Pyo Khinn School

This institutional project, which we have been supporting since June 2016, is a school for approx. 110 migrant children in Mae Sot in the north-west of Thailand.

Our partner has been collaborating with this school for a very long time. In 2010 they funded the renovation of some classrooms and the construction of an additional school building, due to the significant increase in student numbers.

Mae Sot is a vibrant border town in Thailand where people from Myanmar hope to find quality work. During the decades that preceded the democratization process, there was a steady inflow of refugees from Myanmar to neighboring Thailand. They fled political harassment and economic chaos to seek personal security, jobs, educational opportunities and healthcare, which did either not exist or are severely limited in Myanmar. Thousands of unregistered migrant workers from Myanmar (legal and illegal) are confronted with very limited opportunities to make a living in Thailand. Thus, they are forced to accept dangerous jobs and are exposed to exploitation. Breaking out of the poverty cycle becomes an often insurmountable challenge for these vulnerable people. To break this circle, education is the only possible way.

Pyo Khinn is a school project for children of Burmese immigrants in Thailand in Burmese language of instruction. The name Pyo Khinn has a catchy meaning for Burmese: „just as men first prepare the earth for sowing, then sow the seed and provide for its growth, in order to finally harvest it“, so it should be with the children: First they go to school, where they learn with dedication and encouragement in order to later harvest a self-determined and hopefully happy life.

The school includes a primary school for children aged 7-11 years and a secondary school for students aged 11-16 years. The schools currently comprise 109 children (54 girls and 55 boys) in five classes, taught by five Burmese teachers and a Thai teacher. The school is quite proud of the fact that two former graduates are now teaching there. Teaching is Burmese, English and Thai, as well as mathematics, history, geography, art, chemistry, biology, physics. Computer courses are also offered.

Teachers receive regular training to continuously improve their educational and teaching skills and abilities.

owever, with a successful Secondary School degree, students in Thailand will not have the option of either vocational training in Thailand or entering a high school which would open access to the college system in Thailand. For this, a legal status (registration and Thai identity documents) is indispensable which, in turn, indispensably requires the proof of sufficient Thai language skills.

Our local partner is working hard on the issues of recognition of the Pyo Khinn school and language barriers. For this purpose, a „Non-Formal Education Agreement“ is currently being negotiated with the Thai authorities, so that the children at least receive a public degree. In addition, efforts are being made to recruit mother tongue instructors.

The financing of the running costs can now be used to secure the basic or free basic training which is free of charge.

The school is financed exclusively from donations. The parents are poor unskilled workers and can not afford school fees. Without the school there would be no education for the children and they would be condemned to exploitation and poverty.

Our CEO, Maren Pfähler, last visited the project in November 2017. It was obvious how useful and necessary it is to support this school. It can not be emphasized enough how important education is. The school is run well and strict, the teachers are very dedicated and the parents also support the school, e.g. in case of repairs or embellishments and keep their children learning. Courtesy, helpfulness and discipline are lived values in this school.