To: Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Heads, Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
Adopt-A-School Program Regional and Division Coordinators

1. The Department of Education (DepED) sets this year’s Brigada Eskwela (BE) or the National Schools Maintenance Week (NSMW) on June 2-7, 2008. The conduct of BE in June is for this year (2008) only. Next year’s BE program and thereafter will continue to be held two weeks prior to school opening.
2. The Brigada Eskwela is a schools maintenance program nationwide that engages all education stakeholders to contribute their time, efforts and resources in ensuring that public schools are all set in time for class opening. It is a week-long event where local communities, parents, alumni, civic groups, local businesses, NGOs, private individuals and even teachers and students volunteer their time, skills to do minor to medium repairs and maintenance work in the schools.
3. Over the years, Brigada Eskwela has mobilized an increasing amount of support from both the private and public sectors. In 2006, the effort was participated in by 29,000 schools and generated almost P2 billion worth of volunteer man-days, labor support, donations-in-kind and community maintenance operating expenses. By 2007, already 36,000 schools participated generating almost P2.3B worth of support from the community.
4. In order to spread the advantage of the Brigada Eskwela to the remaining 6,000 schools and assure the pupils that all schools are ready for class opening, starting this school year 2008-2009 and thereafter, the participation in the Brigada Eskwela program will be made mandatory among all public schools. All public elementary and secondary school heads are required to organize local school maintenance efforts composed of parents, local businesses, local school board, LGUs, socio-civic groups, community members, and all interested private individuals/parties in order to get them involved in the NSMW usually conducted two weeks before the opening of classes.
5. All divisions and regions are instructed to submit to the Adopt-A- School Program Secretariat the list of schools that did not participate in last year’s (2007) Brigada Eskwela Program on or before April 25, 2008 c/o Ella Arienda. List may be faxed to (02) 638-8637 or 39 or e-mailed to ellaarienda@yahoo.com. These schools should be the focus of monitoring and technical assistance visits during the BE week.
6. For those divisions that had 100% participation in 2007, a certification to that effect should also be submitted to the Adopt-A-School Program Secretariat. Such certification should also serve to confirm participation of all schools for this year.
7. In line with this, all regions and divisions are instructed to provide intensive and extensive support to school heads, with special attention to those who will be implementing this program for the first time, thru conduct of orientation activities for school heads, information dissemination and advocacy activities, social marketing, monitoring, and other technical and administrative assistance.
8. Regional and division offices are likewise instructed to synchronize the implementation of the School-Based Repair and Maintenance Scheme (SBRMS) with the Brigada Eskwela program to ensure maximum impact of these two support programs of the Department. Guidelines on this specific directive shall be explained in a separate DepED Order to be issued by the Physical Facilities and Schools Engineering Division (PFSED).
9. With this institutionalization of the Brigada Eskwela, this program is now considered a regular yearly undertaking (two weeks prior the opening of classes) and a permanent part of the school calendar. All region/division/and district offices and schools are directed to conduct Brigada Eskwela preparatory activities as early as January of each year without awaiting the release of annual Memorandum or Order. This Order will take effect immediately and will be implemented starting this school year and thereafter.
10. Immediate dissemination of and compliance with this Order is directed.

Reference:
DepED Memorandum: No. 70, s. 2008
Allotment: 1—(D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
CELEBRATIONS & FESTIVALS
PROGRAMS
SCHOOLS

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