Amid the surge in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country, a group called on the Department of Education (DepEd) not to put the health and safety of its personnel in “danger” especially during the “Brigada Eskwela” period.
“We believe that the community cooperation helps a lot in the maintenance of our schools, which is the primary purpose of this Brigada Eskwela,” said Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) National Chairperson Benjo Basas.
“However, we are currently in a different situation, especially in areas where high number of COVID-19 infections particularly the dreaded Delta variant are recorded,” he said. “And thus, cancelling the face-to-face activities is just a matter of precaution,” he added.
The National Schools Maintenance Week also known as the “Brigada Eskwela” is an annual activity led by DepEd where everyone in the school community - including the private sector - work together to prepare schools for the opening of the classes.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in DepEd Memorandum 048 series of 2021, said that in preparation for the opening of classes for School Year (SY) 2021-2022, the “Brigada Eskwela” Program will be implemented from Aug. 3 to Sept. 30 which, the TDC said, is the “longest ever.”
As approved by President Duterte, the opening of SY 2021-2022 will be on Sept. 13.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/16/opening-of-school-year-2021-2022-for-public-schools-set-on-sept-13-deped/
Briones said that the focus of this year’s ‘Brigada’ is collaboration and strengthening partnership engagements that complement DepEd efforts to implement the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) to ensure the “delivery of quality basic education” amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
TDC said it supports the intention in implementing the “Brigada” but also noted that the collective and voluntary effort in line with the “Bayanihan” spirit - a cherished yet often abused Philippine tradition - should also be taken into consideration.
The group said that since last year, “there were many adjustments to its implementation amidst the protocols set forth to avert the spread of COVID-19 infection.”
Exploitation of labor?
Basas said that relative to this year’s implementation of “Brigada Eskwela,” TDC’s office has been receiving reports from the field that some teachers are required to attend the kick-off activities and render service for several days “which go against the voluntary nature of the program.”
This, Basas stressed, is also a violation of DepEd’s own existing rules on teachers’ working hours under Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, the Civil Service rules and the recent alternative work arrangement (AWA) for DepEd personnel.
Basas argued that the DepEd - after missing the payment of overtime pay for its teachers who officially worked from June 1, 2020 to July 10, 2021 - “cannot ensure at least a decent rest for them.”
Moreover, Basas also likened the teachers’ work beyond mandated time to exploitation of labor. “The teachers have not been able to rest properly and there is still a lot of paperwork to be done a month after the official end of the school year, yet there is this another task,” he added.