Sookmyung Students Visit UNESCO Bangkok
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- Writer 총관리자
- 보도일자 2010-07-09
An article on Sookmyung students has been included in the recent news letter of UNESCO Bangkok (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in Bangkok). Professor Sunah Chung and a group of students from Sookmyung Women’s University who visited Bangkok, Thailand through the Sookmyung Global Investigator Program spent time with UNESCO Bangkok as part of their effort to work on the project “Infant Education and Education for Sustainable Improvement.” The local news letter vividly depicted the students’ activities.
Khun Sasinan explained that this kindergarten is a demonstration kindergarten applying the principles of the Montessori learning system. Children aged from three to six share the same classroom but undertake a variety of activities.
The Foundation provides learning opportunities for poor children and assists the parents in taking care of their children during day time. The Foundation is integrating the community learning centre (CLC) concept to provide various learning opportunities for the empowerment of people within a community, aimed at improving their quality of life, and thus help promote social transformation.
Khun Sasinan said that most of the financial support and material aid comes from the community members themselves. The Foundation also receives donations from visitors.
She said that for students who are interested in becoming teachers in the future the first requirement is a teaching certificate. However, she said, willingness to help from the heart is the most important qualification to work in a CLC. She really hopes that the learners at the Foundation will become the future leaders of the community and will contribute their best to develop the community.
Thailand has accumulated valuable experiences in implementing CLCs over a long period. Countries from the Asia-Pacific region as well as from the Arab and African regions often visit Thailand to observe and learn about CLCs in Thailand. UNESCO assists in coordinating such study visits and helps countries to learn from each other’s experience and good practices.
In order to improve quality of CLCs, UNESCO supports Thailand to participate actively in regional projects. These regional projects promote strengthening CLC linkages and networks, life skills through CLCs, integration of HIV and AIDS in CLC activities, etc.
UNESCO is currently supporting Thailand to implement two pilot projects in Ubon Rachathani province; one is to empower the community to apply a rights-based approach through CLCs in Ban Buphai and another one is to integrate people with disabilities in community development and learning opportunities by participating in the activities of CLCs with other learners.
For further details on CLCs, contact i.khanthong@unesco.org.
Written by Intiranee Khanthong and Rojana Manowalailao