DepEd's Brigada Eskwela set after May 14 elections

The Department of Education will conduct its annual "Brigada Eskwela" or the National Schools Maintenance Week after the May 14 elections.

The program is one of DepEd's preparations for the opening of classes on June 4, and will be done in all schools in the country where major renovations will be made.

Together with parents, students, teachers, and non-government organizations, all schools will be cleaned and repainted to prepare for the class opening.

"We've been calling on all members of community to take responsibility of their schools. We're calling on them to work together in making sure that schools are conducive to learning and that students are performing well. Cooperation among all stakeholders in education is necessary for the success of education- whether we're fixing broken desks or addressing the low grades of students," DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus said.

Lapus has enjoined parents, church groups, civic organizations, barangay officials, and other concerned citizens to volunteer for the weeklong nationwide activity.

From May 16 to 21, thousands of teachers, parents and community volunteers across the country will troop to their nearest public schools to restore chairs and desks, repaint walls, fix leaky water pipes, patch roofs, and repair windows in preparation for the next school year.

In June, DepEd will also implement the Schools First Initiative, an effort to decentralize school operations to the local level. Under the program, a school will form and be managed by a council composed of principal, teachers, parents, students, local government officials, and civic organizations.

"Brigada Eskwela" is one of the programs being undertaken by the DepEd to cope with the predicted resource shortages for the upcoming school year.

"This June we're going to face many of the same problems-lack of classrooms, desks, teachers, and textbooks. We have to maximize whatever resources we have." Lapus said.

DepEd Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz said that "Brigada Eskwela" aims to prolong the life span of classrooms that are currently in use.

Last year, "Brigada Eskwela" generated at least P717.1 million in donated labor and materials that benefited more than 12,500 schools. - Jasmin R. Uy/LPM