DepEd leads cleanup of public schools ahead of classes opening

MANILA, Philippines - Department of Education (DepEd) officials, teachers and parents trooped to schools Monday morning to clean up rooms and its premises, exactly a week before school doors officially open to students. This, as DepEd launched a nationwide program seeking to carry out clean-up drives and repairs inside public school premises in time for the start of classes. GMA News Flash Report said Monday morning that DepEd Secretary Jesli Lapus led the repair and clean-up drive at the first stop of Brigada Eskwela (School Brigade) in H. Bautista Elementary School in Marikina City. Members of the team, who visited the said school at about 7 a.m., included teachers, parents and local village officials as well as DepEd officials and personnel. The report said that some students even joined in to help. The week-long drive covers all public schools in the country, according to Lapus. After sweeping clean the floors and corridors of the Marikina City school, the team headed straight to the Commonwealth Elementary School in neighboring Quezon City. Lapus said that engaging not only the students but also parents and teachers into the said government school program would buy school officials more time come the opening of classes. Instead of attending to broken chairs or littered school grounds at the first day of school on June 10, school teachers may get right along with the day’s lessons, the DepEd official said. The government measure also seeks to instill among students, parents, and school officials that they too have responsibilities like those of the government in ensuring that school grounds are conducive for students come the opening of classes, according to Lapus. Through Brigada Eskwela, participants, Lapus added, are made to appreciate the spirit of bayanihan and to realize the fruits that working hand in hand could bring. “Ang mahalaga ay iyong bayanihan spirit na iyong community. Sa lahat ng edad ay samsama. Nakikita rin ng bata and magandang values at iyon ay kakapulutan din ng magandang asal iyon, na lahat ay nagmamalasakit sa kanilang mga paaralan (The spirit of cooperation is important for the community and people of all ages. Children see their elderly displaying good values and they learn from it. It’s a good attitude to take care of our schools)," Lapus said. In a related development, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday instructed DepEd to look into the possibility of scrapping once and for all the use of uniforms in public schools. The President said that if ever the proposed policy is implemented, like in the United States , the financial burdens of parents would be lightened as they would not have to struggle for money to afford school uniforms for their children. “The scrapping of uniform is part of fighting for education to help parents keep their children in school without even worrying about buying uniforms," President Arroyo said during the inauguration of a bridge in Kalibo City, Aklan on Monday morning. President Arroyo did not specify if the proposed DepEd order would cover all students from all levels and all schools. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV