The Marcos administration has tapped beneficiaries of the Department of Labor and Employment's Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program to help prepare public schools for the opening of classes, easing the burden traditionally shouldered by parents during Brigada Eskwela.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said nearly 240,000 workers are expected to benefit from temporary employment under the initiative.
“Si Acting Secretary Tolentino ay sinisiguro na halos 240,000 na manggagawa ang magkakaroon ng trabaho sa ilalim ng TUPAD program patungkol dito sa Brigada Eskwela. Ang mga benepisyaryo ng TUPAD ay mabibigyan ng trabaho sa Balik-Eskwela program ng pamahalaan,” Castro said during a Palace briefing on Tuesday.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspected preparations for the opening of classes at Kapitbahayan Elementary School alongside Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
During the visit, Marcos inspected the school's newly operational CCTV network, part of the Department of Education's efforts to improve campus security and address concerns such as bullying, vandalism and unauthorized entry.
The President also highlighted government funding allocated for school readiness programs.
According to Marcos, 147 schools have already benefited from the initiative, involving 3,658 TUPAD beneficiaries and P26.12 million in released assistance. Another 181 schools are currently being supported, with 4,597 beneficiaries and P37.14 million allocated for the program.
The visit also showcased DepEd's Reading Nooks initiative, which provides child-friendly learning spaces and reading materials to help address literacy gaps among young learners.
Marcos personally conducted a storytelling session, reading Jose Rizal's “Ang Pagong at Ang Matsing” to students before distributing stuffed toys.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development presented its Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, which deploys college student tutors to assist elementary learners struggling with reading.
Education officials also reported gains under the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program. According to DepEd, 823 learners started the previous school year under the intervention program, but none remained at struggling levels in reading and mathematics by the end of the school year.
Angara said the ARAL initiative has helped reduce the number of struggling learners nationwide from 6.7 million to 2.2 million, marking a significant improvement in learning recovery efforts.
