Silent halls mark first school day after Thi Lakin’s closure

Music should have been blaring in Attard’s Thi Lakin Primary School on Monday morning, Miss Tami Mac said. Children should have been running excitedly down the halls, meeting their friends, moving on to an assembly with dancing, singing, and the usual first day racket.

This year, however, the halls were silent.

After 58 years of service, Thi Lakin had to close its doors for the final time at the end of last year’s semester. The closure prompted hate mail, alleged verbal abuse, and public confrontations from people unaware of the reasons behind Miss Tami’s decision.

“I feel I need to stress that this decision was not wanted,” she said on Facebook. “I did not choose to close the school.”

However, Miss Tami says she was left with little options after her siblings decided to sell the property about five years ago, leaving her to continue running the school from a rented property.

Rent skyrocketed to the point that the fees to run the school were simply not enough to cover the costs, and that’s not even counting the expenses to keep the whole thing running.

In her Facebook post, Miss Tami recalled that Thi Lakin was started 58 years ago as a family business and, for many years, the building itself was part of her story. It was part of her family, she said, part of her identity, and part of the lives of generations of children.

“For the past five years, I did everything I could to keep the doors open. I used what I had received from the sale of the building to help cover the business. I used my personal funds as I believed in what we have created,” Miss Tami explained.

“I believed in the children. And I believed that somehow, if I just kept trying, I would find a way to keep going.”

But this was not in the cards for Thi Lakin.

Thi Lakin Primary School ended its journey last June. However, as Miss Tami put it, 58 years of existence cannot simply be closed with a key.

“When I look back over the years, I don’t see financial struggles,” she said. “I see children’s faces.

I see little hands holding mine.

I see parents bringing their babies to us and trusting us to care for them.

I see children arriving nervous on their first day and leaving years later confident, happy, and ready for their next chapter.

I see generations of families.

And I feel incredibly proud.”

Miss Tami stressed that she did not close Thi Lakin because she stopped caring, but because she cared so much that she fought for as long as she possibly could. However, she pointed out, there comes a point where love and dedication cannot overcome the financial reality of running a school.

“I have reached that point now,” Miss Tami said.

“Every child who walked through that door mattered to me. Every first day, every little achievement, every birthday, every Christmas concert, every smile, tear, and hug became part of our story.”

She went on to express her deep sorrow for the students of Thi Lakin, insisting that they deserve to know that the school’s closure is not because they did anything wrong, and not because they were no longer wanted.

Quite the opposite.

“They are the very reason I stayed as long as I did,” Miss Tami underlined.

She concluded her post by thanking each parent who trusted the school with their child, for every smile, Christmas card, and moments of support given throughout the years.

“Thank you for allowing me to be part of your children’s lives,” she said. “And thank you for being part of our story.”

Finally, she wished all her former students the best of luck in their new schools and every success for the future.

With all her love, gratitude, and deepest appreciation,

Miss Tami.