Education is not only vital to an individual’s success. But it also plays a significant role in developing a nation. Aside from that, an environment conducive to learning is essential for learners. That’s why, before the academic year starts, the Department of Education (DepEd) requires all schools in the Philippines to remain clean and organized. To promote an environment conducive to learning, the department issued the DepEd Order 21.
This order contains the 2023 Brigada Eskwela Implementing Guidelines, implemented from August 14-19, 2023. Under this order, schools must identify and address their maintenance needs for classrooms, grounds, and other facilities. In addition, the directive promotes a clean learning environment, where schools should be free from unnecessary posted materials of any kind or nature, even as visual instructions or classroom decorations and announcements.
What is DepEd Order 21?
Issued by the department on August 3, 2023, the DepEd Order (DO) No. 21 series (s.) 2023 is titled the “Brigada Eskwela Implementing Guidelines.” Its implementation started on August 14-19, 2023, when the annual Brigada Eskwela occurred set by DepEd. The Brigada Eskwela (BE) is a 6-day school maintenance program/event that occurs nationwide. In this program, all education stakeholders devote their time, efforts, and resources to ensure public schools in the country are prepared and equipped for class opening.
During this event, various people from communities participate to ensure its success, such as non-government organizations (NGOs), local businesses, civic groups, private individuals, alumni, and parents. Furthermore, teachers and students partake in this program to perform clean-up, maintenance, and minor repairs in classrooms and the school site. Thus, all regions and school division superintendents must implement this order and assist school heads.
2023 Brigada Eskwela Implementing Guidelines
A. Pre-implementation Stage
As a preparation for the Brigada Eskwela implementation, schools shall follow these guides:
- Assess the school’s physical facilities to determine the required maintenance for the upcoming academic year.
- Comply with the Absolute Prohibition on Solicitation, which forbids school heads, teachers, and other personnel from collecting or soliciting any fees for Brigada Eskwela.
- Supervise and create the Brigada Eskwela Working Committees, composed of teachers, non-teaching personnel, and volunteers, such as community members, parents, learners, and other stakeholders.
Once created, the committee of the school Brigada Eskwela shall take responsibility for the following:
- Perform extensive public awareness campaigns by encouraging participation in Brigada Eskwela.
- Establish partnerships to muster voluntary resources, from materials, workforce, and services required in performing Brigada Eskwela.
- Manage, supervise, and monitor different activities administered to ensure in line with the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) and School Improvement Plan (SIP)
- Handle administrative and financial matters.
- Prepare essential documentation of the Brigada Eskwela Program, like photos, videos, attendance records of volunteers, donation reports, and rendered services.
B. Implementation Stage
The implementation of Brigada Eskwela will depend on the date imposed by DepEd and last for six (6) days. According to this policy, all tasks or work are voluntary during the Brigada Eskwela. After assessing the school facilities and identifying needed maintenance, schools must choose applicable activities to implement the program. To choose suggested activities, the committee may follow the list in the photo below:
The objective of Brigada Eskwela is the maintenance of clean schools. Hence, DepEd instructs schools to ensure all their facilities, including grounds, classrooms, and walls, are clean and free from unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulin, and posters the entire time. Schools must also comply with the DO 37, s. 2010 or the Prohibition on Use and/or Display of School Signages Showing Commercial Advertisements, Sponsorships, and/or Endorsements policy. Lastly, classroom walls must be bare/free of any posted materials, stockpiles, or dispose of unused items.
C. Post-Implementation Stage
This stage occurs after the 6-day Brigada Eskwela implementation, wherein the amassed data are combined to prepare the school’s accomplishment report, tackling the following:
- Schools shall prepare and submit the collected data by accomplishing the Brigada Eskwela Report via the DepEd Partnerships Database System (DPDS)
- Sustain Brigada Eskwela by improving the school all year round to ensure a clean, conducive, and resilient learning center for children.
- Teaching personnel actively involved as a member of the Brigada Eskwela Working Committees or volunteering in the program’s activities will earn a 1-day service credit/compensatory time off given they render an 8-hour service in the event. However, the service credit/compensatory time off should not exceed six (6) days.
- Recognition and appreciation of partners at the SDO and Regional Level
D. Implementation Roles and Responsibilities
Central Office
- Issue School Preparedness Guidelines
- Led the Brigada Eskwela National Kick-Off Program
- Supervise the program implementation
- Confirm and assess the Brigada Eskwela Report submitted in DPDS
- Give updates to the general public and media regarding the implementation status
- Organize and expedite the distribution of donations received by the Central Office
Regional Office
- Encourage local stakeholders to assist the Brigada Eskwela implementation
- Oversee the program’s actual implementation
- Create the Regional Monitoring Team (approved by the Director)
- Validate Brigada Eskwela Reports of Schools Division Offices (SDOs)
- Manage planning meetings with SDOs
- Offer technical assistance to SDOs
- Verify, observe, and prepare a report on preparedness strategies
Division Office
- Deploy assistance from government agencies and education partners
- Distribute equal support to schools
- Observe and assess the school’s implementation daily
- Verify the partnership interventions submitted to schools
- Endorse schools the Regional Office (RO) should monitor
- Perform orientation on the implementing guidelines of Brigada Eskwela
- Coordinate with uniformed personnel and local government agencies
- List schools that require the most support from partners
Public Schools
- Lead the school preparedness activities
- Create the Brigada Eskwela Task Force
- Determine relevant Brigada Eskwela activities
- Determine potential partners
- Ensure implementation of Brigada Eskwela activities
- Submit generated resources and volunteers to PSDS
- Give updates to partners/stakeholders
- School heads may lead innovations to enhance the performance level of learners and teachers if the school improves all physical facilities and doesn’t require any maintenance.
Partners, Stakeholders, & Volunteers
Partners, stakeholders, and volunteers shall supervise and assist in the Brigada Eskwela activities by coordinating with the school.
Teachers
- Assist the school head in implementing the activities
- Encourage parents/guardians of learners to partake in the program
- Supervise assigned tasks to volunteers
- Determine the needs of classrooms to guarantee readiness
Supreme Student Government (SSG)/Supreme Pupil Government (SPG) Officers
Officers of SSG/SPG should help homeroom teachers implement Brigada Eskwela activities.
DepEd Order 21 Full Memo Download
If you want to download the full memo PDF file of DepEd Order No. 21, series of 2023, we have provided a direct link on this page. Simply click the download button below and get a copy of DepEd Order 21 in PDF format.
Full PDF DepEd 21 memo file – https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/DO_s2023_021.pdf
Video: DEPED order no.21: Tiyaking malinis at walang unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulin, etc.
Watch the video below to learn more about DepEd Order 21:
As discussed in the video, DepEd Order 21 requires all classrooms and school grounds to be clean and free of unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulin, and posters. Remove posted materials from classrooms and school facilities. By doing so, classrooms will look more clean, spacious and ventilated, making them ideal and safer for school children.
Summary
Although the guidelines in DepEd Order 21 make classrooms look understimulated, some believe it still depends on teachers’ performance to keep learning engaging. Moreover, the guidelines in this order aim to maintain clean and safe classrooms. It also ensures preparedness in schools before the academic year commences. Therefore, all concerned should partake in Brigada Eskwela implementation, including DepEd personnel, non-teaching staff, teachers,