I. Background

During the SEAMEO Centre Directors Meeting on 24 July 1996, the SEAMEO Secretariat Director, SEAMEO Centres’ Directors, and other SEAMEO Staff were invited by the SEAMEO Council’s President to visit and observe the Ban Prue Wai Primary School in Phanomsarakarn District, Chachoengsao Province. The school was located in a rural area and considered “backward” compared to schools that receive sufficient funds from the community in addition to government allocations. The invitation was made to follow up the SEAMEO Council President’s proposal to help improve the school. Based on the proposal and the visit, the Centre Directors Meeting agreed to adopt the Ban Prue Wai Primary School as a SEAMEO community involvement project.

A report on the project was presented before the 32nd SEAMEO Council Conference in Manila in February 1997. The Council recommended that the SEAMEO Community Involvement Project, undertake the development and promotion of a school adoption programme in Member Countries.
.
After four year adoption of Ban Prue Wai School, the evaluation was made and it was concluded that the objective was achieved successfully and the school was returned to the Ministry of Education, Thailand, officially on 1 September 2000. Learning from the success of the adopted Ban Prue Wai School, in order to give more contribution to member countries, SEAMEO Secretariat requested the Ministry, Thailand to nominate three schools for the next adoption.

Following a feasibility study, on 28 June 2001, SEAMEO Secretariat officially adopted Ban Subsanoon School, a Primary and lower Secondary School. In addition to the Director of SEAMEO Secretariat, the adoption was also attended by the Director of External Relation Division, Ministry of Education, Thailand, and officials from ONPEC (the Office of National Primary Education Commission), OPPEC (the Office of Saraburi Provincial Primary Education Commission) and ODPEC (the Office of Muak Lek District Primary Education Commission), Ministry of Education, Thailand.

II. Objective of the Project

As part of the SEAMEO Community Involvement Programme, the project aims at improving the sub-systems of the school in order to achieve its sustainability. In the long run, it will contribute to improve the quality of life of the society as stated in the objective of the SEAMEO Community Involvement Programme.

III. Methodology

The findings of the feasibility study were analyzed and the problems found are solved systematically. The interventions are introduced using the educational policies already in place. The variables this project sought to effect are the teachers teaching ability (in mathematics, science, English and using computer), school management, and parents’ involvement in encouraging students’ learning. The related SEAMEO Units and institutions in the community are solicited for their contribution.

IV. Recent Achievement

The project is going on. After two years of adoption, much has been achieved by the project.

IV.1. Activities in FY2001/2002

As the first year, based on the feasibility study/needs assessment and experience with the previous adoption of Ban Prue Wai Primary School, the activities of adoption were focused on the development of the school capacities in five areas: 1).School Management, 2).Mathematics, 3).Science, 4).English, and 5).Computer Skills. The success of the Ban Prue Wai School adoption was disseminated to this school, and thus, the activities were mostly facilitated by the resource people from Ban Prue Wai School and Chachoengsao Province teachers/officials. From the beginning of the adoption, the school director has been advised on how to maximize the school resources and involve the surrounding community in supporting the school programmes and activities.

The following activities were held at the school:
1. A workshop on School and Classroom Management, held from 10 to 12 October 2001.
2. A Training and Workshop on Mathematics, held from 8 to 10 December 2001.
3. A Training and Workshop on English, held from 27 February to 1 March 2002.
4. A Training on Using Computer, held from 13 to 14 May 2002.
5. An English Camp, held from 16 to 17 May 2002
6. In March 2002, the school managed to purchase four personal computers with funding from the community.

IV.2. Activities in FY2002/2003

As the second year of the adoption, this fiscal year was focused on Science Training besides trainings to keep strengthening other subjects. The following activities were held were:

1. Sending five teachers to SEAMEO RECSAM, Penang, Malaysia, to a course “Integrating Technology in Primary Science Education” which was held 23 September to 1 November 2002. The following activities were held at the school:
2. Science training (first stage), held from 11 to 13 November 2002.
3. English Camp, held from 13 to 15 January 2003.
4. Science training (second stage), held from 28-30 January 2003.
5. Sending five teachers to SEAMEO RECSAM, Penang, Malaysia, to a course “Direct Instruction to Constructivist Approaches in Teaching Primary Mathematics” which was held 17 February to 28 March 2003.

Some activities are already planned for further development of the school teachers and its system.

For each activity of this project, the other two schools which were also proposed for adoption but not selected, have been involved through their representatives to come to Ban Subsanoon School. The schools are: a) Ban Plonglium School, 10 Moo Ban Plonglium, Krathum Baen District, Samut Sakhon Province and b) Ban Saithong School, 5 Moo Ban Saithong,, Makharntia District, Kamchanaburi Province.

IV.3. Activities in FY2003/2004

Returning from training in SEAMEO RECSAM, ten teachers (five were trained in Science and five in Mathematics) disseminated their gains to their colleagues at Ban Subsanoon and its 12 neighbouring schools through some trainings organized by SEAMEO Secretariat with venue at Ban Subsanoon School.

In addition to Science and Mathematics teachers, English teachers’ capability was also strengthened. Resource person from English Department, Rajabhat Institute, Nakhorn Ratchasima and Canadian Interns with SEAMEO Secretariat, were invited to facilitate some trainings, even started in FY2001/2002.

The following activities are held at the School in FY2003/2004.

1. English Camp, 14-15 August 2003
2. Training on Mathematics, 1st stage, 1-3 September 2003
3. Sharing Experience from “SEAMEO QEE Schools in Thailand”, 29-30 September 2003
4. Training on Mathematics, 2nd stage, 15-17 December 2003
5. Training on Science, 1st stage, 7-9 January 2004
6. Training on Science, 2nd stage, 26-28 January 2004
7. Training on English, 1st stage, 9-11 February 2004
8. Training on English, 2nd stage, 29-31 March 2004.

Each training was attended by two representatives from each school

For each activity of this project, the other two schools which were also proposed for adoption but not selected, have been involved through their representatives to come to Ban Subsanoon School. The schools are: a) Ban Plonglium School, 10 Moo Ban Plonglium, Krathum Baen District, Samut Sakhon Province and b) Ban Saithong School, 5 Moo Ban Saithong,, Makharntia District, Kamchanaburi Province.

IV.4. In Collaboration with SEAMEO Centres and the School Community

SEAMEO SPAFA collaborated by sending a trainer to the Training on Using Computer, 13-14 May 2002.

SEAMEO RECSAM collaborated in this school adoption by providing ten scholarships as detailed under section IV.3. (above).
The scholarships from SEAMEO RECSAM cover tuition fee and accommodation. Their air-tickets were sponsored by Thai Airways International Public Co., Ltd. while the teachers contributed by shouldering their own meals during the training.

Every year the community contributed to the school through:

1. Donating fund, especially during children’s day. The fund received was used to purchase computers and scholarships for the students. Starting from zero at the beginning of the adoption, now the school has 22 computers in its computer room.

2. Provision of labour to the school project. Some parents were willing to come some days to help improve the physical conditions of the school such as to complete the flood prevention project.

3. Lending equipment (such as trucks) to the school for the school project work, etc.

V. Future Programmes and Activities

SEAMEO Secretariat plans to adopt the school and to achieve the objectives in four years. The fourth year of adoption will focus on improving the students’ motivation to learn further. Some activities for students are on the pipeline such as Math Camp, Science Camp and English Camp. In addition, the teachers’ ability in using computer for better teaching will also be held. The school will be continuously advised to involve the community to help the school further.

__________