Footprints Recruiting

Wouldn't it be nice if you could have scuba diving as part of your curriculum.  For anyone who's ever done it, you know the amazing experience of exploring the underwater world.  The Fulian Elementary School in Gongliao Township, Taipei County takes tradition, pragmatic learning, fun and education curriculum to new levels. 

Facing the Pacific Ocean from its site on a foothill, it is the easternmost and the lowest-lying school in Taiwan. It is also the first place in Taiwan to see the sun rise every morning.

Fulian is a typical elementary school for children from a fishing village. It is next to Liu Au Bay, which is hailed by fans of outdoor life as a heaven for skin diving. A wall separates the campus and the beach. Years ago, the school decided to open the wall, so that students could walk directly to the beach. There is a stairway painted seven colors, making it look like a rainbow, which is seen as the landmark that divides Taipei and Yilan counties.

Fulian is a very small school as its campus measures only 0.7 hectares in size, and it has only 33 students. The school has six classes - with one class per grade - and 16 faculty members. Established in 1923, the school is 86 years old.

Fulian village has remained a tranquil place to live and has not been affected by tourism. About 95 percent of its population are fishermen or fish farmers. As many young people have left the village to make a living in the cities, most people living there are either elderly or children.

Most school children learned how to catch fish when they were small, thanks to the teaching of those elders in their families. Liu Au Bay is like a gift from the gods to the villagers, as it functions as a perfect place to teach people how to make a living from the sea.

Most children not only know how to catch fish, they are also good divers, which, in turn, inspires them to learn more about the fishing culture and its impact on human life. There is no problem for children in the village for making a living with the skills that they have learned in their daily lives, but their experiences often encourage them to study harder and learn more about marine sciences and technologies.

Huang said her school has designed a program to help its children develop their skills and stay connected to their roots. While helping gain knowledge in other disciplines we are helping them keep what they have, Huang explained.

For instance, Huang said her school has provided students with scuba diving lessons since 1999, but it was not until two or three years ago that it came up with a complete diving program. Students are encouraged to take part in the program on weekends once they reach the fourth grade. By the time they are sixth graders, almost all the students can dive and swim across the 1,000-meter wide bay. With those skills, many students are able to help parents collect oysters, seaweeds, and other marine products, thus indirectly helping increase their family incomes.

Huang said she requires all students to swim across Liu Au Bay and dive to find their citations in containers if they wish to receive their graduation diplomas. Almost all of the students have passed the test since we started this program, she said.

"It is important for teachers to increase their students' interest and confidence in attaining their goals," Huang said.

"We have managed to convince our students that it is a fun thing to do by telling them how to distinguish marine products, helping them cook what they have caught, exchanging culinary experiences and enjoying good food together in a pleasant environment."

"The core of our education is telling students that they should respect nature, instead of running against it. Diving is not just a skill; it is an approach to help people learn about the source of human life and civilization," Huang said.

Describing education as a project for hopes, Huang said she hopes that students are inspired to learn more about the world around them after taking scuba diving and other courses designed to meet the needs of children from a fishing village.

"I am not sure how many students will stay here after they have grown up, but I am sure that those students who have graduated from our school will never forget their roots," she said.

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