Volunteer teachers at special schools in Thailand are busy building an education for the children of Burmese migrant construction workers in Chiang Mai.

A NGO called Shan Youth Power (SYP) opened schools in seven camps at construction sites around Chiang Mai since 2005, with funding from donors in the United States and money they raise locally. Today there are 170 students in the schools.

In the camps, the migrant workers live in a long tent. One family has to live in a small room. The workers work all day. So they have no time to look after their children.

The schools are small and don’t have classrooms. Children between five and 12 study altogether. Elder children have to look after younger children.

Now, there are twenty teachers teach in the camps. Ten are from SYP and ten are volunteers.  There are seven classes on weekends and 3 classes at night.  

There are 135 adults also attending school in the camp. They study at night and children study on weekends. SYP gives stationery to students. The teachers teach English, Thai, Shan and Mathematics. The teachers teach Thai to adults only, not children.

One of the SYP aims and objective is “to improve the abilities of children”.  

There are about 160 migrant workers live in Kan Ka Not (2) Camp. They are mostly Shan.

Myo Aung, coordinator of education in camps and a teacher, said in an interview, “I teach here because the children have less chance to get an education. I want the children to spend their time profitably. If I hear about their lives, it gives me strength and makes me to try harder for them.”

He said, “It is a chance for children to learn their own literature because it is very difficult to learn our own literature in other countries.”  

A student called Sai Som Kict, eight years old who live in the camp and can also attend Thai school said, “I feel very well and happy because teachers teach us and give a lot of knowledge. I can read and write Shan literature. My English and Mathematics skills are improved”.  

At Thai school, teachers teach Thai, English, Mathematics and handy crafts.

“I want to be a policeman in the future because I can arrest criminals and can help society,” Sai Som Kict said.

Sai Som Kict’s mother, Pa Yieng, said “I am very delighted because my child is improving and can learn many languages.”

She said she can send her children to Thai school because she gets a good salary and can afford to pay school fees and the cost of food, clothes and transportation.

But, Pi Kham Ene , is sad because she can’t send her children to Thai school, because she can’t afford it on her small income.

“ I am very delighted and very happy my children attend the school in camp and can get education. Their skills are improved”.

Pi Kham Ene’s son, Sai Pi, is eight years old.

“I am very happy because I can get education and have many friends,” he said.

“I want to be a teacher because I want to teach children and want them to be educated”.   

Sai Yard is one of the ten volunteer teachers. He said, “ I teach here as a hobby and  I am concerned about the children and want to share my knowledge with them because it is very difficult for many to go to Thai school and I want to help them”.

He also said that he is worried about the children’s future because their parents can’t take care of them.

“It is time for them to get an education so they can improve their lives and help their country, their people and their family,” he said.

He wants his students to try hard to improve themselves and the lives of their people through education.

“You can’t oppress an educated person,” he said.

The leader of the camp, Lon Yi said “I am very delighted and thankful to all teachers and to SYP because they established the school. It is a very good thing because our children can learn our own literature and English.”

He said the children can learn Shan language as well as Thai.  

“When I saw the students in the camp, I was very sad and I wanted to teach them because they don’t have education” said Myo Oo, one SYP teacher.  

He wants the students to learn their own literature and language. He gets strength because the students know their own literature. He wants the students to spend their time profitably and to be educated and help their people and country.