By Cecille Suerte Felipe - philstar.com
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
When classes open this June, some students will have policemen doing roll call and teaching them their ABCs.
At least 34 rookie policemen will play a different role as mentors teaching the basics in the elementary grade.
According to Director Leopoldo Bataoil, chief of the Directorate for Police-Community Relations of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the rookies will be deployed in 17 regions where they will complement elementary school teachers in teaching various subjects under the “Pulis Ko, Titser Ko” program.
“Our policemen will teach the five regular subjects, including Filipino, English, Math, Science and Makabayan,” Bataoil announced at a news conference at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame yesterday.
Bataoil said most of the policemen-teachers would be assigned to remote and rebel-infested areas in the country.
He said the policemen would be wearing their uniforms when they report to the classrooms.
“Instead of waiting for nothing at their respective units, policemen … will be assigned to teach children in schools. It will bring our police closer to the community,” Bataoil said.