A survey of the educational system of the Philippine islands by the Board of educational survey, created under acts 3162 and 3196 of the Philippine Legislature.

90 EDUCATIONAL SURVEY OF THE PHILIPPINES

centrating their resources or the providing of the most essential forms
of education can the present generation of Filipino people make solid
the foundation of their educational structure.
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
( Precedent to all forms of education is the health and physical vigor
of a people. This principle has bpen constantly borne in mind in
planning the work of the Philippine schools. The responsibility of the
schools in this direction is particularly heavy in an environment where
parasitic diseases, infectious insects, restricted dietaries, and traditions
against physical exercise comprise serious health hazards. Three phases
of the efforts made by the schools to meet this heavy responsibility are
to be distinguished; namely: health supervision, health instruction, and
physical education.
Health supervision is carried out through medical inspection and
remedial measures. The present medical inspection of school children
is incomplete and frequently casual. Both treatment and follow-up
work are inadequately provided for and not vigorously carried out.
The efforts of the many agencies engaged in the work are in need of
coordination to make both of these phases of their work effective. This
should be secured through the Bureau of Education. The part played
by the Philippine Health Service in health supervision of the school
population should be continued. Vaccination of school children against
smallpox and typhoid, and other preventive measures of the public-health
program applicable to the schools are within the province of the Health
Service. The school authorities will give complete cooperation at this
point by requiring evidence of vaccination for entrance to school.
For children in school the great majority of diagnoses can be made
and most treatments can be given by a nonmedical person. The
school nurse is always a more effective health agent in the school than
is the school physician. It must be admitted that the problem of health
supervision is not being adequately solved under the present arrangement. Since it seems impossible to supply adequate attention by either
physicians or nurses at the present time, it is important that the minimum
essentials of training in health supervision be given to teachers, who by
daily care of children can make a real contribution to their health.
Fully considering the special type of service which can be rendered only
by a physician, the Board recommends that the main dependence
for health examination of children be placed upon the teachers and that
adequate direction, training, and supervision be provided through a supervisor of health and physical education in the Bureau of Education.)
Both while he is in school and more completely so after he leaves
school, the child must be able to safeguard his own health. His in