TARLAC CITY, Tarlac (August 8, 2023) — Vice-President Sara Duterte formally opened the annual Brigada Eskwela 2023 program of the Department of Education yesterday at the Tarlac National High School here – Philippines’ oldest public high school.
“Brigada Eskwela [or] Schools Maintenance Week is an appeal to the Bayanihan spirit of every Filipino to help prepare our schools for the opening of classes,” the concurrent Department of Education (DepED) Secretary Duterte said. The Brigada Eskwela 2023 will run until August 19, 2023.
With the theme “Bayanihan Para sa Matatag na Paaralan,” this year’s Brigada Eskwela is underscoring the country’s volunteer initiatives to ensure a clean, safe, inclusive, and child-friendly learning environment.
“We made Brigada Eskwela simpler, if you’ve read the Department Order we’ve issued. We made it simpler for everyone to understand. It is just making our schools functional, clean, and orderly, inside and outside classrooms, and within school sites,” Duterte said.
DepED issued DO No. 21, s, 2023, or the 2023 Brigada Eskwela Implementing Guidelines, to guide schools to continue activities that are in line with the MATATAG Agenda.
The “MATATAG” agenda, which would serve as the department’s roadmap in addressing challenges in basic education, is a plan to revise the Kinder to Grade 12 curriculum to produce “job-ready, active, and responsible” graduates.
Tarlac Governor Susan Yap led the local DepED and other government officials, including Tarlac Third District Representative Noel Rivera.
“Salamat sa lahat ng mga guro, magulang, at volunteers na sumama sa Brigada Eskwela Kick-off! Maraming salamat din kay VP Inday Sara Duterte sa pagdalo! Ipakita natin ang malasakit sa edukasyon at patuloy tayong magbigay inspirasyon sa kabataang Tarlaqueño! Simulan na natin ang pagbibigay kulay sa mga silid-aralan,” Gov. Susan said.
DepED Tarlac issued a statement urging a “Bayanihan” to parents, teachers, civil society groups, and private citizens to help in cleaning and preparing the classrooms and schools for the incoming opening of classes on August 29, 2023.
