Questions/Answers

The problematic issue and situation of the spread of drugs in the community are affecting children in the community resulting in them not receiving education because the parents are selling drugs, some having been arrested,some children have been abandoned by their family, not receiving education in normal schools because of slow development and lack of proper care. This in turns makes the children not want to go to school, resulting in the children entering into the cycle of drug abuse. The RangjorakaeSAO recognizes this problem and therefore has established the Rangjorakae SAO School to be a community educational institution for “education to be the education of life.” to provide education for the children, and for the community to recognize and study the problems that arise in those children’s lives and to use the data to analyze and develop the program of instruction to be an innovation in the education of life that is effective and efficient in promoting and improving the lives of the children in the community. 1) To let disadvantage children receive the opportunity in the educational system and care from the community. 2) To create the Education of Life program, with the objective to promote and improve the quality of life of the children in the community to receive educational education. And to promote life skills, including developing special skills that are key to the 21st Century educational guidelines. 3) To instill in the children in the community social immunity and to be free of the cycle of drug abuse.

The “Education of Life” innovation organized by the Rangjorakae SAO has a goal in providing education to disadvantaged children, and children who have been abandoned or neglected by regular schools, so that they receive quality education same as children in regular school system, by building mental strength and immunity, and promoting knowledge and skills according to 21st Century educational concept that emphasizes knowledge skills, life skills, social skills, analytical and adaptive skills, as a preparation for all children equally to be ready to grow up to be quality citizens of the world.

The “Education of Life” innovation manages education according to the 21st Century educational guidelines for disadvantaged pre-school children to have proper fundamentals for development in each age-stage in learning to be able to take care of themselves, and to be ready for primary education. The initiative manages continuing education in primary levels for all categories of learning, consisting of reading, writing, and math skills which are fundamental learning skills. There are career skills, emphasizing teaching the knowledge to adapt to change in response to living in different contexts and environment s, to be able to live in society with productiveness and immunity to drug use in alignment with SDG agenda 4, index 1,2,5,7 (4a). Twenty-eight disadvantaged children (100 percent) have entered the education system and are able to study and participate in activities, including examinations of knowledge and ability according to the systematic assessment of fundamental educational curriculum.

Socially, the disadvantaged children are receiving education, and care from teachers and community both physically and mentally so that they have no social complex and are able to live happily in society free from the cycle of drug use. Economically, the disadvantaged children are learning vocational skills by tending vegetables for extra income and being able to rely on themselves. Environmentally, they are provided with a setting suitable for learning both inside and outside the classrooms.

Rangjorrakae SAO realizes the importance of providing education to the community’s disadvantaged children to have an equal quality and opportunity to access to education, with the aim that when they do receive quality education that they would grow up to be an important force in developing the country. Therefore, the school has been established to provide all encompassing care for the children, emphasizing 3 aspects of development, consisting of 1.) Building emotional immunity by using music, arts, and sports activities as a tool in promoting learning according to aptitude, including instructions by D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education), an anti-drug project for children; 2.) Developing Knowledge by designing instruction for the children to learn in an environment close to real life and; 3.) Building vocational skills as a fundamental for survival by using the key concepts of sufficiency economy philosophy The “Education of Life” innovation is a way to increase access to public service for the parents of disadvantaged children and to reduce expenses since it is a free basic education service with benefits covering all 4 requisites when compared to private schools with high expenses if the parents send their children with disabilities to such schools.

Our Initiative does not differentiate genders. All children, are able to receive education at the school with equality. Emphasis is on activities that allow them opportunity to express their opinions and demonstrate abilities in a variety of activities, combined with building emotional strength by using activities relating to meditation, arts, music and religion as key methods. They can choose to join activities freely according to their aptitude, at least 5 hours per week. Furthermore, in all activities, teachers, students and parents can join in to facilitate bonding and decrease distance between teaches, children, and parents.

A group of 28 disadvantaged children, making up 12.50 percent of all students, categorized as 17 children from families with drug problems, 11 children with intellectual development problems or with attention disorder, enrolled with Rangjorakae SAO School (Chaokun Cherd Uppatham). All 100 percent of the disadvantaged children were able to adapt and learn to live with themselves and others through the school internal activities, according to the core program, and through activities to build immunity to drug and other social problems (activities which are not offered in the curriculum of regular school.)

The initiative was started to solve the problems for this group of children, beginning with creating an understanding within the community by convening a community meeting to inquire the opinions of the local population. After that we have established of a school through the Local Administration Department, Ministry of the Interior, were prepared. A method was organized to adjust instruction according to the problems of each individual child. Every 3 months, there was an assessment of the readiness and development of each individual child by psychologists from Sena Hospital in cooperation with teachers who have received training to understand the specific problems of the children. Children with learning disabilities and attention disorder were taken by the teachers to meet with doctors to stimulate development. Teaching methods were adjusted to be flexible and the children were able to return to study together in class like normal. Other children were organized to learn and develop their potential more effectively. The “Education of Life” innovation organized diverse activities for all children with support in developing skills in the use of technology for research and job creation. The results found that all 100 percent of the group of 28 disadvantaged children received education in the primary levels with average learning outcome surpassing the standard of primary level education, having age-appropriate development, and are free from the cycle of drugs, being able to return to society and live amongst others happily. To achieve sustainability and expand the outcome of education to be more encompassing we have expanded the target groups to surrounding area to reduce per-unit costs and proportional expenses throughout the program. Currently, there are 224 students from pre-school through year 6.

The educational management for the 28 disadvantaged children by Rangjorakae SAO faced obstacles in managing under an limited budget which required high per-student overhead, such as expenses for educational staff, facilities, personnel management, and supplies. Therefore, other groups of children were allowed to join in with the disadvantaged children to reduce per-student costs, and the community joined in the instructions by folk scholars. Supporting funds were requested from Local Administration Department, Ministry of Interior for facility fees, lunch costs and supplies. Additional supporting funds were requested for a computer room from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunication Commission (NBTC).

The Education of Life innovation brings the 21st Century educational concept to be used as a guideline for organizing instructional activities and solve problems sustainably. The aforementioned is combined with the principle of caring for students as family members, transforming the school into home, adjusting the instructions to suit the situation of the children, through the mechanics of learning through practice rather than from books, resulting in quality education that is age-appropriate. The initiative also developed networks through a variety of activities to break down barriers and reduce inequality gaps within the community.

The initiative is a new enterprise from the discovery of 28 disadvantaged students not receiving education and being stuck in a cycle of drug abuse. The inspiration was to give equal educational opportunity to these children to gain access to quality public service. It is a belief that one child can make a difference to society with strong fundamental education and that the child can grow in to play a key part in making a strong community.

There has been a transfer of knowledge to Nong Bua SAO in Surin Province, Mittrapab SAO in Nakorn Ratchasima Province, Kukot Municipality in Pathumthani Province, Namraop SAO in Uthai Thani Province, Khao Din SAO in Krabi Province, Nong Makheu SAO in Khon Kaen Province, all of whom have visited to study the initiative and applied to their own areas. At the same time, the instructional operation for educationally disadvantaged children by Rangjorakae SAO School (Chaokun Cherd Uppatham) can be used as a model and adapted for use for problem children in several dimensions, such as those with intellectual, emotional and social problems. Regular primary schools can apply the concept of transforming school into home for children to receive educational opportunity equally and thoroughly. All agencies throughout the world facing similar problems can apply this initiative everywhere.

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Source of Funds The Department of Local Administration, Ministry of Interior supports for construction of facilities, teacher compensation, educational supplies, lunch costs, milk, books, and activities. NBCT supported for computer facilities. SAO supports teacher compensation , public utilities costs, and teaching supplies. Personnel Teachers provided instructions according to the core program, Police officers for D.A.R.E. program. Health officials for healthcare and emotional, mental and intellectual assessment. Folk scholars provided instructions for vocational skills. Management The SAO was the principle agency in drawing the policy framework, increasing access to quality public service, and providing rights to access equal education for all children, free of charge.

This school is under the supervision of the Department of Local Administration, Ministry of Interior. It was established in accordance with regulations. There is continual budget allocation annually and from the budget of Rangjorakae SAO, in the amount of 3,606,691.00 baht, or 12.88 percent of overall budget. This comes to an average expense of 16,000 baht per person per year. Within this amount, the main expense is teacher compensation, learners development, and educational supplies (not including construction costs provided by the Department of Local Administration, Ministry of Interior).

Yes

-Operational assessment was done internally by SAO by collecting data and assessing individual behavior, using a format of behavioral observation in actual situations both inside and outside the school, with the network of parents and teachers visiting all the students’ homes. -Assessment by external organization by the Office of Decentralization to the Local Government Organization Committee (ODLOC), using the standards of assessment for local government organization with good management, within the scope of local innovation assessment in the 2014 fiscal year. There's also National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA), using the same criteria for the 2019 fiscal year.

Internal indicators consist of: 1. Seventy percent of disadvantaged students received education, measured by attendance reports and performance assessment. 2. Seventy percent of disadvantaged students were free from the cycle of drugs, measured by health behavior tracking reports. 3. Seventy percent of disadvantaged students learned knowledge skills, life skills, social skills, measured by attendance reports of various units for instructions. External indicators consist of: Relevance to local problems. Benefitted group. Cost value of local innovation. Network participation. And sustainability of innovation. Assessment was conducted by the NIDA and ODLOC.

Rangjorakae SAO organized education for disadvantaged children from families with drug problems, or with learning development, and regular children. Managing diverse education required personnel with specific expertise. Challenges involved operating under limited budget and personnel. The outcome resulted in 28 disadvantaged children receiving equal education, gaining standard-level reading, writing, and math skills, which are basic skills for learning. And they escaped from the cycle of drug abuse. This is measured as a 100 percent success rate. The outcome of assessment by the ODLOC is the top national award from Local Government Organization with Good Management, for education promotion in 2014. The outcome of assessment by NIDA and ODLOC is the top award for the same category in 2019.

28 disadvantaged children enrolled in Rangjorakae SAO School , established by the Rangjorakae SAO with the instructional format to allow all groups of children to learn together. Support for facilities, budget, personnel came from SAO,and computer room (USO NET) came from the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission for promotion of computer and ICT skills to facilitate learning through age-appropriate media and technology to keep up with the digital age, since these children lack the opportunity to access technology without the support and cooperation from relevant agencies. The school was granted permission to operate in 2014 from the Department of Local Administration, Ministry of Interior. Currently, there are 16 qualified students, consisting of 12 subject teachers and 4 teacher trainers. Instructions are conducted for pre-school children from kindergarten year 1 to 3, and primary year 1 to 6. Presently, there are 224 students, with the disadvantaged children comprising of 12.50 percent of all students. The format for teaching pre-school and primary children is part of the mechanism driving good management of the innovation in Romyen district, resulting in the granting of the 1st Prize Award for Good Local Government Award, Outstanding Category, in the year 2019 for the ODLOC.

Rangjorakae SOA conceived the policy to provide public service to disadvantaged children, and created the mechanism for participation by the network of parents in managing the education, and created the mechanism for government sector, private sector, public sector and related networks, fostered the spirit of teaching to care for disadvantaged children like family members, and expanded educational opportunity by formulating and managing education for all groups of students to be able to learn together by relying on key cooperation as follows: Teachers and education staff put the policy into practice so that all groups of students would receive quality education equally without costs. Police officer provided lectures to the students according to the D.A.R.E. program to build immunity to drug involvement. Health officials provided care, treatment, therapy and rehabilitation to the children, emphasizing community participation. The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission provided a computer center for education. The public sector and network of parents cooperated as a committee for follow-up and assessment to increase effectiveness and efficiency of public service provision biannually.

Educating and caring for disadvantaged children with kindness like they are our own children have expanded to children with intellectual disabilities and all other children, by emphasizing that all children have the rights to education and quality of life, by adhering to the principle of participation. From the operation, opportunities to develop the initiative in the future are discovered, by planning to have the disadvantaged students be mentor models to inspire and advise future students to have a strategy; to create physical sustainability in terms of residences at the school; to develop curriculum for teaching such as career creation and preparation for higher learning, including to develop teaching personnel such as teachers and related staff; to expand the framework and network of cooperation to various agencies in the government, private sector, and educational institutions. Because managing education for disadvantaged children required integration of multidisciplinary cooperation , plans are in place to expand and transfer the program to other institutions, so that the Education of Life innovation will be further refined and applied for the full benefits of all children to grow up to be quality human resources for society in the future.