Brigada Eskwela: A School-Local Community Partnership
By CEDRICK LEE A. CARMELO
Teacher II
One of the fundamental components of Filipino culture, the “Bayanihan spirit,” serves as the foundation for the Brigada Eskwela concept. The mentality of helping one another as a community to finish a work without expecting or asking for anything in return is known as bayanihan (communal togetherness) or coordinated solidarity in the Filipino culture. When a family wishes to move, bayanihan has its roots in national custom, especially in rural areas.
A traditional Filipino home known as a “bahay kubo” (nipa hut) can be transported by using two wooden poles that are carried and dragged together from one location to another. Strong men must be used to erect and move the house because of this. At the end of the relocation, there will be a gathering or feast where people can mingle and take in the festivities. The bayanihan spirit of the Filipino people still exists and is demonstrated in many ways today, such as when they go above and beyond to help their compatriots in need.
Brigada Eskwela’s beginnings can be seen in Republic Act 8525, which was approved while President Ramos was in office. To encourage participation and public-private cooperation in public schools, the Adopt a School Program was established. Tax savings for private school initiatives were made possible by RA 8525.
A statewide volunteer event known as Brigada Eskwela, or School Brigade, started in 2003 and is also known as National Schools Maintenance Week. A DepEd initiative was created with the goal of overcoming the department’s resource constraints by forming alliances with other communities. The program mobilizes and brings together thousands of parents, alumni, civic groups, neighborhood businesses, non-government organizations, teachers, students, and individuals to perform classroom repairs, maintenance work, and clean-up at public elementary and secondary schools. Due to the program’s success, it was added to the school calendar permanently in 2008, and all schools across the nation were required to run it weeks before the start of the academic year.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has in the past been hampered by what appears to be a lack of priority for education in the nation, as seen by a lack of money for public schools, a lack of classrooms, packed classes, and schools that are not ready for the upcoming school year. When the school first opens, students and teachers must deal with a messy classroom, blackboards that are already too rough to write on, chairs with broken arm rests, and other equipment that need cleaning, maintenance, and repair.
Since teachers and students are expected to do all tasks before focusing on the first day of class, this has an impact on that day. To address these issues, the Department of Education started the Adopt-a-School Program (ASP) in 1998. This makes it possible to work together with numerous stakeholders who are eager to provide money to enhance the nation’s public school system. The spirit of voluntarism rose to an unexpected level in a short period of time, enabling Brigada Eskwela to carry the program to the communities.
The entire school community, including administrators, teachers, and students, must put this program into action. because it provides resources and makes savings on behalf of the school. The constant support and efforts of numerous stakeholders led to improved learning environments and school facilities in time for the start of courses. Now that classroom education can begin on the first day of classes, students can concentrate on their lectures rather than stressing about organizing their classroom before class begins.
Every year, more and more people give their time to help schools. Companies offer to send staff members to volunteer in the schools for a set number of hours or donate money or goods. A healthy learning environment for Filipino children is provided by the army of volunteers, which is made up of members of diverse organizations like the Philippine Army, Local Government Units, private partners, teachers, and community members (parents and students).
Through this initiative, the community’s contribution to providing schools the ideal setting for students to acquire the values and skills necessary to support nation-building is acknowledged. Clean classrooms, well-kept instructional materials, and beautiful surroundings encourage students to show up for class, work hard, and keep working toward their goals.
During the course of the program’s implementation, public schools were transformed into a setting where people had the unusual chance to work together and be directly involved in an endeavor with the government. The Department of Education states that one of Brigada Eskwela’s objectives is to increase awareness among all facets of society that everyone is accountable for the education of the Filipino people. The government, which provides free education to Filipino children, the community in which they are raised, and the private sector, which will eventually employ them, are all stakeholders in education. Their involvement is essential to each student’s academic success.
A safe learning environment in a school with supplies, furniture, equipment, and competent teachers is unquestionably ideal. ###
