Village School offers Thai students a second chance

The colourful and friendly village school

Somsak got 0% for his final grades. Chai was expelled from school after being involved in several fights. Chai, Somsak and many of their peers, contributing to 20% of the students in Chiang Rai province, never went back to school again after grade 9.

To offer these students, aged 7-16 years old, another chance to study before returning to formal education, Plan Thailand works with the Chiang Rai education unit to set up the “Village School,” which is one of only two pilot non-formal schools in Thailand.

“At first I didn’t believe that any school will accept a “0” grade student like me, but now after six months, I feel like I’m studying at home with kind uncles and aunties!” said Somsak.

So far, the Village School has about 40 students equally mixed between boys and girls. All of them have unique experiences, like Chai who had a notorious reputation from fighting with several students.

“One day I went to see my teacher to ask about my grade result which was identified as ‘pending.’ Unfortunately, the teacher slapped my face, hit and kicked me on the back. He shouted that he didn’t believe I’d come to ask for grades but because I’d had fights with friends again and wanted to get help from him,” recalled Chai from the last day he went to his old school.

When students apply for the Village School, they need to go through a counseling process.
 
“We have 40 students here, which means 40 different backgrounds. We have three pregnant students, for example. So we need to create an open and flexible environment to welcome and encourage them to study again. The counseling will help them gain confidence and see the potential in finishing school,” said Mr Sawang Manojai, director of both Maejan School and Village School.

The Village School curriculum focuses on practical knowledge, ethics and moral lessons. The students need to go to class at least two days a month at weekends. Upon graduation they will get a certificate that they can use to enter higher education at a formal school.

When asked about his future, Somsak said he wants to finish a master’s degree. His plan is to finish grade 9 at the Village School and then go into the vocational training school to study computers.

“I want to open a shop where the front is an internet café and the back a computer repair and selling shop. I am sure that I will finish grade 9 because it’s only a month away. Next semester I still want to study here while waiting to enter the vocational school. Studying at the Village School is better than doing nothing at home.”

Note: The names of the children used in this article are not real names.