To make students feel at home, Tarlac teacher sews ‘comfy’ seat covers for armchairs

Now that summer is almost over, schools nationwide are having its weeklong “Brigada Eskwela” in preparation for the resumption of classes by June.

Brigada Eskwela is an annual initiative by the Department of Education (DepEd) which aims to provide students with well-maintained learning tools and facilities, to encourage them to study hard and persevere.

As for Merlita Geronimo Narne, a 51-year-old public school teacher in Tarlac, she has her special way of welcoming her students this coming school year, which is by sewing padded seat covers for her classroom’s armchairs.

Teacher Merlita Geronimo Narne sews padded seat covers for her students’ armchairs. Image: Merlita Geronimo Narne/Facebook

Through her Facebook account, teacher Narne shared photos of her creations during the third day of their school’s Brigada Eskwela activities last Wednesday, May 22.

Narne has been teaching for over 21 years, and handles grade one pupils of Balayang Elementary School in Victoria, Tarlac.

She revealed in an exclusive interview with INQUIRER.net that the parents of her students also help her in her initiative, by providing a budget to buy the materials she needs. But she usually spends for these herself. This year, she was glad to have produced a total of 60 padded seat covers for 30 armchairs in her classroom.

Teacher Merlita Geronimo Narne made a total of 60 padded seat covers for 30 armchairs. Image: Merlita Geronimo Narne/Facebook

“Actually katuwang ko ang mga parents ng mga bata, yung mga willing magshare sa budget, but most of it galing sa sarili kong bulsa,” she said.

Yearly, Narne thinks of new ideas for her classroom to stimulate productive learning in her students.

“I just hope this will motivate or inspire others [with the same] profession as I am and those future teachers, for the benefit of the children and of the future generations,” Narne added.

Teacher Merlita is also a hardworking mom to her three children. But despite her busy schedule, she is still able to manage her family with the help of her husband, whom she describes as a “jack of all trades.” Her husband also has a shop where he crafts made-to-order furniture. JB

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