True to the adage that “it takes a village to raise a child”, the City Government of Valenzuela, through the Department of Education (DepEd) and Schools Division Office - Valenzuela, kicks off “Brigada Eskwela 2024”; a program that gathers education stakeholders and volunteers to clean, repair, and maintain public school facilities in preparation to the upcoming school year.  The kick-off ceremony occurred at Caruhatan West Elementary School, on July 22, 2024.

Reinforcing the banner “Bayanihan para sa Matatag na Paaralan”, Valenzuela City once again exemplified the spirit of bayanihan and volunteerism through the launch of Brigada Eskwela 2024, a program initiative of the Department of Education.

To prepare for the opening of the school year this August 5, this annual program aims to encourage direct stakeholders — such as students, parents, teachers, and other volunteers — to participate in cleaning up, repairing fixtures, and prepping up the public school facilities. In Valenzuela City, 68 public schools are expected to participate in the implementation of Brigada Eskwela.

In the launching ceremony, teachers, school principals, members of the School Parent-Teacher’s Association (SPTA), and volunteers were present to witness the formal opening of the program. A ceremonial re-painting of school chairs was held; which marked the beginning of the clean-repair drive.

The long-running Brigada Eskwela or the National Schools’ Maintenance Week was first launched in 2003, a program inspired by the key objectives of Republic Act No. 8525 or the “Adopt-A-School Act of 1988”. Bringing together the community to respond to each public school facility’s needs and repairs, Brigada Eskwela prompts for clean, safe, and well-maintained premises for the students and usually commences 2 weeks before the opening of classes.

Ultimately, one of the goals of Brigada Eskwela is to make learning comfortable and enjoyable for the learners. Through the program, it has been established that a part of implementing quality education is ensuring that the students’ classrooms and other facilities are efficient and learning-conducive — which the City of Valenzuela continuously endeavors to achieve.

Brigada Eskwela will run for 6 days, from July 22 to July 27, 2024. Several preparations are in order — including the launch of Reading Camp and the distribution of free school kits and uniforms last week — for the opening of classes this coming August 5, 2024.

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