Brigada Pagbasa
The author is Teacher Vernalyn P. Medrano
To complement efforts in ensuring quality basic education amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Education here in Region 3 is calling for assistance for “Brigada Pagbasa” as a form of Brigada Eskwela. According to DepEd officials, Brigada Pagbasa shall highlight the implementation to promote literacy and numeracy through the help of partners and volunteers. This year’s Brigada Eskwela is quite different in that the agency not only wants to ensure education continuity, but help improve the quality of education amidst the ongoing health crisis. The Department is ready to double its efforts to guarantee that every Filipino learner acquires the basic competencies such as literacy and numeracy. The agency is hoping that in working together, collaboration can be intensified to uplift the quality of education and meet the current gaps of the educational system. The Brigada Eskwela is now focused on efforts to further strengthen the engagement of education partners and stakeholders to ensure learning continuity. With the theme “Bayanihan sa Paaralan”, Brigada Eskwela emphasizes the country’s collective efforts in promoting collaboration for safe living and addressing social issues and concerns in schools, at homes, and in the community. The DepEd, with no experience in dealing with education continuity amid the pandemic, came up with the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan. Throughout the school year, the Department needed all the assistance it can get to successfully conduct the various alternative learning modalities such as the modular approach, online learning, radio-based and TV-based instruction. Officials are thankful for the support and generosity of DepEd’s education partners which include local government officials, civic groups and non-governmental organizations, parents, barangay leaders, volunteer teachers, and those in the community. With their help, the agency is able to hurdle past the challenges and difficulties of adapting to the new normal mode of education. The implementation of Brigada Eskwela shall comply with the required minimum public health standards set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, health protocols issued by local government units and other relevant DepEd Task Force COVID-19 issuances.