(MB FILE PHOTO)

The Department of Education (DepEd) will officially open Brigada Eskwela 2025 on Monday, June 9, with Education Secretary Sonny Angara urging Filipinos to go beyond cleaning schools and embrace the campaign’s deeper mission: bayanihan and education for all.

“Brigada Eskwela is more than just fixing the schools; it is a bayanihan movement,” Angara said in a statement.

“We invite all education champions and partners to join us not only in refurbishing classrooms but also in building supportive environments that empower every Filipino child to read.”

Running from June 9 to 13, this year’s campaign carries the theme “Brigada Eskwela: Sama-sama Para sa Bayang Bumabasa,” underscoring the critical link between community involvement and literacy development.

Angara emphasized that while physical repairs matter, the deeper goal is to foster a culture of reading and pave the way for improved learning outcomes in schools.

He underscored the importance of everyone pitching in, saying that even small acts, whether donating time, supplies, or effort, can leave a lasting impact.

As part of the week-long activities, DepEd is mobilizing volunteers, teachers, parents, and partners for reading sessions, storytelling activities, classroom cleanups, minor repairs, and medical checkups.

As such, the education department is encouraging donations of school furniture, learning materials, hygiene kits, food, and other supplies.

Meanwhile, environmental watchdog EcoWaste Coalition echoed Angara’s call for collective action, adding that this year’s Brigada Eskwela should also prioritize sustainability.

“We enjoin our schools across the country to conduct this unique expression of the ‘Bayanihan’ spirit in the most eco-friendly manner possible to avoid garbage and pollution,” said Aileen Lucero, EcoWaste’s national coordinator.

To help guide participants, the group issued a set of green guidelines, such as reducing plastic use, avoiding harmful chemicals, and steering clear of PVC tarpaulins.

EcoWaste said these practices are in line with existing DepEd policies on solid waste management, lead-safe paint, and anti-smoking rules on school premises.

With just days left before classes resume on June 16, Angara reiterated that the real power of Brigada Eskwela lies not in the volume of repairs, but in the spirit of bayanihan that inspires communities to come together for the future of Filipino learners.