Brigada Eskwela is year-long – DepEd

THE Brigada Eskwela wont be just for a week, instead becomes a sustainable activity of communities helping the schools attain the ultimate goal of education for all, explains Department of Education authorities during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.

According to Dr. Erlinda Mahinay, the Brigada Eskwela, which allows members of the communities to show their concern for education through voluntary services in repairing and maintaining government schools is just the formal opening of a yearlong activity implemented by the DepEd.

This is so that by June 15, the pupils do not necessarily get stalled for clean up or repair jobs but proceeds directly to their classes and miss nothing of the 202 school days for this year, Dr. Mahinay said.

The Brigada eskwela also happens to be just one of the major activities characterized by a massive DepEd campaign to get all school age kids back to classes. (PIA-Bohol)

DepEd seeks help to Equip, adopt schools

CONSCIOUS of the perennial problems hounding the country’s educational system, authorities now look on a different angle and urges benevolent citizens to be part of the solution.

With apparent government backlog in providing education facilities, Department of Education (DepEd) taps concerned companies, organizations and citizens to pitch in and join Brigada Eskwela Plus.

According to the DepEd, there is a need for 39 new 2 classroom school buildings for the secondary and 62 2-classroom buildings for the elementary this year as enrollment increase is estimated at 5%.

The situation is also being complicated by the fact that the government’s education for all campaign is set to seek all school-age kids and pull them back to schools.

Over the pressing need for action, the call was echoed during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA as City schools division office through Dr. Erlinda Mahinay as the topic on Brigada Eskwela was raised.

Brigada Eskwela is a nationwide voluntary activity implemented by the DepEd and its external education stakeholders to prepare the schools for the opening of classes.

And just as old schools need to be refitted to make them lend a conducive environment to learning, clean ups, repairs, maintenance and other rehabilitation activities are needed.

And just as the government is hard up on funds, the authorities have said they could use a little help.

“We urge our communities to come out and help in any way they can, be it though free labor or materials needed for the repairs and rehabilitation or repainting jobs,” Dr. Mahinay resounded.

Or to those who have better economic conditions, we are now urging companies and groups for the “adopt a school” program of the Oplan Balik Eskwela, she said.

By adopting a school, organizations and companies can earn tax credits and at the same time help upgrade schools, she claimed.

The Brigada Eskwela of Oplan Balik Eskwela has been implemented to stop the old practice of students and pupils using the beginning days of the school year to clean up the school premises, Dr. Mahinay explained.

On the Brigada, parents and other community sectors concerned with education pitch in free labor and materials to institute repairs and rehabilitation of schools to make the schools conducive venues to learning.

Simultaneously launched last May 24, the Brigada Eskwela forms part of DepEd’s efforts to engage communities to sustainably help schools for the whole school year and be real partners in education, explains Auxilio Cruspero of the Bohol Division Office of the DepED during the same forum. (PIA-Bohol)