First, the Habitat for Humanities, then the Gawad Kalinga, now Brigada Eskwela. The Bayanihan spirit is just so inherent in Filipinos. There is just no program launched in the Philippines requiring volunteers and donations that failed.
The Brigada Eskwela program of the Department of Education, on its fifth year, enjoins its stakeholders, especially the parents and the pupils to participate in the improvement and preservation of the public schools nationwide. Far from its mother program, the Adopt a School Program, Brigada Eskwela provides venues even to those who would like to help through their time and services such as plumbing, painting, gardening and the likes. Even elementary pupils could participate through their little efforts of sweeping the grounds and cleaning the classrooms in preparation for the start of class this June. Other private organizations, NGOs and even private schools have adopted the program. Ateneo, through its Ateneo Center for Education Development (ACED) has actively participated ever since the launching of Brigada Eskwela and coined their program this year as Brigada Atenista para sa Brigada Eskwela 2007. Ateneo will be servicing three elementary schools in Payatas this year.
Brigada Eskwela 2007 aims to have its 35,000 schools (85 percent of all the schools nationwide) to participate in the program and generate P2.5-3 billion worth of donations-in-kind, man-day services, labor support and community maintenance operating expenses. This is an attainable increase from last year’s figure of 29,215 public school participants and a total of P2.031 billion worth of services and donated goods. Last week, 26,000 schools or 74 percent of the target school participants this year have already committed to join. This program runs on National Schools Maintenance Week from May 21 to 26.
We would like to commend the DepEd for this program. Not only has it expanded its resources in improving the schools’ facilities through donations, it has also stirred up participation from the parents and the pupils. This is a good move by DepEd because it promotes the awareness among parents that they are the schools’ active partners in educating our youth. On the other hand, enjoining the pupils to work hand in hand with other volunteer members and groups instills in them the importance of taking care of and preserving the school facilities as their own. They benefit from it and learn from it all at the same time. What an excellent way to instill values in our youth. And this is what DepEd is doing through its Brigada Eskwela program.
The students stand to benefit the most from collaborative efforts like this. Notwithstanding the lack of budget for more classrooms, enough textbooks and upgraded school facilities, innovative efforts from DepEd and a lot of volunteerism will certainly push the achievement of long term goals.