Back to School!

Due to Covid the school breaks have been thrown out of balance this year. Hardly had the exam results come in from last term than most students were starting back for the next one. All students supported by Odet were able to say they passed all subjects and with no drop-outs! Let's hope they can keep going for the coming term. Thanks for your great support everyone. A little makes a huge difference.

Tee Lek continues to get pretty good grades and helps his mother with the roadside shop after school.

Dee just managed to pass all subjects. He takes care of his younger brother at home during the week. Their mother returns from work on weekends. 

Thailand has been undergoing social upheaval in the past few months with student led demonstrations around the country. They find the huge imbalance of wealth and power unacceptable and they want to see an end to the current regime. In a symbolic show of defiance, many vowed not to wear their school uniforms on the first day of the new term. 

                  Inequality in Education (from 'The Nation')

"In Thailand, almost 100 per cent of children have completed their 

elementary education, but only 65 per cent have completed 

high school, a 2019 report compiled by the National Statistical

Office in cooperation with Unicef shows.

The report says that up to 160,000 youngsters across the nation 

cannot be educated because they live in very remote areas, while 

up to 30,000 juveniles are missing out on education because they 

are behind bars for drug charges.

In addition, some children in Thailand suffer other problems like 

poverty, pregnancy or disability, which hinders their education.

The report also showed that nearly 400,000 children live on the 

streets or are the offspring of migrant workers. When these 

children are denied education, they tend to be lured into drug 

abuse, human trafficking or violence.

Another problem worth mentioning is chronic malnutrition among 

children in the educational system, especially in remote areas." 

(The Nation 5,12,2020)

school's back

Hello everyone,

I hope you are safe and well wherever you are. The severe impact of COVID-19 has been felt all around the world. The infection rate in Thailand has been comparatively low. A nationwide shutdown, which included schools, airports, restaurants, and a nighttime curfew, is slowly being lifted. The impact on the economy has been huge with most people feeling the effects in one way or another as tourism has ground to a halt. Schools across the country are now starting to reopen with reduced class sizes. Some classes are taking turns to study a week on and a week off. For others, it is all online.

Hundreds of thousands of underprivileged children across the country are affected by poverty. For those in the lowest 10%, 6 out of 10 don't finish high school. Odet can be proud of the contribution it has been able to make to the lives of the small number of people it has been able to assist.

As the new school year gets underway Odet is currently assisting 9 students with monthly donations and other contributions as needed.

 

Sii is ten years old. He lives with his grandfather and has just entered Year 4 of primary school. Sii enjoys maths and computer studies

Sprint is now 13, He has just graduated to First Year of high school. Sprint excels in sport, especially football

 Gahn has just graduated from music studies at Vocational College. He is currently expecting to find work opportunities as entertainment venues slowly start to reopen.

Today is 'Asalha Bucha' marking the first sermon of the Buddha. It is followed tomorrow by 'Khao Pansa' which marks the beginning of the three-month rainy season retreat. Masks are generally worn across the country in busy public areas.

Bangkok Post, 5 July, 2020

Welcome to the Odet Blog

The Summer break has arrived in Thailand, exams are done and students are set free! Now comes the anxious wait for another month until the exam results are sent out.

The break comes just as corona virus hits forcing most people to think twice before venturing outside. It coincides with an exceptionally warm Summer and the worst drought in forty years.

Odet continues to support ten students from Kanchanaburi and Nakorn Pathom.

Dee, 13, continues to live at home where he takes care of his younger brother.

Tee Lek’s mother has opened a food and drinks shop. She also accepts sewing repair work.

Parichart, happy to have finished her end of term exams.

Fiw at home in rural Kanchanaburi