Classes in all public elementary and high schools for school year 2023-2024 will begin on Aug. 29, while the annual “Brigada Eskwela” will be conducted from Aug. 14 to Aug. 19, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
In an advisory on Wednesday, the DepEd said private schools were given the option to start classes on any date starting the first Monday of June, but not later than the last day of August, as provided by the school calendar law (Republic Act No. 11480).
The agency has yet to announce how many enrollees are expected in the upcoming school year, but according to a DepEd official, all other grade levels except Kindergarten, Grades 1, 7 and 11, are automatically enrolled.
“Two weeks before opening [of classes, the other] learners only need to confirm their enrollment in the same school for the school to properly plan class programs/sectioning,” Assistant Education Secretary Francis Bringas said in a Viber message to reporters.
Based on the department’s data, around 28.4 million learners in 44,931 public schools and 12,162 private schools nationwide were enrolled in the previous school year.
No solicitation
Meanwhile, the Brigada Eskwela campaign, or the nationwide school maintenance program, will be implemented from Aug. 14 to Aug. 19, according to DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2023, also published on Wednesday.
The DepEd reiterated its “absolute” prohibition on solicitation from parents or legal guardians, volunteers, partners and stakeholders.
“School heads, teachers, and other school personnel are strictly prohibited from soliciting or collecting any form of contribution, including but not limited to Brigada Eskwela fees,” the agency said.
The new DepEd Order also rescinded the usual search for Best Implementing School Awards, Hall of Fame Awards and Brigada Plus at the national level.
“True to the spirit of volunteerism or bayanihan, Brigada Eskwela shall veer away from any form of competition, but rather initiate, encourage and strengthen cooperation and collaboration among education stakeholders,” it said.
In the previous school year, the DepEd also removed the competition aspect of the program, saying there were “issues and concerns” in its implementation.
It did not specify the said issues but public school teachers earlier told the Inquirer that the competition forced them to solicit in cash or kind donations from other stakeholders.