The Department of Education will be launching the "Brigada Eskuwela" next month to help prepare the schools for the opening of classes this June.
Deped Secretary Jesli Lapus said the "Brigada Eskuwela" is more needed this time as the schools have to be cleaned up as there have been some dilapidated buildings already.
"We are already getting commitments from the private sector in this project," he said.
To save on budget, Lapus said the objective of this project is to mobilize the private sector, the community, the local government units and non-government organizations to help clean the schools in their respective areas.
He said this includes the removal of campaign posters, stickers and other campaign paraphernalia in schools.
Last year, DepEd spent some P6 million for information dissemination and generated millions from contributions and donations, in cash and in kind, for the clean up of schools in the country.
For the first time, Lapus added there would be separate dates for the opening of classes for elementary pupils and high school students in the country.
He said the elementary level would open earlier on June 3 while the school opening for high schools would be on June 10.
He said it is important that school session for elementary pupils start early in time for the celebration of Independence Day on June 12.
"This is an opportunity to inculcate values of patriotism and love of country among our elementary school students," he said.
Lapus said this would also alleviate the traffic situation and would be advantageous for parents who have children both in the elementary and secondary levels.
He said a total of 12.1 million elementary pupils and 5.3 million high school students are expected to troop to schools this June.
Included, he said, are some 2.6 million new pupils in Grade One and 1.6 million high school freshmen. - Jasmin R. Uy/LPM