City of San Fernando, Pampanga—Employees of the DepEd Regional Office III are scheduled to offer their skills, share their time, and provide their in-kind support in their respective alma maters as part of the Brigada Eskwela 2016 also known as the National Schools Maintenance from May 30 to June 4.

With the theme “Tayo Para sa Paaralang Ligtas, Maayos at Handa Mula Kindergarten Hanggang Senior High School,” this annual activity encourages all education stakeholders to participate and contribute their time, effort and resources to this school maintenance effort in ensuring that all public school facilities are ready for the school opening in June.

OIC-Regional Director Malcolm S. Garma said that this scheme, which he initiated in DepEd Region IX, is a way of paying homage to the public schools where the employees graduated from and giving back through rendering their services during the week-long activity. A simple kick-off program is scheduled on May 30 at the DepEd Regional Office where employees shall also conduct cleanliness and maintenance works around the Regional Office.

DepEd Regional Accountant Angelina Manio, who graduated from the Anoling Elementary School in Camiling, Tarlac finds this activity an opportune time to go back and visit her alma mater. “It has been almost 50 years since I graduated and I am excited to see what my alma mater looks like now.” Other Regional Office are also scheduled to visit and contribute their support to their respective schools until June 4.

School principals or school heads (SHs) shall take the lead role in planning the activities geared toward making schools disaster-prepared, ecologically conscious, clean and conducive to learning. During the week-long Brigada Eskwela, public senior high schools shall also focus on the enrollment of incoming Grade 11 students following the scheduled regional deadline for SHS enrollment on June 3.

Groups or individuals from the national government agencies, local government units, private sector, international organizations, volunteers and other parties interested to troop to schools can coordinate with the beneficiary school or with the Office of Undersecretary for Partnerships and External Linkages, External Partnerships Service (EPS) – ASP Secretariat for guidance.•