๐ฅ๐ Teachers and Students Across the Country to Receive Free Health Services Through CLASS+ Program
In a bold step to advance both education and public health, the Philippine government officially launched the CLASS+ (Clinic for Learners’ Access to School-Health Service Plus) program during the 2025 school opening week. This national initiative provides free medical services to students and teachers in public schools, reinforcing the belief that quality learning begins with good health.
๐ฉ๐ซ๐ฆ A Stronger Start in 2025: Merging Health and Learning Under CLASS+
According to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. directed that the health of Filipino learners be made a top priority. Rolled out in the first week of classes in June 2025, the CLASS+ program is a collaborative effort between the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), PhilHealth, and local government units (LGUs).
This initiative transforms ordinary school clinics into access points for essential health services, where students and teachers can:
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Receive medical consultations
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Undergo laboratory testing
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Claim free medicines
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Get health counseling
For more complex conditions, they are referred to PhilHealth Konsulta providers or partner hospitals, ensuring continuity of care beyond the school walls.
๐งช๐ Health Checks That Matter: Early Screenings Start June 2025
The CLASS+ initiative also expands on DepEd’s existing Learners’ Health Assessment and Screening (LHAS) under the Oplan Kalusugan program. Starting in June 2025, students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 undergo a series of assessments including:
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General physical exams
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Nutritional evaluations
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Dental screenings
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Mental health assessments
From Week 1 to Week 3, Kinder to Grade 6 learners are screened for height and weight, following World Health Organization (WHO) standards. This data helps DepEd identify students in need of nutritional support and informs school-based feeding programs designed to combat undernutrition and stunting.
๐ง ๐️ Mental Health Focus: August to December 2025 Rollout
Mental health is a major component of the CLASS+ framework. From August to December 2025, learners aged 10 to 19 will undergo age-appropriate mental health screenings using validated tools like:
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Children and Adolescents Risk Screener (CARS)
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Rapid HEEADSSS (covering Home, Education, Eating, Activities, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/Depression, Safety)
According to UNESCO, school-based mental health support is critical to reducing dropouts and improving learning outcomes. CLASS+ places the Philippines among forward-thinking countries that prioritize psychosocial care alongside academics.
๐ ️๐ School Health Package Development Begins July 2025
In July 2025, DepEd will begin designing a School Health Package based on the health data collected from these screenings. This ensures future programs are tailored to real needs, enabling:
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Targeted interventions based on actual student conditions
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Efficient referrals and partnerships with local healthcare providers
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Long-term planning for education and health alignment
According to DepEd, this data-driven strategy embodies a whole-of-government approach that ensures no learner is left behind — not academically, and not medically.
๐๐ฌ What Success Looks Like: Smiles, Wellness, and Equal Opportunity
The true success of CLASS+ is seen not just in reports or figures, but in the comforted parents, healthier classrooms, and children who can learn without physical or mental barriers.
As Secretary Angara noted, “We now see what it means when government agencies work together — when health and education unite, our future becomes stronger.”
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