School sitting atop Pangasinan islet thrives amid challenges

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The first and so far the only elementary school sitting atop a small island in Bolinao town in Pangasinan province continues to thrive amid challenges, a year since its founding on Sept. 9, 2022.

Situated in the heart-shaped islet of Silaki in Barangay Binabalian, the Silaki Elementary School started with a single school building with two classrooms but now has two buildings with four classrooms where classes from kindergarten to Grade 6 are being held.

In an interview on Friday, school principal Mailyn Cruz said the building was the realization of the promise made by the Rotary Club of Bolinao, which funded the construction.

Two additional regular teachers were added to the roster of the faculty this school year, she said.

"We now have five permanent teachers and one local school board from the municipality of Bolinao," she added.

Elementary pupils are taught by the school's permanent teachers, while kindergarten students are taught by a local school board teacher from the local government unit (LGU).

Silaki Elementary School has produced seven graduates during the last school year who are now continuing their studies at the Binabalian Integrated School.

Cruz said they have 38 enrollees this school year, a little lower than the 45 learners last school year.

"The number of kindergarten decreased for this school year but we have a lot of learners in the day care center so we are expecting that by next school year there will be an increase in the number of enrollees," she said.

Cruz said they are glad that the learners in the higher levels are mostly readers and majority of the children have good health and nutrition despite the challenges in their living condition on the islet.

She attributed the good