Education stakeholders and those concerned communities for educating children roll their sleeves and get dirty anew as the annual national schools maintenance program opens tomorrow until June 4 and onwards.
And like the annual school maintenance program ably packaged as Brigada Eskwela, Department of Education (DepED) officials urge all education stakeholders to participate and contribute their time, effort, resources to ensure that all public school facilities are ready for the school opening in June this year.
Through memorandum no 35 series of 2016, DepED adopts the theme “Tayo Para sa Paaralang Ligtas, Maayos at Handa Mula Kindergarten Hanggang Senior High School.”
As such, speaking at the Kapihan sa PIA Thursday, Bohol Division Superintendent Dr. Wilfreda Bongalos said they have mobilized their Adopt a School Program coordinators to ensure effective and community participated 6-day public elementary and secondary maintenance effort.
Referring to DepED memo No. 35, Dr. Bongalos also reminds groups or individuals from national government agencies, local government units, private sector, international organizations, volunteers and interested to join to coordinate with beneficiary schools for guidance.
As the annual Brigada Eskwela officially opens, Dr Bongalos reminds everyone joining that the school maintenance program espouses volunteerism, so [it is] not mandatory or requisite for parents to get assured of their children’s accommodation in schools, or fees solicitation.
In subsequent memorandum, the Bohol Division top official brought up safety and preparedness measures as among the things schools must adopt in the Brigada Eskwela.
Work therefore need to be aimed at making schools prevent fire incidents, pruning trees touching wires, repairing broken fixtures, revamping old electrical lines, making fixtures accident proof through clean and unobstructed pathways, well marked no-access areas, posting of exit and evacuation directional signs, designating evacuation centers.
To make schools disaster proof, Brigada volunteers can post directory of emergency contact numbers, set up warning system, put in first aid kits, keep records safe, keeping of safe supply of water, keeping student family database of contacts and document disaster incidents plus coordinate with barangays for pedestrian safety.
For disaster risk proofing, volunteers can help schools put up safe records storage, and safekeeping of school equipment.
On Monday, Dr. Bongalos said the kick-off ceremony would he held after a Brigada Eskwela Caravan leaving Division Office at 6 a.m. to Bien Unido where a program would officially start the school maintenance events at the Carlos P Garcia Technical Vocational School in town.
At the program, Brigada Eskwela 2015 winners would be awarded on a per district category of small and large schools in the elementary and secondary levels, Bongalos said. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)