Education Secretary Armin Luistro
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) is moving to ensure the smooth and orderly resumption of classes next month through Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE), to be implemented before and during the first week of the new school year.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said OBE, an annual exercise, would be in effect from May 28 to June 8.
The DepEd had set the opening of classes in the public schools on June 4. Private schools may deviate from the schedule but may not open ahead of public schools.
“OBE aims to address the problems commonly encountered during this period, particularly to assure that students are properly enrolled and able to attend school on the first day of classes,” said Luistro in a memorandum to all officials and school heads last week.
Under OBE, the DepEd will run a command center from its headquarters in Pasig City with central monitoring, information and complaints offices.
Students, parents, teachers and other concerned persons may drop by or call in with their complaints or concerns.
Luistro also directed the creation of an inter-agency task force to lead the effort, to include the departments of Trade and Industry, Defense, Interior and Local Government, and Health, the weather bureau, the police and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
Some 20 million elementary and high school students are expected to troop to school this year, up one million from last year, the DepEd said.
But before OBE could come into play, the schools must be spruced up and made ready to receive the students.
Luistro in a statement Sunday said the annual cleanup and repair drive this year will focus on sanitation and improving the schools in indigenous communities.
Luistro said a major thrust of the 2012 Brigada Eskwela or National Schools Maintenance Week is to stress to the students the importance of sanitation and hygiene.
“This is where personal hygiene is reinforced among our students which can in turn help develop their self-esteem,” Luistro added.
The DepEd also enjoined Brigada Eskwela participants to help improve the schools in indigenous communities.
“As one of the underserved sectors, the schools catering to IPs should be a priority in the repair and cleanup activities,” Luistro said.
Brigada Eskwela mobilizes parents, teachers, students, civic and business groups, local government and nongovernment units, and others in repairing and sprucing up schools two weeks before classes open.
This year’s Brigada is slated from May 21 to 26.