When it comes to the essence of being a Filipino, one of the most significant traits that we have is the spirit of Bayanihan. This is the main concept of DepEd’s Brigada Eskwela Program, where teachers, learners, and parents help each other to clean and prepare their classrooms for the school opening. Communal unity is a core value that binds Filipinos together from all walks of life, and it is only right to practice it during school activities.
In most local communities, it is a common practice to help one another without expecting anything in return, especially money. And so, the Department of Education in the Philippines designed a program that will keep the spirit of Bayanihan alive no matter the modern times. If you’re looking to join the Brigada Eskwela in your school community, make sure to read about the guidelines and the upcoming schedules before the start of classes.
What is Brigada Eskwela?
The Brigada Eskwela Program is implemented according to Republic Act 8525 enacted during President Ramos’ time. It provided concerned individuals with tax incentives specifically for private interventions often done in schools. Meanwhile, the Adopt a School Program encouraged private-public partnership and volunteerism in public education.
The National Schools Maintenance Week or School Brigade is joined by schools nationwide through voluntary efforts. This DepEd program addresses any resource gaps that they often encounter by building strong partnerships with local communities and schools. It also gathers civic groups, non-government organizations, local businesses, alumni, parents, students, teachers, and other individuals who want to help in repairing classrooms, cleaning up public schools, and doing some maintenance work.
Features and Benefits
As one of the activities in the Philippines’ school calendar, Brigada Eskwela is carried out in all schools nationwide in order to ensure that learning facilities are ready weeks before the start of classes. DepEd had faced several issues in the past including overcrowded classes, a shortage of classrooms, and unprepared schools for the opening of the school year. Here are the benefits of the BE program:
- Classroom repairs and painting.
- Cleaning and organizing school materials.
- Maintenance of school facilities.
The School Brigade has helped DepEd in alleviating these issues since 1998 while allowing partnerships with stakeholders to share their resources and improve the quality of public education in the country. The program has been beneficial to all learners, teachers, and school heads as well as the entire school community by saving and providing resources for the schools.
With improved school facilities through Brigada Eskwela, the Department aims to continuously achieve a better learning environment for learners all over the country. Teachers can start their classes right away during the first day of school while students can focus on the lectures without getting distracted by the need to clean the room before the opening of classes.
How to Join the Brigada Eskwela Program by DepEd
More people are extending their help to elementary and secondary schools every year. In fact, there are local businesses that donate in-kind or cash to schools, while some send their representatives to volunteer for the cleaning, repair, or maintenance work. In addition, local civic groups and members of LGUs, community members, and private partners all come together to volunteer and contribute to a healthier learning environment for learners.
During Brigada Eskwela, public schools become a venue for people who want to participate in the program to achieve one goal. According to DepEd, the main objective is to promote understanding among the various sectors of Philippine society because education is a responsibility that every Filipino individual needs to fulfill.
To participate, follow these steps:
Step 1: Stay updated regarding the upcoming Brigada Eskwela in your area.
Step 2: Prepare any cleaning material that you can use during the implementation of the program.
Step 3: Be ready to clean the classrooms and perform some repairs as needed.
The goal is to make the rooms conducive to learning so that students can concentrate on their lessons. However, solicitation is strictly prohibited among teachers, school heads, and other non-teaching personnel.
Implementing Guidelines
The program is implemented with the External Partnerships Service of DepEd to engage education stakeholders in contributing to the betterment of public classrooms before the class opening. Under the Implementing Guidelines, school divisions and regions should provide intensive and extensive support to all school heads. To ensure compliance, schools need to perform an assessment of the maintenance needs and physical facilities conditions.
The Brigada Eskwela Working Committee should
- Conduct public awareness campaigns.
- Handle financial and administrative matters.
- Establish good relationships to mobilize resources.
- Implement the actual program.
The tasks and other work done for BE are voluntary, hence there’s no need for solicitation which is prohibited. Throughout the week-long activity, school heads need to ensure all classrooms are cleaned and maintained for the opening of classes.
After implementing the program, school heads are required to prepare an accomplishment report and submit it to DepEd. They also need to carry out strategies in order to sustain their Brigada Eskwela efforts. All teachers who will participate in the BE program will receive an award for service credits as well as compensatory time off. The Alliance of Concerned Teachers implemented the Bantay Balik-Eskwela hotline to monitor schools under the BE implementation.
Video: 2022 National Brigada Eskwela Kick-Off Program
In this video, you will understand what the Brigada Eskwela means and see how the kick-off program works. It includes everything you need to know about the BE program and the voluntary efforts of teachers, learners, parents, and other individuals who contribute to the implementation of this activity.
Summary
Education is an important part of every individual’s life, which is key to a successful future. With the Brigada Eskwela, you have the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of public education quality. Now that you know how to participate in the BE program, you can help improve the learning facilities that we have in the Philippines through volunteer work. Join other concerned citizens in providing a more conducive learning environment to pupils and students