Brigada Eskwela
Brigada Eskwela: A Community Development Mechanism
by Flordeliza A. Sannadan
There is no other program that unites almost all sectors in the realization of educational goals that can be identified as efficient as the Brigada Eskwela in its ability to bring together various sectors in the community. All for the benefits of school children; all for the concern towards the schools they once attended as children; all for the love of education.
Indeed, the Brigada Eskwela has this power to make the community realize that their children’s school needs to be checked up once in awhile, if they – as parents – would also like to be comfortable with the thought of leaving their children in an environment which physically safe for them; no hazards, no dangerous areas within the school premises – and definitely equipped with facilities that do not have to be new, as long as they’re dependably functional and fit to use for another school year.
The surrounding community of Bantay Elementary School is automatically on their guard during the remaining days of summer, knowing that BES shall again come calling for their involvement. The resulting turnout of helpers, usually led by barangay leaders and officers from the PTCA, is overwhelming that sometimes we even get a surplus of labor.
This initiative instills the value of “bayanihan” as well for the school children as they observe the inputs coming from different groups in their barangay. These inputs may take various forms, like materials for construction, decorative materials like paint, cleaning tools, extra furniture that is no longer needed at home, and actual labor for many of the parents.
The fact alone that these parents can take time out from their usual daily routine and devote considerable time for BES is of course uplifting also for the morale of teachers who are oftentimes constrained by the existing resources available for them. Perhaps one secret to the entry of such ample contribution from the
by Flordeliza A. Sannadan
There is no other program that unites almost all sectors in the realization of educational goals that can be identified as efficient as the Brigada Eskwela in its ability to bring together various sectors in the community. All for the benefits of school children; all for the concern towards the schools they once attended as children; all for the love of education.
Indeed, the Brigada Eskwela has this power to make the community realize that their children’s school needs to be checked up once in awhile, if they – as parents – would also like to be comfortable with the thought of leaving their children in an environment which physically safe for them; no hazards, no dangerous areas within the school premises – and definitely equipped with facilities that do not have to be new, as long as they’re dependably functional and fit to use for another school year.
The surrounding community of Bantay Elementary School is automatically on their guard during the remaining days of summer, knowing that BES shall again come calling for their involvement. The resulting turnout of helpers, usually led by barangay leaders and officers from the PTCA, is overwhelming that sometimes we even get a surplus of labor.
This initiative instills the value of “bayanihan” as well for the school children as they observe the inputs coming from different groups in their barangay. These inputs may take various forms, like materials for construction, decorative materials like paint, cleaning tools, extra furniture that is no longer needed at home, and actual labor for many of the parents.
The fact alone that these parents can take time out from their usual daily routine and devote considerable time for BES is of course uplifting also for the morale of teachers who are oftentimes constrained by the existing resources available for them. Perhaps one secret to the entry of such ample contribution from the