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First Posted on Inside Mindanao (www.insidemindanao.com) on April 8, 2010

Children in Olutanga village dream of school
By Antonio M. Manaytay

OLUTANGA ISLAND, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY—"Baya ko nia school minto (I want to have a school here)," seven–year–old Rashida Soliman said in Tausog dialect.

Rashida, a grade one pupil, together with other children in Galas village in Olutanga has to walk daily a total distance of six kilometers to a nearest elementary school in Barangay Kialim. They have to brave the distance over fishpond dikes and man–made trail, which made even more difficult when raining.

According to Galas village chief Hadji Mansul Tiblan, some 30 children are enrolled in Kalines Elementary School in Barangay Calais.

"Most of our children, however, have stopped going to school because of the discouraging distance they have to walk everyday," he said.

Some of the children, he revealed, have to content themselves helping their parents in fishing and farming to earn a living.

The village, a predominantly Muslim community, depends mainly on fishing and farming. It is one of the 19 barangays in the municipality with close to 2,000 population as of 2009.

Its lone public school, Galas Primary School, was permanently closed since 2003 due to volatile peace situation.

Tiblan disclosed that at least 125 families have transferred residence since then to nearby town of Talusan "so that they continue sending their children to school."

While others preferred to send their children to Zamboanga City to continue their studies.

Forty–six–year–old Habiba Gustahab, who has relatives in Zamboanga City, had her children stay with her relatives in the city where they can continue going to school.

"My seven children are now in Zamboanga City where they continue their studies in a public school," she said in Tausug dialect.

Every month they have to send any amount they could to their children in the city, she said without being asked.

"It is quite difficult but we have to," she sounded resigned.

Other children in the neighborhood are enrolled in a public elementary school in nearby Barangay Gandaan, which is more than two kilometers away.

"It is even more difficult for pupils enrolled in (barangay) Gandaan because the children have to ride a boat to cross the river," the village chief said.

During bad weather, he revealed, the students cannot go to school "especially when the sea is stormy and the waves are big."

Of the 200 children of school age, 80 are enrolled in Gandaan Elementary School while around 20 are in Kalines Elementary School. The number, however, dropped to almost half at the close of the school year.

Benjamin Lumactod, barangay coordinator of Save The Childen–EQuALLS2 Project, explained that the main reason is the distance of the schools from the barangay.

"Besides, it is quite risky for these children to cross the river daily in going to Gandaan (Elementary School)," he stressed.

As a result, he said, many of the children in the community are without basic education.

The barangay coordinator opined that "the absence of a school in the barangay is the major factor why literacy rate is very low."

Literacy rate in the barangay is pegged at 15 percent – the lowest of all 19 barangays in the town.

Attendance to the Basic Literacy Program of EQuALLS2 indicates the literacy problem in the community. Normally, the program will only accommodate up to 30 students.

"But at present, we have 40 students enrolled in our literacy program," Lumactod said, adding that most of these students are already in their teens and others are in their early 20s.

Many more desired to be enrolled in the program but were denied "because they happen to be non–readers."

Eleven–year–old Mohammad Aminol, whose grandfather donated the half–hectare lot where the abandoned school building is located, did not have the privilege even of a pre-school education.

"I wish we will have a school here so that I can go to school next year," he said in Tausug dialect.

Education district supervisor Pricilda Pacardo, in a separate interview in her office, confirmed the need for the re–opening of the school in the barangay.

"It is very obvious there is a need for a school in (barangay) Galas after it has been closed in 2003," she said.

The educator, however, clarified that it depends "now on the people in the community and barangay officials to work for the re–opening of the school."

In the meantime, the children in the community can look forward to the day when their dreams to have a school in their place become a reality.

Nine–year–old Haidel Marail said, "I will be happy to go back to school someday" with a giggle as he continues to play with children of his age.

Olutanga is a town in an island located 105 kilometers southwest from Ipil, the provincial capital of Zamboanga Sibugay. It is a fifth class municipality with a total population of 35,051 based on 2008 survey.

END