Jakarta – Police officers in Blitar, East Java, are stepping into classrooms across the regency to replace contract teachers who have been on strike since Monday.
"It was our initiative to help the community," Blitar Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Anissullah M Ridha said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com. "Our orders are to help the community in any way we can. Since there are no teachers in schools, we can [teach the students]."
He said that around 150 police officers have been assigned to elementary and junior high schools across 16 districts in Blitar regency. "There are five to six schools in every district," he said.
Anissullah added that some officers were teaching specific subjects they had knowledge of, while others were providing more general lessons.
"[Officers] who have no expertise in a particular subject teach general knowledge, such as how to identify hoaxes," he said. (kmt/swd)