January 5th, 2006

Rajaprachanakroh School construction continues to buzz with progress. The floors of the ISB Network building are constructed and a major part of the electricity infrastructure was installed with the funds provided by the ISB Tsunami Relief Network in November. The electric water pumps bring water to the school. The lights are working in the three dormitories where the children now sleep. The electricity will be fully functional by the end of January. The children are attending classes in one of the completed classroom building. Classes are being conducted for grades kindergarten through 10. Next year grade 11 will be added to the offerings. If all goes according to plans the ISB Network classroom building, the auditorium, the gymnasium and the library will be completed within the next nine months.

The ISB Network is currently making plans to develop an ESL volunteer program. A rlette Stuip, an ESL teacher from The A merican School of The Hague is recruiting experienced volunteers from around the world. ESL volunteers will work with Thai English teachers to create a program that will enable the children to learn proper English. The learning of English is an important skill for the students who live in an area that depends heavily on tourism for their economic subsistence. If all goes as planned, the volunteers will begin work in mid-May when the school resumes after the Songkran (Thai New Year) holiday.

While construction continues, The ISB Tsunami Relief Network has turned its attention to the next set of priorities. A ccording to the principal, A jarn Prasit, more money to supplement the food program offered by the Thai government is needed. Twenty baht more per day per student is necessary to supply three meals a day to the children of R35. In the last year they had special funds through outside donations - but those funds are dwindling. The students will start soon planting a new vegetable garden that will supplement their food supply. The principal also requests more teachers. The ten staff positions, recently funded by the ISB Network, to teach and supervise so many students, are not enough. The school must look more towards education rather than mere supervision. A nurse and thirty more teacher positions are required to begin the important work of education.

For more information, please contact Usa Somboon or Benjawon Wattangkura (Ben).