A concrete four-classroom building is ready to welcome learners of the remote Caloy-ahan Primary School in Sitio Caloy-ahan, Sabang East in the municipality of Bugasong when classes resume on Aug. 29.

The new classroom building inaugurated on Tuesday would replace the previous makeshift classrooms made of plywood and galvanized iron for roofing.

Schools Division of Antique Superintendent Dr. Nicasio Frio and Bugasong Mayor John Lloyd Pacete graced the inauguration and the turnover of the PHP19-million building to Head Teacher 3 Marinette Villaluna.

“The four-classroom building at the Caloy-ahan Primary School, amounting to PHP19 million, will cater Kinder to Grade 5 learners,” said engineer Rex Galero of the Education Facilities Section of the Schools Division of Antique in an interview on Wednesday.

The school is about two kilometers away from Barangay Sabang East Proper and can be reached in an hour’s walk after crossing the Sabang River.

Single motorcycles-for-hire from Barangay Sabang East Proper are available when the weather is good.

“The construction of the four-classroom building started during the pandemic in 2020 and was finished on time for this school year’s opening,” Galero said.

The school is along the mountainous boundary of Bugasong and Valderrama towns, and the hauling of construction materials during the construction was a challenge, he added.

The budget for the project covers the provision of furniture, including the 23 sets of tables and chairs for each classroom, a water system and a handwashing facility.

“The four-classroom building with solar lights will provide a much conducive learning space for 56 learners from Kinder to Grade 5 who are enrolled this school year 2023-2024,” Galero said.

Galero said the construction of classroom buildings in Hamtic and Laua-an towns is ongoing, while a similar project will rise in two more schools in the municipality of Libertad this year. (PNA)