Baan Nong Phue Succeeds in Assessment

Baan Nong Phue is a fairly small village.  While its school serves Prathom P1 to P6 (grades 1 through 6) and Mattayom M1 to M3 (grades 7 through 9) and over 500 students, some families who live in the village send their children to larger schools in nearby towns like Khemmarat and Amnat Charoen, thinking they may get a better education in those schools.  The Thai government has a program to support schools in such villages to ensure that the village schools provide the best educational opportunities for students from the villages with the aim of keeping the local students at those village schools.  After receiving that support, the school is assessed to determine whether it has made good use of the support.

The school in Baan Nong Phue got such support from the Thai government and, on Tuesday, February 19, an assessment team visited the school to see how it was performing.  The assessment involves all aspects of the school, including the grounds, the physical facilities, and the instruction, as well as the home and temple life of the students.

Preparation

On Tuesday, February 12, when we arrived at school, we were told that there wouldn't be classes that day and that the students would be engaged in various activities.  We didn't understand what was happening, but George took pictures, as usual.

There was an assembly in the morning after the morning flag raising.  Students sat in rows and were unusually quiet.

A number of teachers addressed the group -- here is math teacher Pitak.  Teacher Wachinee, who does most of the translating for Mary and George (who still are at the very beginning stages of learning the Thai language), and teacher Thanorm had accompanied a young female student to Bangkok to compete in a national competition in knowledge of health and wellness (the student came in third in the nation -- see banner in photo below).  Without Wachinee and Thanorm, we were at quite a loss in understanding what was going on.

Suddenly we realized that the students were meditating.

An altar had been set up in front of the assembly, and School Director Sutipong addressed the students and prayed at the altar.

After that, the students dispersed in groups and we followed them to see what they were doing.  The groups went around to different stations during the day so that each group got some experience at each activity.

Students gathered dry brush and burned it.

They practiced cleaning toilets.

They swept the school grounds.

They cleaned classrooms.

They received refresher lessons on personal hygiene; conservation: learning to reuse, recycle, reduce, reject, and repair; and use of the library.

Mary gave the younger students a break by leading them in song and dance.

Students practiced the proper care of dishes and utensils

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Then it was lunch time, after which Mary and George left, but the students and teachers kept working.

Assessment Day

The assessment team came on February 19.

The school looked good, with attractive banners featuring students and teachers.  The first banner below honors the Baan Nong Phue student who won a regional competition for knowledge about health and fitness and went on to a national contest in Bangkok, where she placed third!

Beautiful examples of student work were on display.

 

We were honored to be given these three beautiful pieces of student work as gifts.

Meanwhile the School Committee, management, teachers, and students were ready.

The assessment team was comprised of government officials and Buddhist monks.

The team toured the campus, visiting classrooms and other facilities.  They had lunch.

  

Then they gathered in the "gazebo" to discuss their findings.  

Students and the School Committee and staff awaited the decision.  The chair of the assessment team read the report.

He noted both positive and some minor negative findings, but concluded with the announcement that the school had passed its assessment!  There was happy applause and presentations acknowledging that accomplishment.

Congratulations to Director Sutipong, Assistant Director Monthian, the School Committee, and the staff, teachers and students of the Baan Nong Phue School!