2020 Brigada Eskwela Program Implementing Guidelines
The Department of Education (DepEd) will conduct the 2020 Brigada Eskwela with the theme, Pagpapanatili ng Bayanihan Tungo sa Kalidad na Edukasyon para sa Kabataan, from May 18 to 23, 2020. The Brigada Eskwela is the National Schools Maintenance Week that aims to bring together all education stakeholders to participate and contribute their time, effort, and resources to prepare public school facilities for the opening of the school year in June.
The Brigada Eskwela Program is one of the most important programs in DepEd. In the spirit of bayanihan, private institutions/individuals, government agencies, local government units, and other organizations contribute to DepEd campaign to ensure accessible and quality basic education. The components of the program are the following:
a. Brigada Eskwela (National Schools Maintenance Week),
b. Brigada Eskwela Plus (Partnership Support for Access), and
c. Brigada Pagbasa (Partnership Support for Quality Education).
The National Kick-off Program shall be held on May 14, 2020 in a public school of the host region (to be announced). Regional offices (ROs) and schools division offices (SDOs) shall hold a kick-off ceremony to launch the Brigada Eskwela in their respective areas on or before May 18, 2020.
All regional directors (RDs) and schools division superintendents (SDSs) shall mobilize their partnerships focal persons to ensure the effective implementation of Brigada Eskwela Program in all public elementary and secondary schools and the involvement of the community and local stakeholders.
School heads (SHs) shall take the lead in planning the activities geared towards making schools ecologically conscious, resilient, clean, safe, and conducive to learning. No Brigada Eskwela fee shall be collected from parents or solicited from other volunteers. Other important reminders to SHs in the conduct of this activity are indicated in Enclosure No. 1.
Individuals or groups from the national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), private sectors, international organizations, and other parties interested to help the schools and volunteers may coordinate with any of the following:
a. External Partnerships Service (EPS) of the DepEd Central Office,
b. Education Support Services Division (ESSD) in the ROs,
c. Social Mobilization and Networking Section (SocMob) under the Schools Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) in the SDOs, and
d. SHs of the beneficiary school/s, for guidance.
All DepEd employees are encouraged to join the Brigada Eskwela activities by offering their skills, sharing their time or providing their in-kind assistance and support to public schools near their residence. Interested employees are given two days to do volunteer work on official time, provided that such work is approved by their heads of offices. Further, nonteaching personnel shall earn Compensatory Time Off (CTO) for the complete eight hours of participation in the maintenance effort on the last day of Brigada Eskwela Week, which is a Saturday.
Teaching personnel is entitled to earn vacation service credits arising from their active involvement in the Brigada Eskwela activity. Teachers shall earn a one day service credit for the accumulated eight hours of participation in the maintenance effort. For further details on granting service credits to teachers, please refer to DepEd Order No. 53, s. 2003 titled Updated Guidelineson Grant of Vacation Service Credits to Teachers, particularly Item No. I-d Sub-items d and k and Item No. 1-f, which pertains to the grant of service credits. Central Office key officials are enjoined to participate in activities related to the implementation of Brigada Eskwela Program.
All bureau directors and RDs, ESSD chiefs and regional partnerships focal persons are enjoined to attend the national kick-off program. Travel and incidental expenses shall be charged to local funds, subject to the usual accounting and auditing rules and regulations.
2020 Brigada Eskwela Activities and Schedule
The schedule of activities for the 2020 Brigada Eskwela Implementation is as follows:
· Activity | Schedule |
· Pre-implementation Stage of Brigada Eskwela (Assessment of Physical Facilities and Maintenance Needs of the Schools, Resource Mobilization, Organization of Brigada Eskwela Committees and their Orientation on Specific Roles and Tasks, among other activities). | January 3 to May 17, 2020 |
· Brigada Eskwela National Kick-off Program and Caravan | May 14, 2020 |
· Brigada Eskwela Regional and Schools Division Kick-off Program and Caravan | on or before May 18, 2020 |
· Brigada Eskwela Implementation and Monitoring of Schools | May 18-23, 2020 |
· Submission of Consolidated Brigada Eskwela Accomplishment Reports by the Division coordinators to the Regions | June 28, 2020 |
· Submission of Consolidated Brigada Eskwela Accomplishment Reports by the Regional coordinators to the External Partnerships Service (EPS) | July 31, 2020 |
· Submission of Division entries for the Brigada Eskwela Awards Candidates to the Regions | July 31, 2020 |
· Regional Selection and Deliberation of Brigada Eskwela Awards Candidates | August 1 to September 27,
2020 |
· Submission of Final List of School Candidates as Brigada Eskwela National Awardees to EPS (including the submission of rating sheets reflecting the ranks and scores of the awardee-candidates) | on or before October 18, 2020 |
· Conduct of Brigada Eskwela Regional Awarding Ceremony | within October and November 2020 |
· Conduct of Brigada Eskwela National Awarding Ceremony | November 26, 2020 |
To implement the selection process in the Search for Brigada Eskwela Best Implementing Schools effectively, DepEd issues a set of criteria provided in Enclosure No. 2.
The SH and school coordinator of the Brigada Eskwela Best Implementing Schools shall receive a certificate of recognition, which they can present when they apply for promotion based on the existing hiring and promotion guidelines. Certificate of Appreciation shall also be given to the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), local government unit (LGU) partner, major private sector partner, the school, and the school Adopt-a-School coordinator.
Brigada Eskwela Plus
The Brigada Eskwela Plus shall be conducted in public schools nationwide in phases. Consistent with the Brigada Eskwela Program, the Brigada Eskwela Plus is geared towards increasing learners’ participation rate, reducing dropouts, helping improve learning for both the learners and their community, and creating a network of community-based organizations committed to supporting schools through collaborative programs and projects.
The implementation of Brigada Eskwela Plus shall focus on the following key activities:
a. School maintenance activities throughout the school year;
b. School and community effort to improve participation and reduce dropout, or enroll in the alternative delivery mode; and
c. School and community effort to improve student and community learnings.
Among the Hall of Fame Awardees, each region will select one Brigada Eskwela Plus Most Sustained School Award. The details of the award are also discussed in Enclosure No. 2.
What is Brigada Pagbasa?
The Brigada Pagbasa is an after-school reading program that envisions bringing together DepEd partners, experts, changemakers, policymakers, and other stakeholders across all sectors from international and local agencies and organizations in the public and private sectors to help all learners read and become functionally literate. The program will provide a platform to synergize efforts and resources to address current education-related challenges. It will also create opportunities for all stakeholders to contribute possible solutions to the current gaps in the country’s educational system, especially in equipping the learners with 21st-century skills.
In preparation for the Brigada Pagbasa, the Division Partnership Focal Persons are encouraged to conduct an inventory of school reading programs with partnership components that can be registered under the Brigada Pagbasa.
SHs shall ensure that all donated items classified as Property, Plant, and Equipment are properly recorded in the book of accounts as stipulated in DepEd Order No. 82, s. 2011 titled Guidelines on the Proper Recording of All Donated Properties. The documents required to support the recording in the book of accounts are as follows:
a. Inventory Custodian Slip for donated properties with value below P15,000.00 (Enclosure No. 3); and
b. Property Acknowledgement Receipt for donated properties above P15,000.00 (Enclosure No. 4).
For more information, please contact the External Partnerships Service, Ground Floor, Mabini Bldg., Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City through email at externalpartnerships@deped.gov.ph or at telephone nos. (02) 8638-8637 and (02) 8638-8639. REMINDERS FOR SCHOOL HEADS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 2020 BRIGADA ESKWELA
1. Brigada Eskwela espouses the spirit of volunteerism. Taking part in the school repair and other maintenance work is neither mandatory nor requisite for learners to be accommodated in schools.
2. No Brigada Eskwela fee shall be collected from parents or solicited from other volunteers.
3. All uniformed personnel are welcome to participate in Brigada Eskwela, however, carrying firearms is prohibited inside the school premises.
4. In the performance of their role in operationalizing this year’s Brigada Eskwela in relation to the theme, school heads are expected to consider the following materials:
a) School safety and Preparedness Guide (Annex A of Enclosure No.1)
b) DRRM Stakeholder Engagement Strategy (Annex B of Enclosure No. 1)
c) Menu of School Kits (Annex C of Enclosure No. 1)
d) WASH in Schools List of Activities
e) Learning Resource Centers
5. Pursuant to DepEd Order No. 6, s.2012 entitled “Guidelines on the Adoption and Implementation of Public Health Policies on Tobacco Control and Protection against Tobacco Industry Interference,” receiving assistance or support from companies and other players in the tobacco industry for Brigada Eskwela is not allowed.
6. Pursuant to DepEd Order No. 48, s. 2018 entitled “Prohibition on
Electioneering and Partisan Political Activity,” the schools may not receive any forms of contribution/donations from official candidate for the local ancL national election.
SCHOOL SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS GUIDE
In view of the implementation of the 2020 Brigada Eskwela, this School Safety and Preparedness Guide is issued to provide guidance to schools and education partners in ensuring safety and preparedness of our learners and personnel before, during and after emergencies. Enumerated below is a list of recommended activities that may contribute to a safer school. School Principals need to identify which of list are most appropriate and important for their schools. The SH may also identify other measures that may add-up to this list.
I. SAFE LEARNING FACILITIES
1. Facilitate the assessment of school building structure and electrical wiring and make necessary repairs and/or upgrades to prevent unnecessary incidents.
2. Repair minor classroom damages such as broken windows, doors, blackboard, roofs and other furniture, etc.
3. Install appropriate and available fire suppression, including fire extinguishers, water source and relevant indigenous materials.
4. Make sure that corridors and pathways are unobstructed and that all sharp, protruding objects which may cause harm to students are removed.
5. Clean and clear drainage to prevent clogging. Cover drainage canals and provide necessary warnings.
6. Cordon off and post safety signage for on-going construction, unfinished, damaged and condemned buildings.
7. Secure cabinets and drawers and ensure that heavy objects are below head level.
8. Post safety measures in laboratories and workshops.
9. Prepare an evacuation/exit plan and directional signage on every floor of the building.
10. Identify evacuation areas and classrooms that may be used as temporary shelters during disasters and emergencies.
11. Prune trees to avoid entanglement from electrical wiring and avoid potential harm to life and property.
II. SCHOOL DISASTER MANAGEMENT
1. Post a directory of emergency contact numbers of relevant government agencies and officers, in various areas of the school.
2. Establish and maintain early warning mechanisms in the school.
3. Equip school with first aid kits, flashlights, megaphones, and other supplies necessary in cases of emergency. Ensure that these items are highly accessible and can be easily located.
4. Identify alternative sources and/or maintain supply of drinking water within the school.
5. Ensure that learners, teachers, and personnel have identification cards with relevant information.
6. Create database of learners with the contact details of their immediate family members/relatives/guardians.
7. Secure and safely store vital school records.
8. Coordinate with barangay officials on pedestrian safety of students.
9. Document accidents experienced by students and personnel within the school to improve prevention and mitigation measures.
III. RISK REDUCTION AND RESILIENCE EDUCATION
1. Identify a storage area for safekeeping of vital schools records, textbooks, teaching manuals, computers, and other school equipment.
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