners from the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Animal Industry (DA-BAI); Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM); key persons from the DepEd Bureaus of Learner Support Services, Curriculum Development, Learning Delivery, Learning Resources, and External Partnership Services; and teacher-writers from Quezon City and Muntinlupa City.

The participants were given technical background on canine and human rabies including the high-risk areas in the country by representatives from DA-BAI & RITM. This was followed by a presentation from the GARC team on the rabies education initiatives conducted over the years. Partners from the DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Development led the session on curriculum mapping from Kinder to Grade 10. The groups identified the existing learning competencies in each grade level along with the key messages that can be incorporated in the present curriculum.

On the second day, the teacher-writers presented draft lesson plans which were evaluated by the group as part of the discussion on instructional design. The DepEd Bureau of Learning Resources also gave a presentation on the basics of Intellectual Property Rights to guide the writers in developing the materials. Finally, an Action Plan was developed to provide direction for the team and identify the next steps in the development of rabies education.

A series of activities will be conducted this year to incorporate and strengthen key messages on rabies, animal bite prevention and management, responsible pet ownership, and role of the community in rabies prevention in eight subject areas (i.e. English, Filipino, Math, Social Studies, Technology and Livelihood Education, Values, Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health). These include the development and production of session guides and modules, pilot testing, as well as the training of trainers and teachers.

It is envisioned that through this initiative, these key messages will be inculcated in students at an early age, contributing to the goal of the NRPCP to eliminate rabies and declare the Philippines as a rabies-free country by the year 2020.