ENSURING that the 126 public schools in the city are disaster-prepared is what the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City Division will focus on for this year’s week-long Brigada Eskwela activity.
DepEd Cebu City Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Danilo Gudelosao said the Brigada Eskwela 2018, or National Schools Maintenance Week, will include activities that will make schools disaster-prepared, community-integrated and ready for the opening of classes on June 4.
“Aside from the usual repair of damages in the classrooms, we have incorporated disaster risk reduction to our plans. We have spread an awareness advocacy with not only our teachers and parents, but with other community stakeholders and government agencies as well,” he told SunStar Cebu.
One of the general instructions for the activity is disaster management in landslide-prone areas, especially in Barangays Busay, Sirao and Sapangdaku.
“Kung dili ta magsaba-saba, mangabli ta sa klase nga dili ta andam (We have to make noise to be ready for school). That is why were encouraging and promoting community involvement since it is an integral part of our children’s growth and education. In landslide-prone schools, we’ve advised our principals there to immediately cancel classes when there is downpour,” Gudelosao said.
In Busay, Councilor Joy Augustus Young said that for this school year, the elementary students will have to remain at their temporary classrooms at Busay National High School.
Teachers have been holding classes there after their temporary campus at the barangay sports complex was struck by a landslide in August 2015.
Young, deputy mayor for education, said that a three-story building funded by the National Government worth P10 million for the elementary students in Busay is expected to rise soon.
“They’re all doing okay, but in Busay, they will be back to their old location next year. A new building will be built hopefully within this year,” he said.
In a 2016 report, City Hall engineers confirmed that the site of the old school was safe and viable for occupation.
DepEd Cebu City Division is expecting around 178,772 public school students from kindergarten to grade 12 for this school year. Of the number, 15,879 are kindergarten pupils, 95,941 are elementary students, while 662 are under the Special Education Program.
Around 32,477 are expected to enroll for the junior high school day program, 21,270 for junior high school night program, while some 9,038 are senior high school students.
Gudelosao said this is two percent higher than the total number of students in the last school year which was 175,267.
Aside from Brigada Eskwela, another preparation for the opening of classes is Oplan Balik Eskwela. Dr. Bianito Dagatan, Schools Division Superintendent, said the 69 elementary schools and 57 high schools will have a school-based in-service training of teachers.
“Having enough training, proper induction, becoming effective is the main objective of the DepEd (for teachers). It’s not just about preparing the infrastructure, the areas, the rooms, parents and students. We also need to prepare the teachers, including human resources capabilities,” he said.
A kick-off activity for Brigada Eskwela is scheduled at 8 a.m. today at Labangon Elementary School.
The actual Brigada Eskwela activities such as repair, clean-up and safety inspection, among others, will follow after.
Brigada Eskwela, which started in 2003, is in support of the
Adopt-a-School Law passed in 1998. (RTF with Sarah Aunzo, PIT
intern)