Brigada Eskwela 2018
Brigada Eskwela, also known as the “Bayanihan Para sa Paaralan (Working Together for Schools), is an annual school activity before opening of the classes. This activity reminds the community especially the stakeholders that everyone plays a major role in the education and welfare of the students. Brigada Eskwela shows that together, we can make the community, particularly the school a much better place for children to learn and grow.
It runs from May 28, 2018 to June 2, 2018 with the theme “Pagkakaisa para sa Handa, Ligtas at Matatag na Paaralan tungo sa Magandang Kinabukasan,”
The success of Brigada Eskwela was the result of collaborative effort of school heads, private partners, local government units, and the community members, including parents and students. Through the initiative of the school heads, teachers, volunteers, private and government partners were given the opportunity to contribute resources and manpower. Volunteers donated cash and materials for this cause. Some of them also sent their employees to schools to help. Different school organizations also extended their help.
Early morning of May 28, 2018, the teachers of Maypajo Elementary School held a parade that signaled the start of Brigada Eskwela. Teachers , parents, students joined the parade as each of the grade levels hold the placards. Teachers received warm hugs from the principal while parents were greeted with a smiling hello. After the parade, a short program followed to discuss the importance of Brigada Eskwela and to confer the needs of the school for improvement. Every parent voluntarily spare some peso for the “ambagan para sa pagpipintura ng eskwelahan”.
Also, Maam Pelayo emphasized the safety of the students must be given the utmost importance. After the program, teachers instructed the parents about the things they need to accomplish during the brigade week . They discussed the needs to improve inside and outside the classroom. Parents swept the floor and fixed the broken cabinets, chairs, tables and shelves.
On the second day, they started to repaint the classrooms’ wall, floor and ceiling so that it would look pleasant and well- lighted. Parents fixed electric fans that are not functioning and the electricians came to check the cable wirings for safety and to prevent accidents.
On the following day, teachers of Maypajo Elementary School educational charts, designs, reading materials, and bulletin boards. They focused on the most important corners of the room which are the DRR, Reading Corner, Waste Segregation and Health corner to ensure the safety and welfare of the children.
June 1, 2018 (Friday) is a significat day as this is almost on its closing day of Brigada Eskwela as mandated by the school calendar. Amidst the business of everyone, principal, teachers, parents, school officials and helpers paused for this day to welcome three of the most important people in our community, our Honorable Mayor Oscar “Oca” Malapitan, our Division Superintendent Cecile G. Carandang and our beloved Barangay Captain Rogelio Madali. To commemorate this wonderful event, Maypajo Elementary School prepared a short program. The event was spiced up with the performances of selected pupils, a group dance from the teachers, and a solo performance from Grade 2 teachers Ms. Bigtas and Mrs. Marquinez. On his inspirational message, Mayor Oca narrated how his yearly school supplies project helped children. The rest of the day was spent with everyone helping hands in working to ready the classroom for the students. There were still plenty of things to be repaired and replaced like the classrooms’ furnitures. Some of the classrooms already had their decorations with learning materials posted and hanged while others are still working on fixing classroom furnitures.
June 2, 2018 was the last day of Brigada Eskwela and the scheduled first Parent-Teacher Conference was held which was well attended by concerned parents. During PTC, our very inspiring principal, Mrs. Josefina Pelayo who was very passionate shared her vision for our beloved school and explained the priorities needed by the school in terms of physical appearance policies and procedures. She humbly solicits for parent’s voluntary help and challenge then to be the force of change. Among the problems she saw in her first week in the school are as follows: 1.) Vendors in the school sidewalks are occupying the safe zone for the pupils so they have to be relocated. 2.) The school has no fire exits in case of emergency, and 3.) The multi-colored buildings tarnished stage. Understanding the problems at hand, majority of the concerned parents who were present gave voluntary financial contributions for the repainting of the school buildings.
The school is an institution which is responsible in molding the learners into a responsible individual in the society. Educators believe that environment plays a big part in pupils’ learning.
This is why Maypajo Elementary School conducted Brigada Eskwela also known as the National Schools Maintenance Week (DepEd memorandum No. 35, s 2016) on May 28, 2018 to June 2, 2018 where all education stakeholders contributed their time, effort and resources in ensuring that the school facilities are ready in time for the school opening.
Thank you for the Brigada Eskwela, classrooms were well lighted, furnitures were well arranged, buildings looked new and everyone was ready to start the school year with fun, love, unity, hard work and success.