DepEd orders graduating high school studes to render one-week community service
The Department of Education (DepEd) has directed school officials to implement a one- week community service, combined with public safety and law enforcement, to all graduating high school students.
Under DepEd Memorandum Order No. 107 Series of 2009 (Participation of the CAT Students in the National Road Safety Special Program), high school students taking up the Citizens Advancement Training or CAT (formerly the Citizens Military Training) will also provide assistance to local traffic enforcers in enforcing traffic rules and regulations.
They will also render assistance to elderly pedestrians and ensure their safety when crossing the roads or streets in their respective communities.
“To ensure road safety and welfare of the students, teachers and other members of the school community, the CAT students are hereby enjoined to render community service combined with public safety and law enforcement as part of the CAT Program component, particularly in providing assistance to local traffic enforcers in order to guide and provide assistance to pedestrians and other road users and ensure their safety when crossing the streets and/or following traffic rules,” Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said in his order.
As per DepEd Order No. 50 issued in 2005, the CAT Program has three components: Military Orientation, Community Service and Public Safety and Law Enforcement.
It shall be completed for a period of 35 hours in a school year.
“The CAT students therefore, are enjoined to render at least one hour a week during school days, either in the morning when students rush to schools or in the afternoon when students go home after classes,” Lapus said.
Lapus said the program was part of DepEd’s contribution to the Philippine National Road Safety Plan (PNRSP) as it is one of the agencies involved in the latter’s implementation.
The other member-agencies were the Department of Health (DOH), Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units (LGUs).
Lapus also said that school officials should coordinate with LGU’s in identifying problems and community concerns by which their students can be of help.
Lapus said he expected school officials nationwide to immediately comply with the directive and submit periodic performance reports to assess the program’s effectiveness.
“Reports on the implementation of this program shall be submitted by the School Coordinators to their respective Regional Supervisors, who, in turn shall submit the report to the DepEd Central Office through the Office of the Director,” Lapus said. (PNA)
