Legazpi – The Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol is set to launch the 2021 Birgada Eskwela (BE) on August 24, 2021.

With the theme “Bayanihan Para sa Paaralan”, the launching of the said program will highlight the Brigada Pagbasa — an offshoot of BE which is a reading intervention program for Bicolano learners aiming to the improve the competency of learners.

The Regional Brigada Pagbasa Program is one of the major activities of DepEd Bicol for Brigada Eskwela this year. The said program was launched last June 2021 in partnership with World Vision Philippines, USAID and various partners in the Region. The project seeks to enhance the reading skills of learners especially those from Kinder to Grade 3 levels.

Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad said that there are already more than 140,000 volunteers from across the Region who signified their support to Brigada Pagbasa as volunteer teachers and as donor of different learning materials to various school beneficiaries. DepEd Bicol also received Anti COVID19 kits for teachers and learners.

Aside from highlighting the Brigada Pagbasa, the virtual kickoff ceremony will also feature the Brigada Eskwela initiatives of the 13 Schools Division Office in Bicol in support to the Basic Education Leaming Continuity Plan.

Due to the continuing health crisis brought by the Covid19 pandemic, DepEd reconfigured BE consistent with the adoption of blended learning modality for the upcoming opening of SY 2021-2022. The program shifted its focus from maintaining school facilities to generating resources to augment the needs of every teacher and learner in the implementation of remote learning in the region.

The 2021 Regional Virtual BE kick-off will be hosted by the Schools Division Office of Albay, through Pioduran West Central School and will be participated in by DepEd Undersecretary Tonisito Umali, DepEd Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad, Assistant Regional Director Ronelo Firmo and other school officials in Bicol.