Living in a foreign country is a special life experience.
Growing up in faraway lands enriches early memories and can shape the adult
to be. Certainly, the cultural influences, international friends and
exposure to human diversity make for an interesting childhood. But, when
choosing the location of their new home, families who move abroad have to be
concerned about the quality of available educational facilities.
Phuket offers a range of schools for children of all ages
and nationalities — from a traditional Western college to bi-lingual Thai
schools, alternative schools and kindergartens. What style of education most
suits your child? At one extreme, some believe a child should be allowed to
unfold according to genetic programming and cultural stimulus. At the other
extreme, some view the young child rather like play dough to be moulded from
the earliest moments. Some parents view the happiness and creativity of
their child as paramount. Other perspectives focus on the complexity of the
social and working world into which the child will eventually have to fit,
believing that the earlier a learning structure is established, the stronger
the foundation
The "let the child unfold" approach is available on
Phuket for parents who wish to see their children in a relatively informal,
happy and creative environ- ment. The Rawai Progressive School, a
Thai bi-lingual seaside school for 3- to 12-year-olds, was founded on the
Montessori philosophy. Maria Montessori, a 19th-century educationalist,
claimed that every child's "absorbent mind" started to gather knowledge at
an early age, and therefore there was an innate desire to learn. Students
are encouraged to develop their full potential on intellectual, physical,
emotional, spiritual and social levels.
The students are organized into "multi-aged" classes,
studying the subjects on the Thai curriculum with Montessori learning
practices. The basic philosophy is that children learn from one another.
Older children are said to achieve a level of understanding that they pass
on to the younger members of the class. The younger children work hard in
their desire to emulate their older role models, eventually taking their
place and teaching other young children. The classroom resembles an extended
family. Montessori teachers are trained to observe and enhance social
interactions among the students.
Future plans include The Montessori Learning Center Study
House, a junior high-school program for students 13 to 15 years of age,
applying the official Queensland (Australia) curriculum. Students will
follow a bilingual programme directed by the Brisbane School of Distance
Education, and participate in creative arts and life skills courses. The
Study House offers the added advantage of having the only indoor school
sports stadium in the south of Phuket. The cost of building the stadium was
covered by a local philanthropist.
An alternative for those 3 to 6 years of age is
Greenhouse International Pre-school, north of Phuket Town. This
well-established school has seen dynamic growth, recently having had to
increase the size of its facilities. The classrooms are designed to
stimulate a developing child's mind, and teaching programmes are tailored to
suit the needs of the individual child. "We're a truly international
school," says Director Pamela Kelly Wetzell, "with 18 different
nationalities represented within our total of 50 children." While the school
director emphasizes the caring, happy, supportive family atmosphere, every
child also ends up with "complete fluency in English". They can also count,
read, write and are confident and expressive.
Kajonkiet Suksa School pro-vides for children from 3
to 12 years of age. It follows a typical Thai school curriculum taught in
the Thai language as well as a Thai curriculum taught in English by a team
of native English-speaking teachers. Within the English curriculum, the
children are taught in English 80 percent of the time. The school aims to
develop basic English skills, an appreciation of computers, and cultural
knowledge and experience. Within the pastel-painted buildings, children
learn music, drama and Thai dance in after-school workshops, and regularly
perform their own concerts and shows. Field excursions are also offered
weekly, giving students hands-on learning experience. The school asserts
that "in order to further your education elsewhere, our curriculum meets
both Thai and foreign standards."
A different approach
to junior education is seen in local Thai schools such as Darasamut
Phuket School and Dowroong- wittaya School. A number of local
people of mixed marriages have chosen to send their children to Thai junior
schools so their children can learn to read, write and speak the Thai
language while learning about Thai culture and customs. This practice seems
particularly valid when children have previously been educated outside
Thailand. They already have English as their first language, and tend to
pick up Thai reading, writing and speaking skills very quickly. The teaching
methods in Thai schools tend to emphasize rote learning of language and
basic number skills. Considerable attention is devoted to developing correct
Thai behavioural attitudes and cultural awareness. Reports have been
complimentary, with most parents delighted with the local Thai system.
Darasamut in Phuket Town and its sister school Dowroongwittaya, just outside
Phuket Town on the Chaofa Road, are constantly praised.
For an international education beyond the age of 12 and
up to university entrance, there are only two realistic alternatives:
Dulwich International College, and QSI (Quality Schools
International). The former has close links to Dulwich College in London.
The educational ethos is British, but with a multi-racial and international
mix of students. The alternative, QSI, follows the American style of
education, and focuses on verifiable learning outcomes up to university
entrance.
Dulwich International College is an impressive building
set within vast, beautifully lands caped grounds
about five kilo metres north of Phuket Town. It has fully equipped
classrooms and state-of-the-art facilities, is co-educational and currently
has over 700 students, of which approximately 45 percent are boarders.
Students can attend as boarders from the age of nine, and the school
emphasizes this feature. Marketing director Graham Dewey believes that
boarding is key: "We are the major school in Southeast Asia, and attract
students to the college from all over the region. While education is
important, there's an obvious sense at Dulwich that there is something
extra. The family atmosphere among boarders adds to the environment which
greets the day students."
Dulwich College delivers a British style of education,
but the external examinations offered are both British (IGCSE) and European
(IB). Most Dulwich graduates have gone on to undertake university courses in
America, Europe and Australia. One senses, however, that the final
qualification isn't the whole achievement. The Dulwich graduate has
undoubtedly rubbed shoulders with the captains of industry and political
leaders of tomorrow.
According to their website, QSI International School of
Phuket "is an independent, non-profit school committed to providing quality
education that prepares students to meet the challenges of a changing
world." The school, near Tesco Lotus Shopping complex west of Phuket Town,
celebrated its fourth year in Phuket in August 2003. The American-style
curriculum is taught by native English-speaking teachers in small classes.
School director Dr Paul Finkbeiner believes that QSI derives its advantages,
and thus its recent development, from two main sources: "Firstly, we're very
competitive on price; and, secondly, 'Success for all' isn't just a motto —
it's a verifiable fact."
The curriculum at QSI is incredibly detailed. According
to the American style, at the conclusion of a curriculum section the
students are tested to determine what they know and understand. The required
level of understanding is high, about 80 percent, and those failing to
achieve this are re-taught till all the material is fully assimilated. Dr
Finkbeiner claims that all students can achieve very good grades and succeed
at their own pace. The ablest students are helped to achieve advanced
qualifications, which win exemptions in USA universities. While there are
many defined curriculum objectives, it's also important to turn out happy,
well-adjusted young adults, says the school director. He invites parents to
visit and judge for themselves.
Prince of Songkhla University has a campus on Phuket.
The main campus, in southern Thailand's Songkhla Province, offers a vast
array of undergraduate and graduate courses, while the Phuket campus
operates as a community college offering relatively limited courses. The
Phuket campus does offer training in hospitality and hotel management,
however, catering to the region's booming tourism industry. There are also
many international standard universities an hour's flight away in Bangkok.
Phuket now represents a true international destination not just for
holiday-makers but for families who choose to live in this exciting region.
With an international airport, rapidly expanding shopping facilities, and a
multi-cultural community, the standard of education is one more major plus
for enjoying a new life in tropical southern Thailand.
