PASIG CITY, June 1 – With the new school year ushering in the implementation of the K to 12 program, the Department of Education (DepEd) is calling on the private sector to help teachers, families, local government units, and community members to support this year’s Brigada Eskwela, to ensure that schools all over the country are in peak condition.
Brigada Eskwela is a nationwide program that aims to bring together teachers, parents, and community members to prepare schools for the start of classes in June. This year, DepEd will be holding its annual Brigada Eskwela from May 30-June 4, 2016, with the theme “Tayo Para sa Paaralang Ligtas, Maayos, at Handa Mula Kindergarten Hanggang Senior High School”.
“Our schools need to be prepared for one of the biggest changes that we have made to our education system,” said Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC. “We encourage businesses to help us deliver quality education nationwide by helping communities create clean, safe, and disaster-ready schools for our students.”
Businesses looking for volunteer opportunities for their employees can sign up with the Adopt-A-School Program and work with the schools nearest their communities.
Interested organizations are encouraged to help schools by painting roofs, ceilings, and walls, cementing existing footpaths and drains, repairing comfort rooms and wash facilities, fixing electrical wiring, repairing and repainting chairs, desks, and furniture, repairing broken windows, jalousies, and doors, cleaning up school grounds, and replacing school signs.
Participating organizations can also help by donating materials such as paint, cement, lumber, tiles, tools and cleaning aids, as well as teaching and learning devices, and first aid and disaster kits to the schools nearest their workplaces.
“With students moving up to Senior High School this school year, schools may need certain track-specific materials, such as farming implements, kitchen tools, sewing machines, to computers,” added Luistro. “We encourage companies to adopt our schools and collaborate with teachers, students, and parents to figure out how they can best help the community.”
For more information, interested parties can contact the Adopt-A-School Program Secretariat, External Partnerships Service at (02) 638-8637 or (02) 638-8639 or via email at brigadaeskwela.deped@gmail.com. (DEPED)