THE DEPARTMENT of Education underscored the importance of strengthening learners’ socio-emotional support to make students understand their mental health needs.

“All of these efforts are intended to help make our learners more resilient, make them understand their mental health needs, and hopefully make them advocates for socio-emotional well-being amongst themselves and champions of such advocacy within their schools and their community,” DepEd Assistant Secretary for Operations Dexter Galban said.

Galban said socio-emotional programs are part of learning and recovery, such as the Career Guidance Program, National Drug Education Program, Barkada Kontra Droga, Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd, and Health Learning Institutions.

The DepEd has revived the After School Sports Program, expanded the Barkada Kontra Droga Plus initiative and forged partnerships for the holistic development of learners.

Meanwhile, Dr. Helen Maasin, a researcher from El Salvador City in Northern Mindanao, shared her study on Project Digi-SEL or Digital Media as a Tool for Social Emotional Learning Opportunities which addresses the national result of the least mastered skills in Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, namely, concern for others and information, media, and technology.

On the other hand, Dr. Ronnel King, an associate professor of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, recommended creating socio-emotional learning programs which include having explicit SEL instruction, SEL integrated with academic instruction, youth voice and engagement, supportive school, and classroom climates, and focus on adult SEL, among others.