COTABATO CITY – Education Sec. Dr. John Magno of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) led Monday a series of cleanup activities in different public elementary and high schools in the coastal areas of Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province to mark the start of the annual week-long school maintenance activity dubbed ‘Brigada Eskwela’.
Magno said that aside from the cleanup drive, this year’s ‘Brigada Eskwela’ will also give emphasis on school disaster-preparedness and readiness for the implementation of the K to 12 program.
He said they want to make sure that schools in the ARMM are safe and conducive to education.
The 2016 ‘Brigada Eskwela’ or National Schools Maintenance Week carries the theme “Tayo Para sa Paaralang Ligtas, Maayos, at Handa Mula Kindegarten Hanggang Senior High School” (All of us for safe and proper schools, and ready from Kindergarten to Senior High School) and aims to unite communities in ensuring a better future for Filipino children.
Magno said the region’s education officials and teachers are working with parents, barangay officials, students and other volunteers to clean and prepare schools in time for the opening of classes on June 13.
“We are happy and grateful for the annual ‘Brigada Eswela’ and the support that we get from the DepEd-ARMM,” said Tukan Mangulamas, a supply officer at the second schools division of Maguindanao.
The Australian Government-funded BEAM (Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao)-ARMM program has earmarked P8.9 million this year for minor repairs of classrooms in 225 public elementary and high schools as well as the provision of chairs and tables to 53 madaris (Islamic school).
The BEAM-ARMM will also provide curriculum guide, teacher’s guide and learning materials.
“The DepEd-ARMM and BEAM have helped us improve our schools and encourage children to attend classes,” Evelyn Kanain, Senior High Coordinator of the Schools Division of Sulu.
Kanain said the assistance from BEAM-ARMM will improve the quality of education in various schools not only in Sulu but in the entire region as well.
Disaster preparedness activities will be integrated in the education program of public schools to better prepare students in the events of typhoons, floods and other natural calamities.
Brigada Eskwela was started in 2003 and has three main objectives such as to practice shared governance; to bring the spirit of education to the community level and to utilize local resources to public schools. (Bureau of Public Information)
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