Brigada Eskwela makes schools safer

Despite scorching summer heat, thousands of school officials, teachers, parents, students, community residents, and
other education stakeholders gathered yesterday in different public schools nationwide for the annual Brigada
Eskwela spearheaded by the Department of Education (DepEd).
The Brigada Eskwela, or the National Schools Maintenance Week, has become a yearly tradition to prepare public
schools for the opening of classes every June.
PREPARATIONS FOR SCHOOL OPENING A vendor arranges notebooks and other school materials at a stall at
the Commonwealth Market in Quezon City. Ahead of the start of the new school year on June 2, the Department of
Trade and Industry has intensified monitoring of prices and quality of school supplies. (Mark Balmores)
Public schools are scheduled to open on June 2 for school year 2014-2015.
Brigada Eskwela will be conducted from May 19 to 24.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that the activity is a nationwide voluntary effort which brings together
teachers, parents and community members to do minor repair in public schools and prepare the learning environment
for students, in time for the opening of classes.
This years theme focuses on making disaster-resilient schools.
Our goal is to make our schools disaster-ready and resilient, Rivera said. Ang kaligtasan ng mga mag-aaral
at mga guro ay dapat nating bigyan ng prioridad, he said.
DepEd officials also visited and conducted their Brigada Eskwela in schools in Leyte and Guimaras; Balanga, Bataan
Iloilo Province, Guimaras, Tacloban, Legazpi, Sorsogon; Region I/ CAR; Eastern Samar, Western Samar and Leyte;
Koronadal City and Region IV-B.
DepEd Undersecretary for External Linkages Mario Deriquito, who monitored the activities in Pavia National High
School in Iloilo City, said that Yolanda-affected schools will also participate in this years Brigada.
As we continue to build more climate change-resilient classrooms in those areas, we have also formulated
guidelines on how to make the schools safer, Deriquito said. DepEd has also distributed a school preparedness
guide or template for the school-communities. For Brigada Eskwela, we are enjoining the volunteers to help the
schools identify the things that make schools unsafe and to focus their intervention on these things, he said.
BRIGADA AS A REMINDER
While it expresses full support to the Brigada Eskwela, a group of public school teachers said that the government
should be reminded of its obligation to public schools, particularly to the teachers.
The Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) said that the maintenance of schools is a primary state obligation and
voluntary help from community and private institutions should never be used as a justification to reduce fund
allotment for school operation and maintenance.
While we are appreciative of Brigada Eskwela and consider this as a proof of Bayanihan spirit among our people, we
also would like to remind the government that paints, roofing, windows, floor wax, brooms, light bulbs, tables and
chairs in our schools as well as the labor for fixing them should be provided by the government, said TDC National
Chairperson Benjo Basas.
TDC also called on the government and DepEd to prioritize schools that were extremely devastated by tragedies last
year including Yolanda, the Zamboanga City siege, and Bohol earthquake. The governments effort for the
rehabilitation of said areas proved to be slow and insufficient, he said. Thus, we really need the help of the
community and the private entities to prepare the school for another year, he said.
SAFE BRIGADA
Meanwhile, an environmental group reminded Brigada Eskwela organizers and participants to ensure a waste-free,
toxic-free maintenance and repair in schools.
EcoWaste Coalition and the Commonwealth Elementary School Metro Manilas grand slam winner for the 2013
search for sustainable and eco-friendly school for elementary level) have adopted Payatas C Elementary School as
partner for this years Brigada Eskwela.
During the launch of the waste-free, toxic-free Brigada Eskwela, Payatas C ES Principal Rosemarie Salvador and
Commonwealth Principal Rodolfo Modelo welcomed all volunteers from near and afar who came to lend a hand in the
school cleanup and repair. Both school officials drew attention to bayanihan, the time-honored spirit of communal
unity and action that the annual Brigada Eskwela seeks to rekindle, as vital to making schools conducive for
childrens learning, growth and development.
EcoWaste Coalition Coordinator Aileen Lucero underscored the advantage of waste-free, toxic free clean up and
renovation activities, especially to childrens health.
By steering clear of practices that squander resources, create trash and pollute the environs with toxins, we make
our schools a safe and healthy place for young children to study, grow and have fun as well, she said. Children, she
added, are very susceptible to all forms of contaminants in the surroundings, particularly lead dust. Hence the need
to employ environmentally-sound practices during the cleanup, she said.