DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 12 June) — Some 1,500 police authorities will be deployed to secure the schools here when classes for schoolyear 2016-2017 begin on Monday, June 13.
Senior Insp. Milgrace Driz, spokesperson of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) told reporters at the sidelines of the opening of the Traveling Photo Exhibit for “36 Buttons” of the Philippine National Academy (PNPA) at the Abreeza Mall Sunday that they will be in full force to ensure the safety of the students, not only in crossing the streets but also against robbery.
She urged parents not to let their children wear expensive pieces of jewelry and gadgets as these make them vulnerable to snatching.
“If possible, the parents should bring their children to school and monitor strictly their activities,” she said.
She also asked parents to closely guard their children to make sure they will not get recruited by gangs and be lured into using illegal drugs.
“The DCPO is all set for (Monday’s) opening of classes. We will provide police assistance desk at the schools, traffic group to facilitate the traffic, and mobile patrols to assist the pedestrians,” Driz said.
She said each assistance desk, which would stay in the school for a few weeks if necessary, will be manned by two police officers while another two will assigned to roam around.
The shift of the roving police will start from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. to 12 noon, and then 4 p.m., Driz said.
She said big schools like Davao City National High School, Sta. Ana National High school, and Daniel R.
Aguinaldo National High School continue to be areas of concern due to proliferation of gangs.
In a press conference last June 6, Department of Education (Deped) 11 spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said schools in Davao Region are ready for opening of classes.
He said they do not expect the full implementation of K to 12 program to be perfect during its first year.
“We are ready for the opening of classes. We do this every year so we know what are the potential situations that we will face .The opening of Senior High School is exciting and suspenseful because this is the first time (it will be offered),” he said.
DepEd 11 is projecting a total of 1,109,874 enrollees for school year 2016 to 2017. Of this number, 814,767 are elementary and 295,107 are secondary students.
Based on Deped-Davao’s records, the region has a total of 1,630 public elementary schools, 303 public secondary schools, 527 private elementary schools, and 261 private secondary schools.
Of the 303 public secondary schools in the region, 298 are offering Senior High while all 261 private schools are offering it, too.
In Davao City, Senior High School is available this schoolyear in 95 private schools and 68 public schools. (Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews)