Bangkok--4 Aug--The Association of Filipinos in Thailand
The Association of Filipinos in Thailand (AFT) and 13 Filipino teachers held a free, 2-day English Camp for over 60 students of Ban Rawoeng School in Sriracha, Chonburi province as part of its community service to Thai children, and in cooperation with Visy Packaging (Thailand) Limited in line with the company’s CSR project. The AFT English Camp is an ongoing AFT core project.
The Filipino teachers-volunteers hailed from Ruamrudee International School, Keerapat International School, Sarasas Witaed Suvarnabhumi School, Kiddies’ Corner Kindergarten School, St Louis Learning Center, Chinavorn School, ISB-Takenoko, Aunareewitaya School and Thai Ayothaya Business Administration Technological College in Ayutthaya province.
AFT president Amando Eufemio said in his opening ceremony remarks that its free AFT-Filipino Teachers English Camp was a gesture of goodwill to Thailand, who is a close friend of the Philippines.
Ajarn Apinporn Sinmaneethanon, the principal of Ban Rawoeng School, explained in her opening speech that learning the English language had become even more important now that the Asean Economic Community (AEC) would become official by 2015.
Efren Villanueva, plant manager of Visy Packaging (Thailand) Limited, said they were happy to work with the AFT on this project as it is among the company’s CSR projects here.
Amando explained that the large deployment of teachers in Ban Rawoeng School during the English camp was intended to optimise the English language learning of students in two days.
Seven teachers were deployed to teach 37 students in grades 1-3, or a teacher-to-student ratio of roughly 1:5, while four teachers taught 27 students in grades 4-6, or a ratio of about 1:7. One AFT Thai translator and two documentation staff also joined.
“Depending on the budget, we prefer a tight teacher-to-student ratio of around 1:6 to optimise the 2-day time and opportunity of the kids to learn a decent number of new English words and sentences and practice their English communication skills, with several teachers assisting them in real time,” he said.
Amando said preparation for AFT’s next English camp was already underway and that AFT were now doing a fund raising campaign and were looking for donors or sponsors for learning books and materials, teaching aids, prizes for games, as well as transportation and accommodations for its teachers and volunteers.
Amando said preparation for AFT’s next English camp was already underway and that AFT were now doing a fund raising campaign and were looking for donors or sponsors for learning books and materials, teaching aids, prizes for games, as well as transportation and accommodations for its teachers and volunteers.
“The AFT normally takes care of all the costs of training, including food and materials, for teachers before holding an English camp while each Filipino teacher forgoes on average a 2,000 baht per diem they will normally receive for teaching at an English camp for non-charitable purposes. We have master’s degree holders and very experienced teachers in the group whose rates are much higher,” Amando said.
“The English camp was an ongoing community service of the AFT for the disadvantaged Thai students and children and reiterated the association’s policy of cooperating with government bodies or private organisations willing to support such English camp. In April this year we teamed up with the Lions Club International (Thailand) District 310C, together with its Phanat Nikhom counterpart, to hold an English Camp in Wat Kaew Silaram School in Phanat Nikhom, Chonburi. This time around we are doing the English camp together with Visy,” he said.