Alumni Mission: Inspiring the Education System
Two years as a Teach For Thailand (TFT) “Fellow” had proven to give “Kreen” and “Zeem” enough understanding and inspiration to continue their work in education. Both have decided to open a private school in their respective provinces, Songkhla and Nakhon Si Thammarat.
“I had set a 5-year goal to establish a Home School; it has only been 4 years and we are already adding more products and subjects,” recalled Kreenthinyaphat Thearathanin (Kreen), Alumnus cohort 4 and now founder of THEKREEN: HomeSchool.
“I fulfill what schools cannot, such as student’s lack of ability to read, motivation to go to school, or when they don’t know what to pursue in the future.”
THEKREEN: HomeSchool offers classes and consultation, from 2-year-olds to college students. It started 4 months after Kreen had finished his Fellowship program in Nakhon Sawan.
“I came back home after my 2 years as a Fellow. COVID-19 hit, schools were closed, so the kids in my community couldn’t learn. I started teaching my nieces and nephews and it expanded into a whole school.”
“We offer a hybrid of tutoring and homeschooling for students from primary to junior high school. Some became our regular.”
Kreen also provides consultation for local schools on how to create a child-friendly learning environment.
“Some students have noticeably changed, and some teachers trust me to teach their own children. This led to an invitation to work with the school,” reported Kreen. “I would say at least 5,000 students have benefited from our MOU, as I am working with the school’s management.”
“I am also currently working with hospitals to diagnose children with special needs, such as short attention span and autism, with better accuracy.”
Another TFT alumni currently working in education is Uzma Daraman (Zeem), she was not going to continue her family’s school until something changed her mind.
“The joy you get seeing someone so proud of their learning and achievements, is something you can’t find elsewhere,” told Zeem with excitement. “My student’s happiness fulfills me, and the joy to learn and grow brings me back to education.”
Apart from helping with management at Prateepsassana School, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Zeem had also opened her own business, “Giraffe,” an English Teaching Institute.
“I noticed that my local lacks an English-teaching school. Giraffe is one year old now and our first batch had just finished their program.”
“I believe in individual change. We provide opportunities for our students to try something new and equip them with tools they can use in whatever they pursue in the future,” reported Zeem.
“We are currently working with more than 2,000 students, who will grow to become crucial parts of our society.”
These are only examples of TFT’s alumni who continue to inspire and create positive changes in the educational system, even after the 2-year program, with the unified purpose of providing equal access to quality education to all children in Thailand.
