Implementation of Brigada Eskwela

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CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM INTRODUCTION Brigada Eskwela is a national program developed by the Department of Education as an activity in support of the opening of classes in June. The program seeks to encourage parents, teachers and other members of the local community to volunteer material and nonmaterial resources and services in cleaning classrooms and school premises including doing minor repairs on desks, walls and other parts of the classroom to provide an atmosphere conducive to learning . The program was launched in 2003 in an effort to ensure that public school students continue to have classrooms and a school environment to gain primary and secondary education (Claro, 2007). The concept of Brigada Eskwela is based on the bayanihan spirit innate to Filipinos. Bayanihan involves the voluntary effort of members of the community to help co-members of that same community in need (Gonzaga,

2006).

Traditionally,

bayanihan

became

important

in

relocating families that involved moving an entire house. Over time, this concept took the form of other areas of community cooperation such as in maintaining peace and order and cleanliness in the community. In the case of Brigada Eskwela, bayanihan meant that volunteers bring their own tools and materials needed in cleaning the school and making tools and materials, this is dependent on their freewill and capability repairs. This concerted effort did not involve budget allocation on the part of the Department of Education, (Claro, 2007) although volunteers may have to spend for. Brigada Eskwela is a commendable program reflecting the persisting bayanihan spirit of Filipinos. Amidst the era of materialism

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and individualism, this program has proven that Filipinos have been able to maintain the concern for neighbors and other people and the willingness to participate in concerted action. On the other hand, Brigada Eskwela underlying

is

purpose

a government program launched with the of

transferring

the

burden

of

government

responsibility to the community in the light of the decreasing budget allocation of the government education, (Brigada Manual). It was on these reasons why the researcher determined the effect of Brigada Eskwela on the parent-teacher relationship in Felipe Suerte Memorial Elementary School for school year 2014-2015. The researcher is a teacher assigned at the respondent school wanted to identify the impact of Brigada Eskwela to parent and teacher relationship that made the school successful in receiving to awards namely: 2nd Regional Winner in the 2012 Search for Best Implementer of Brigada Eskwela and Best Implementer of Brigada Eskwela in the division level for school year 2013 – 2014.

Statement of the Problem The study sought to determine the effect of Brigada Eskwela on the parent-teacher relationship in Felipe Suerte Memorial Elementary School. Specifically it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the effect of implementation of Brigada Eskwela in Felipe Suerte Memorial Elementary School to parents and teachers when analyzed in terms of: 1.1 Community Mobilization 1.2 School and Community Intervention 1.3 Communications and Social Marketing 1.4 Operations support to participating schools

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2. What is the effect of parent-teacher relationship in Felipe Suerte Memorial Elementary School as perceived by parents and teachers when analyzed in terms of: 2.1 Cooperation 2.2 Linkage 2.3 Support Classroom and School Activities 3. Is there a significant difference between the perception of teacher and parents and the level of implementation on the different components of Brigada Eskwela? 4. Is there a significant difference between the perception of teacher and parents and the level of parent-teacher relationship in the implementation of Brigada Eskwela? 5. Is

there

a

significant

relationship

between

the

level

of

implementation on the different components of Brigada Eskwela and the parent-teacher relationship at Felipe Suerte Memorial Elementary School. Statement of Assumptions The study assumed that: 1. Teachers and parents had varied perception on the level of implementation of the different components of Brigada Eskwela. 2. Teachers and parents had varied perception on the level of parent-teacher relationship in the implementation of Brigada Eskwela. 3. There is an effect in level of implementation on the different components

of

Brigada

Eskwela

and

the

parent-teacher

relationship at Felipe Suerte Memorial Elementary School.

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Statement of Hypotheses Based on the above-cited assumptions the following hypotheses were formulaed. Ho1 – there is no significant difference on the perception of teacher and parents on the level of implementation on the different components of Brigada Eskwela. Ho2 – There is no significant difference on the perception of teacher and parents on the level of parent-teacher relationship in the implementation of Brigada Eskwela. Ho3 – There is no significant relationship between the level of implementation on the different components of Brigada Eskwela and the parent-teacher relationship at Felipe Suerte Memorial Elementary School. Theoretical Framework This study was anchored on the competitive theory of Harrison (1995) which states that the process underlying participation in volunteer work is conceptualized as a form of attendance motivation. Grolnick (1997), conceptualized three dimensions of parental involvement based on how parent-child interactions affect students’ school and motivation. Behavioral involvement refers to parents’ public actions representing their interest in their child’s education, such as attending an open house or volunteering at the school. Personal involvement includes parent-child interactions that communicate positive attitudes about school and the importance of education to the child. Cognitive/intellectual involvement refers to behaviors that promote children’s skill development and knowledge, such as reading books and going to museums. Parental involvement, according to this

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theory, affects student achievement because these interactions affect student’s motivation, their sense of competence, and the belief that they have control over their success in school. Hoover-Dempsey, et. Al (1997), defined parental involvement broadly to include home-based activities (e.g., helping with homework, discussing school events or courses) and school-based activities (e.g., volunteering at school, coming to school events). They argued that parental involvement is a function of a parent’s beliefs about parental roles and responsibilities, a parent’s sense that she can help her children succeed in school, and the opportunities for involvement provided by the school or teacher. In this theory, when parents get involved, children’s schooling is affected through their acquisition of knowledge, skills, and an increased sense of confidence that they can succeed in school.

Review of Related Literature Brigada Eskwela Program Brigada Eskwela is a logical extension of the stated objectives of Republic Act 8525, also known as the Adopt-a-School Act of 1998. This law was sponsored by Rep. Anne Marie Periquet at the House of Representative. The late Sen. Marcelo Fernan wrote the Senate version and became fully functional in 203, when former Education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus successfully pushed for the promulgation of the necessary implementing rules and regulations from the Bureau of Internal Revenue. RA 8525 establishes the Adopt-a-School Program, which allows private entities to assist public school, whether elementary, secondary or tertiary, but not limited to the following areas: staff and faculty development for training and further education; construction of

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facilities; upgrading of existing facilities. Provision of books, publication and other instructional materials and modernization of instructional technologies. Brigada Eskwela was launched in 2003 when Adopt-A-School Program secretariat figured that inviting local residents to help fix up the public schools in their area was a great way to generate community support via the time-honored, uniquely Filipino tradition of Bayanihan. Ronda (2013) in his report as stated by Luistro that Brigada 2012 generated donations from communities and private organization estimated to be worth P1.5 billion, with some six million volunteers giving time and effort to help clean and make repairs on public school in preparation for the school year opening. Cooperation Soriano (2010 said that the achievements gained by Brigada Eskwela

inspire them to utilize existing partnerships

with the

communities to et parents involved in ensuring that the schools are conducive for learning, that their children are enrolled and actually learn in school – which is the essence of Brigada Eskwela Plus. Critical to the scaled-up initiative is showing the parents the value of their children’s education. Linkage Greater volunteerism on the part of parents and others from the community can break down barriers and help increase home and community

involvement

in

schools.

Agencies

can

make

more

accessible by linking with schools and enhance effectiveness by integrating with school programs. The complications are readily seen in efforts to evolve a comprehensive, multifaceted and integrated

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continuum

of

school-community

interventions.

http.//smh.psych.ucla./edu/qf/Commout/School-Com2-8.pdf Support to Classroom and other School Activities No one can contest the value of the community to effect change. It highlights the enormous potential of a community do good if and when its citizens have made the rightful decision to “come together” in a cooperative effort- to effect change. For ufs Filipinos, this can be seen as a natural state of affairs. We are, after all, a nation known for volunteerism. We actually have a term for is Bayanihan. This bayanihan tradition is alive and well to this every day. And it is best exemplified in the bayanihan spirit that we see in our schools, (Fernando, 2012). Brigada Eskwela or School’s Maintenance Week also known as Bayanihan Para sa Paaralan, is a voluntary effort of teachers, parents, students, school officials, community members, local government officials, non-government organization, and private sectors to prepare and do minor fixing and clean-ups in preparation of the upcoming school year. Our parents have the greatest contribution to the Brigada Eskwela. They also voluntarily contribute things that need to be repaired. Our parents, in their own free will, help the school under the scorching hot sun and work on what should be done for their sons and/or daughters that would be attending the school when the classes open. Brigada Eskwela Plus is the Philippine contribution to community involvement in education. It serves as a venue for all Filipinos to contribute to nation-building. It provides a vehicle for one Filipino community to unite for a good cause that of creating better schools and providing quality educational services for the Filipino child, (Fernando, 2012). A key to children doing well in school is for parents to be involved in their education. That involvement can range from providing

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meaningful learning experiences at home to volunteering to help with school activities. Parents recognize that school success is crucial if their children are to have a positive future. Research shows that students achieve more in school when their parents are engaged intheir education. Children whose parents are involved genrally have higher grades and test scores as well as more positive attitudes and behaviors. And school benefit from parental involvement in that there are

long-term

successful

improvements

school

programs

in

academic

and

achievement,

more

effective

more

schools.

www.Extension.org. (2007) Bugwadia (2011) mentioned that parental involvement can play a significant role in children’s education. Educators believe that greater the degree of involvement, the better will be children’s academic progress. Parents, who understand the importance of being involved in their children’s education, being the process right form the early years of child development. They hold high aspirations for their children’s future,

set

higher

standards

of

achievement

and

consistently

encourage children n all their education endeavors. According to Corner and Haynes (2003) as cited by Udtohan (2009) “Children are more interested to study if parents are concerned with their education”. The children learn best when adults, the parents, teachers and other family members work together to encourage and support them. Binkley (2008), as cited by Udtohan (2009) also argued that when parents communicate constructively with teachers and participate in school activities, they gain clear understanding of what is expected to their children at the school and they may learn from teachers on how to work at home to improve the education and/or performance of their children. Binkley further emphasized that if parents are serious about helping their children to do well in school, improving relationship with teachers and involvement in school activities are worthy goals.

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Herrold (2008) as cited by Udtohan (2009), mentioned that pupils really need the support and involvement of the parents. They

are

happy if that parents are involved in their education. This view causes them to strive harder. But if they feel that their parents have no concern with their studies, these students will also neglect their studies. Lescano (2001) posited that parents should participate in the learning of their children. One way to make the children feel that they are cared for is by participating in their activities. According to White (2001), if parents want the child to reach the standard of excellence they have to work hard more with earnest effort for improvement, to inspired and support the child. The more the parent become involved and learns about the school, the more the parent can help the student. The parents are able to “increase their understanding of child development in areas of physical, social, emotional and cognitive development”. (Gelfer, 1991)