The Department of Education (DepEd) launched the first physical national Brigada Eskwela on Monday, August 1, after two years of being halted due to the pandemic.
Vice President and Secretary of Education Sara Duterte led the kick-off of the national Brigada Eskwela at Imus Pilot Elementary School in Cavite.
“In the last two years, wala po tayong in-persons na Brigada Eskwela dahil nga po sa pandemya. So, ngayon lang po magkakaroon talaga ng physical na Brigada Eskwela. As we saw naman po earlier today, mukhang excited po ang mga tao na tumulong,” Atty. Michael Poa, spokesperson of DepEd, said during an interview with Deo Macalma and Thea Pecho-Corpuz on DZRH’s Breaktime.
With this year’s Brigada Eskwela theme “Tugon sa Hamon ng Ligtas na Balik-Aral”, Poa said Duterte called on partners and stakeholders and encouraged them to extend help for the upcoming opening of classes for SY. 2022-2023 on August 22.
Poa said the Brigada Eskwela or the National Maintenance week will officially kick off in the regionals on August 3, where cleaning, minor repairing, and painting of classrooms will begin.
When asked about the set-up of classes on August 22, Poa said that based on DepEd Order No. 34, schools have three options: full in-persons, blended learning, and full distance learning.
He said the education department is optimistic that many schools will implement in-person classes especially as the enrollment for this school year soared.
“Last school year, more than 76 percent ng ating mga paaralan ang nag-implement ng in-person (classes). We are optimistic na maraming mag-implement ng in-person ngayon lalo na enrollment natin ay napaka-taas this year nung nalaman na magbabalik tayo,” Poa said.
Poa assured that classrooms are sufficient for the full implementation of face-to-face classes on Nov. 2.
“Ngayon po, from August 22 hanggang Nov. 2, yun po ang tinatawag po natin na transition period. Dun po namin pag-aaralan talaga kung may kakulangan bang classrooms. Nag i-identify po kami ng schools na may high resource gaps, yung mga may kakulangan sa kagamitan at classrooms para po magkaroon ng quick interventions ang DepEd,” he explained.
Amid the posing threat of COVID-19 and monkeypox, the DepEd spox said they will still follow the minimum safety standards of the Department of Health (DOH) in the opening of classes, such as wearing of facemask, alcohol, temperature check, and physical distancing.
