The Department of Education-Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd-CAR) urged the public, especially parents, on Friday to help in preparing the classrooms that students would be using when the new school year opens on Aug. 29.

Estela Cariño, regional director of the DepEd-CAR, in a phone interview on Friday said the “Brigada Eskwela” was institutionalized as an activity before the opening of each school year.

“If we have some partners who will help, it will be something to assure that the schools are ready for the opening. We encourage the parents’ participation, since it is the school of the children, in helping see to it that the schools are ready to receive the children,” she said.

Cariño pointed out the importance of the Brigada Eskwela, especially at this time to make sure that the classrooms are fixed before the children return to school after the school break.

Based on the Aug. 3 DepEd-CAR Rapid Assessment of Damage Report (RADaR), there were 212 totally damaged classrooms in the region, with 165 of them in Abra province. Meanwhile, 689 had major damage and 858 with minor damage.

The report showed 376 had damaged toilets; 257 had damaged hand-washing facilities; 8,354 had damaged armchairs.

“Some donors started to give materials to some identified school beneficiaries,” Cariño said.

She added that other groups or individuals interested to help in the restoration of the damaged school facilities and equipment can communicate with the school divisions, especially if they have specific schools they want to help.

“We welcome donors. This is common, especially for graduates of schools who want to help, they can get in touch with the schools or the division offices,” the director said.

She also encouraged donors to give in kind instead of cash.

Cariño also said, “We will still be downloading some amount from the regional to the schools in need.”

The national Brigada Eskwela kick-off will be on August 7. (PNA)