The threats and the struggles in teaching in a remote area.

Teaching in a remote area is not easy. You will face a lot of challenges that you need to overcome for you to survive.

Though teaching there is a great privilege for me, and as I always talked about in my last article, I will always be grateful because of my learners. Some teachers went there but chose to seek for transfer for just one year or even for a month of staying there because of so many factors that you need to face; here are some:

No Signal and Connectivity

In my workplace, one of the most significant reasons people don't want to stay there is no connectivity and signal. It was considered a dead spot, where you could not even get any connection or access from your mobile phone or any gadgets.

This is very challenging because we have no idea what is happening outside of our workplace. We cannot contact anyone. That always leads us to be outdated. This is one thing that makes me feel nervous and worried all the time, especially for my loved ones, for they have no idea what's happening to me for almost 10 hours every day, and me also, I don't have any access to them for that long hour a day.

Aside from this, power interruption was often, though it is normal for most of our learners because they have no electricity in their houses; still, it makes them uncomfortable because of the heat.

Prone of Landslide

Because we are located in the mountain area and due to heavy rain sometimes, we often suffer from landslides. And because of this, we already experienced a 2 hours walk because of bar downs and landslides. We need to find another route for us to be able to go to the other side of the mountain for us to arrive at school.

We also experience that we are being trapped in one place because a landslide happens all of a sudden while on our way.

The threat of Wars between Rebels and the Philippine Army

Last year, we were suspended for almost two weeks due to the conflict between the Philippine army and the rebels. It's been years that the mountain we are in was suspected to be the route of these rebels in different areas connected in the mountain too.

The reason why there are people, and mainly our learners developed some fear of going out and being traumatized by it. And what's worse is that there are learners who decide to stop their education, which somehow gives more difficulties to encouraging them to go back to our school.

These are some factors why other teachers didn't stay there for a long time. We cannot blame them for first securing themselves and choosing their peace and safety.

These are things that give fear to us and threaten our life at the same.

Despite that, my heart always belongs there. Because if no one has the guts to teach there, what will happen to the children out there? What will happen to their future?

I am just hoping and praying every day for our safety, and may God guide us every day despite all of these threats. I am still hoping for peace and the protection of everyone, that we may have always had the courage to continue and to pursue our learners in education.