Monthly report for Free Schools World Literacy

Free Schools World Literacy (Thailand)

Monthly Report March 2007

After arriving on the 7th of March, we quickly set about sorting out the practical necessities required to service the project here. With great help from Mark and Wilbert after a few days we had acquired a scooter and after several more days we had found a comfortable place to live.

As soon as the scooter was arranged we immediate began visiting all the schools with Mark. Apart from learning the teacher’s names and village names it was the most important thing that we were able to learn the locations of the schools plus the evening teachers homes and to become familiar with all the best routes from one to another. Mark was great in guiding and helping us to get to know all this vital information and after two weeks we were set.

Towards the end of the month the Songkran vacation period began. This is the end of year holiday which also includes many of the important religious celebrations. For the government schools this means a 6-8 week break. All our evening schools are staying open and operating as normal during this time. As for the government schools we have encouraged each of the teachers to keep their classes running but we have respected the choices of those who opted to take a well earned break.

Nui from Huay Nam Yen is working through the break as are Pratoon and Chantana from Huay Pu. Pikun from Huay Luwang is taking one month off in April but will return at the start of May. Similarly Kung will be taking a month off from her day classes.

Kung has also decided to cease her evening school duties as of the end of March. With young children it has proved very demanding to teach during the day at the government school and run an evening class in her village at Huay Chonu. Fortunately this will not adversely affect the students too greatly as Poy also has a Free School in Huay Chonu and all of Kung’s students are welcome there.

One of the things about this holiday period is that at the government schools which are remaining open, attendances may be down somewhat as compared to usual. With this in mind it was great to see two of the teachers, Pratoon and Chantana, taking the initiative of setting up a morning Free School in the local Lahu village. This is the village where many of their students are coming from but during the holidays they noticed many were not travelling to the government school. This may be because the canteen is not open and the government is not providing lunches.

On top of this we heard from Wanida the principle at the Huay Pu that there is another Lahu village near Thaton where there are some fifty students who are not going to school and a potential lady teacher as well. We have asked Som Diaw, our contact in the local education department to talk to the lady and we are very excited about the prospect of having a new school opening soon.

All in all it has been a great month and a wonderful start. Mark has done his utmost to ensure that we were comfortable with the job and also that we are capable to do it after he leaves next Monday, so a big thank you Mark and all the very best for your onward journey.

Warm Regards,
Ben and Jildou