The face of Thailand is Bangkok; a bustling city with high-rise buildings, traffic jams, and entertainment. The country is determined to ‘leap frog’ in development status to become a developed, first-world nation. However, that is only one side of Thailand; the other side has many underdeveloped rural areas. The main source of income of these rural areas is from agricultural development which is also the biggest export of the country. However, the gap between the urbanization between the city (Bangkok) and the rural areas – like Buriram – is quite large. This includes aspects of education. On that account, Mechai Pattana School is successfully minimizing that gap with its unique school model.
Mechai Pattana School is located in the rural area of Buriram, Thailand. Buriram is one of the poorest parts of Thailand. The school’s motto is to create a generation of honest leaders who will improve rural Thailand. The school is founded by Mechai Viravaidya, an activist greatly known for his foundation of poverty eradication. The school is funded by Birds and Bees Foundation. It provides academic education which is the same as the public school of Thailand. In addition, it also provides environmental protection education for the whole village. Equally important, it promotes philanthropy, integrity, democracy and gender equality.
The school serves as a life-long learning centre for the student and the community. The students are molded to be individuals strong in values for the future. The whole school is built using bamboo. The roof at the entrance of the school is designed like a buffalo and it symbolizes ‘stupidity’. Upon entering the school, the students will cross a dragon designed bridge symbolizing knowledge. The whole idea is that people walk in the school leaving behind their ‘stupidity to obtain ‘knowledge’; and then they walk out into ‘stupidity’ again (Because the more one knows, the more one doesn’t know). The next day however, they would walk back in to learn more things –which symbolizes ‘Life-long Learning’. This school is not restricted to young students but to people of all ages in the village.
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| The bridge that symbolizes the 'dragon' and 'knowledge'. |
There are about 90 students in the school, chosen not only by their academic performance, but also their behavior. A student weak academically although hardworking, or comes from a poor family background, may be accepted, screened from case to case basis. The students do not have to pay school fees in monetary terms but through community service. The student is required to ‘pay’ 400 community hours per year, and their family is obligated to plant 400 trees. The community hours include growing vegetables in the school, teaching in IT hubs which are located in the villages and many more.
Much more interesting is that the school also becomes a hub for community building. Environmental protection education is also provided by the school. In the Agricultural Demonstration Farm, techniques of growing vegetables and fruits are shown. One example is the lime that harvests during off-season. These limes are then sold at a higher price due to market demand. This would then contribute a greater amount of income to the family and the community which paints a part in poverty eradication. Likewise, the farm breeds animals and insects which are also in high demand in the market.
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| Local herbs being grown in the garden. |
The school is also sponsored by big business players. The computers in the IT Hub in the school are sponsored by Microsoft Corporation. The swimming pool which is currently in construction is sponsored by the toy company Hasbro, Inc. Furthermore, the school furniture is contributed by IKEA International Group.
The students produced by the school are confident and well rounded. They greeted us with warm hospitality, palms together, when we arrived. These students are thought to bring back what they learn from school and apply to their on-going family business. Of even greater appeal is that they are given the knowledge and skills to run their own business. It is not surprising that these kids may not want to stay back and carry on their family’s agricultural business, to find a better paying job in the city. Although the school and the government encourages the students to stay in their village in future, nobody forces these kids to stay. With the education movement for poverty eradication, Thailand may in future face a drastic change in their economy, lifestyle and culture.
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| Us and people from the Mechai Pattana |
Melvin Shawn D'Silva, 21 is currently pursuing a double degree in Communication and Marketing, and living his life out to the fullest
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