School History

 

 

          Kabasalan Elementary school is located along the Rio Grande de Mindanao. It is approximately 20 kilometers away from the Poblacion Pikit. The school was founded in the year 1959 by the three prominent leaders in Barangay Kabasalan namely Datu Dadsam Timpolok, Datu Talib Patadon and Adebin Tantong with the help of Julian Landayong as the Tinyente del Barrio.

 

          Kabasalan Elementary School was the approved name of the school with the aim to produce well-developed and productive pupils according to Datu Alamada, the former and first PTA President of the school. It was approved by the Mayor Teodoro Palencia of Pikit and Datu Udtog Matalam-former Governor of the Empire Province of Cotabato where Mr. Sabino Balino was the teacher and at the same time Teacher-In-Charge that time.

 

          In the school year 1959-1961, the grade one teacher was Mr. Alfredo Cerezo. His pupils were both young and old children. He was followed by Mr. Perfecto Mabalot. The school became a primary in the year 1961-1962. The lone teacher was Perfecto Mabalot where he handled multigrade, as the Principal-In-Charge of West Pikit district, Edsopakil T. Gondalangan remembered.

 

          The school started the intermediate grade level in the year 1963-1964 with Mr. Siokon Abedin as the Teacher-In-Charge. He has seven 2 teachers under his supervision and administration. Mr. Siokon Abedin became also the head of the Kabasalan High School in the year 1966 to 1969, according Mr. Siokon Abedin himself.

 

          The school was temporarily closed in 1973 due to armed conflict until it was burned down. It remained closed for several years. Peace and order in the Barangay was unstable. “No teacher was willing to be assigned in this school that year”, said Mr. Gondalangan. So in the year 1977, a brave man in the name of Edsopakil T. Gondalangan came in. Despite of the situation he was not shaken. He continued of his endeavor to teach the remnants of the human conflict. But God did not forbid it to last as he stated in his interview. The same with the others, he left the school in the year 1981 due to uncontrollable human conflict.

 

          Year 1982, the school was reopened by Mrs. Aida Mangansakan as the lone teacher handling grade one. Unfortunately, it was temporarily closed again when AFP-MILF conflict escalated, according to Mrs. Mangansakan, the present Principal of Datu Bitol Mangansakan Memorial School. Despite of, the school has to continue to operate for the sake of those who long and desire for education. Mr. Mutalib A. Guimbalanan reopened the school in 1999 as the new Teacher-In-Charge where the grade level was up to Grade V only. But the following year 2000 it was closed again when the MILF encountered the government troops. School buildings, facilities, textbooks and other properties were greatly damaged and burned, attested by Mr. Guimbalanan.

“Unfortunately, the school heads mentioned had no great accomplishments to be proud of due to the circumstances that they went through during their time as I gone through also”, conformed Mr. Guimbalanan. “But because of their bravery and courage, they still deserve the honor and recognition” he commented.

 

 

          Kabasalan Elementary School was reopened in the year 2003 and still the teacher-in-charge was Mr. Mutalib A. Guimbalanan. Everything has to start from the beginning. The children came back to school and almost all of them were beyond the normal age to their grade level for they were the remnants of the conflict. Buildings were built and the school progressed during the succeeding years, happily expressed by the TIC. Later, there were additional teachers deployed namely Melanie Kidap, Nida Wahab, Monina Sarhento, Aireen Ayunar and Cherrie Lyn Alimbuyao. During those years, the school operates smoothly and peacefully according to the teachers.

 

          As thenew teachers came in the year 2007,namely Jannette t. Belarmino, Norjannah G. Dalid, Melanie B. Guiamolod and Cherelyn R. Kadalem both forwarded from Kabacan West Distrct, three (3) moved out to another school. The school became completely elementary school in the year 2008-2009, according to the School Head, Mr. Guimbalanan. The first graduation exercises was held during that year. The enrollment rate of the school progressively increases every year, as recoded in the District file of South Pikit District.

 

          Due to significant increased of the enrolment rate, five more teachers were deployed namely Eden F. Babas, Nenita A. Morales, Junelyn T. Oroc, Michelle V. Bacar and Norevic G. Mendros. This lessens to minimize a little the pupil-teacher ratio of the school.

 

          “Fortunately”, said Mr. Guimbalanan, “ Kabasalan was one of the recipients of ICAN project sponsored by Japan where one (1) building with three rooms made of wood was constructed and eventually another one (1) school building with two rooms with comfort rooms and water tank constructed by the US Government under the supervision of Balikatan US Army.”

 

          Kabasalan Elementary School formerly under Pikit South District but due to the creation of the fourth district, it was officially transferred to Pikit West District in the year 2010 up to present. The school has the biggest number of pupils even up to present. There are already eleven (11) regular teachers under the supervision of Mutalib A. Guimbalanan-Head Teacher III. At present there are 4 buildings, and 6 standard academic classrooms and 5 non-standard classrooms catering 785 pupils based on last 2010-2011 enrollees.