The new requirements now to enroll a kid here in the Philippines in a public school for grade school and high school are to do a Brigada. The “Brigada” or also known as Bayanihan. To work together to do something useful for the classroom or the school. It’s mostly and effort of the teachers, parents, students and member of the community. It is actually a week or 2 week long work in school. But you don’t have to work at the school the whole time. One parent or both can go there to the classroom and work there for an hour or more depending on how long you are willing to help out. I guess if ever few kids in the family goes to the school, the parents can do the brigada thing once and they can choose what grade level they want to work with, it surely depend on the parents on that.
With these efforts some volunteers were so attuned that they also give out or donate I say like paint, brooms, school supply, decor for the classroom, could give curtains and also helping putting them up, can give other stuff that needed there. The volunteers that help out will clean up the whole classroom inside and outside before the school starts. Parents and children will work side by side to paint the classroom or fix the chairs that’s been broken or other stuff that’s needs to be done. It also a good start to know the other parents and the teachers better. If you have some extra stuff in your house like cleaning products you can give it to the teacher-in-charge for the of used of the product.
Sending your kids to public school here it’s really similar to the States that almost everything is free. From the school tuition to the books. The teachers here would not even ask the parents for donations. They will just say that if you want to give you can, but you are not oblige to give.
Some schools they starts asking volunteers early (like the whole summer) to help out especially if lots of major repairs needs to be done like with the ceilings or some broken chair, teachers desk and bathroom leaks or smooth up the concrete walls. They also asked local businesses for assistance that will participate with the brigada.
I just heard that brigada recently when our wash lady was asking for an off day during the week for her to go for the brigada thing. She could tell that I had no idea what she was talking about, so she explained to me. Then I also asked my sister about it. Really it is cool to have it. I think they started the brigada thing during the mid 90’s to late 90’s. I’ve never experienced that when I was in grade school or in high school. It will be good start knowing the other parents especially later if your kid wants to spend the night at the classmates house. At least you already had an idea who they are with.
Feel free to share your Brigada or Bayanihan experience. School just started here, hope everyone is ready. Hope you guys had a good summer. For the folks in the West your summer just started. Have a good one there.
Mabuhay!
a related article: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/05/21/944467/support-depeds-brigada-eskwela-overwhelming
Hi Ron – I read this article the other day. I was prompted to read it after people I know here that are teachers were sending messages thanking me for the money Australia is contributing. I said “no worries just doing what I can to help”. He he. On a serious note though, all the money being contributed will go a good way to improving education. It is good to see countries globally contributing significantly to the education of the Philippine youth.
Hi Brenton – Thank you for the comment. Yep, so happy to see so many schools here in the Philippines benefited some help from other countries.
Good to see you here!
Thank you Ron Perry for the link.
IMO it is not much of a “Bayanihan” if it is requiered.
Hi John Heitz – Required or not sending your kids to school and its free I think the least the parents will do would be to help out too. Don’t you think? I mean common, would you not do it just once a year to try to show your kid you care. I guess we have different opinion on that.
I feel it is great when parents really want to help out at their childrens school. However as I wrote, the “Bayanihan” spirit gets lost when it becomes a requirement. As for my experience with children in public schools, it is not really all that free. There are some, all though usually small parments and donations that are “required”. While we are at it another aspect I find interesting are all the “donations” made by people and companies to schools and communities. They usually paint the name of the donor all over the fence or wall. Is that a donation or an advertisement?
Growing up here in the U.S., we almost always had teachers assistants in the elementary grades, especially in the younger grades. They were the mostly the parents of students attending, but not always. They were sometimes the older women that just loved to be around kids or help out. I always felt that their presence was just a normal part of the school, until I was older and realized they had been volunteers. I found out because my mom began to volunteer from time to time too.
I honestly don’t know if the program is still in place here in the U.S., but am sure if it is there are much more strict guidelines to protect the children than there were before.
I personally think it is a great idea to give where you can, and to provide the skills that you have that can help not only the schools, but the community itself. Everyone has some sort of skill or other thing they can do to benefit the community, and if more people helped, not just during that week but throughout the school year, it would benefit the children.
I have personally tried working through the red tape to donate school supplies from the U.S. but there is so much red tape and documentation you need, I simply gave up. However, I plan on helping when able to ensure the education of the youth of the Philippines.
Education is the best way out of poverty, and to ensure a better future for tomorrow.
Good article Feyma!
Hi Scott Fortune – I really like the idea there of parents volunteering. I used to volunteer to my kids school when we were there. It was fun knowing the other kids and their parents.
I think you are right that volunteering now has more strict guidelines. Can’t blame the school sometimes.
***I have personally tried working through the red tape to donate school supplies from the U.S. but there is so much red tape and documentation you need, I simply gave up.***— I know what you mean. I’ve heard people do same thing as you did, just forget it.
***Education is the best way out of poverty, and to ensure a better future for tomorrow.***—- Amen to that!!!
Thank you for stopping by. Have a good one!
Hi Feyma,
Another great post! I am no expert on Filipino public schools, but I did visit one on my last vacation in Bohol. The teacher was a former classmate of my wife. She had 63 students in her 3rd grade class! I was very impressed by how she managed such a large group by herself. The kids all seemed to be behaving and on-task. There was no assistant when we visited and I am sure she would welcome volunteer help even though she did seem to be handling her job.
Hi Jay – Thank you for your nice comment. Not surprising here in a classroom of 63 or more students in the public school. I studied in public school during my grade school days, but I remember it’s below 50 students per class for us. Good for the teachers that can control their students. Parents volunteering in class is not popular here.
Thank you for stopping by. Have a great day!
Hi Feyma: Excellent article. Here in the U.S., my colleagues who have children in the elementary and high school grades (public & private schools) are asked to help with fundraising for activities for their children. Activites that needs outside funding may be for musical instruments for the orchestra or marching band, field trips, and athletics that are outside the academic core of education. To raise funds, I often purchase items from catalogs that the schools have selected from my colleagues.
Hi Roselyn – I’ve been familiar with that before. Are they still allowing fund raising there such as selling cookies and selling lemonade? I’ve seen on TV that they are not allowing there now. They had to get a license or permit to sell stuff there. It’s really crazy, kids just wants to sell stuff to other parents anyway. I’m like you, I used to buy stuff from my friends kids before for fundraising.
Anyway, rules are different now than before. So strict nowadays.
Nice to see you here. Take care!