DAVAO CITY—Another 16 schools in the war-damaged Marawi City were the subject of the bayanihan-type Brigada Eskwela, an activity commonly held weeks before the formal opening of regular classes.
This time, the Department of Education (DepEd) gathered volunteers and resources from its offices nationwide to hold it for the next batch of 16 schools in the interior Central Mindanao city dominantly populated by Maranao Muslims.
Last Wednesday the volunteers repaired, painted and cleaned some of the schools damaged by the five-month fighting,” the DepEd said.
Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones and DepEd Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Secretary Dr. John Magno led the Brigada Eskwela.
The activity was a joint effort among DepEd offices nationwide, with the regional offices in Mindanao providing the manpower
and the Visayas and Luzon regional offices providing the resources, the ARMM’s Bureau of Public Information (BPI) said.
Marawi City has a total of 69 schools, 22 of which were totally damaged in the war affecting more than 62,000 students who were enrolled in public and private schools, as well as in state universities and colleges, the information office said.
Last Wednesday’s Brigada Eskuwela was held in Bito Elementary School, Rorogagus Elementary School, Mipagaga Elementary School, Pendolonan Elementary School, Abdulazis Elementary School, Camp Bagong Amai Pakpak Elementary School, Sugod Central Elementary School, Sultan Conding Elementary School, Sikap Elementary School, Banga Primary School, Cabingan Primary School, Datu Tambak Primary School Basak Elementary School, Pandi Elementary School, Marawi City National High School and Amai Pakpak Elementary School.
In November the DepEd-ARMM repaired seven damaged schools in Marawi City and 54 others in various parts of Lanao del Sur. Alfhadar Pajiji, DepEd-ARMM assistant secretary, said the DepEd spent more than P34 million for the repair. He said it was taken from the DepEd’s regular budget program.
“Education must continue. Let’s all give quality education to the learners. The Department of Education will help rebuild damaged schools here in Marawi City,” the ARMM BPI quoted Briones as saying.
She also emphasized “the need to provide psychosocial assistance, not just for the students but also for displaced teachers.”
“We will not leave Marawi City alone. This is just the beginning. We will not stop Brigada Eskwela until we have covered all schools in the city,” she added.
Jomairah Noor, a Grade 5 pupil of Camp Bagong Amai Pakpak, said she hoped there would be no more war in the city “so that our schooling would continue and we would all be happy here.”
Tanjirea Mascara, a Grade 6 teacher in Amai Pakpak Elementary School, also hoped the teachers affected and traumatized by the war would take up the challenge to teach students who were also victims of the siege.
“The challenge is for us teachers, who are victims ourselves, to instead of crying and hiding, show our students how strong we are. We need to teach the students and help them,” Mascara said.