 There are many migrant and refugee children in the Mae Sot
area, perhaps about 13,000. Due to their immigration and economic status,
many cannot attend school. Others are afforded an opportunity to attend
Migrant Learning Centers. These students do not receive a Thai high
school diploma; thus, they are currently ineligible to apply for attendance
at university. However, those who successfully pass the GED test
are eligible to apply for international universities.
Mae Tao Clinic’s Child Development
Center has continued to provide education to displaced children from Burma
and children of migrant workers living in Thailand. The General Education
Development (GED) program has continued with the BEAM foundation in Chiang
Mai for 2017. Between 2010 to 2016, 52 students from CDC, schools in the
refugee camps and other migrant learning centers were sponsored to
participate in the GED program. This allows them grade 12 equivalency which
in turn allows the students to access universities. Twenty-three of these
students are currently enrolled at university and one has already graduated
with a Bachelor of Education. Naw Gold Rain, previously a student at CDC, is
now a teacher at CDC. (See CDC Success Story below). One of
the classes that she is teaching is Pre-GED, preparing some 20 students to
take the GED test
There is a severe shortage of
funding at Mae Tao Clinic due to the loss of major donors who have chosen to
give their funds to organizations based inside Myanmar. Mae Tao
Clinic is being forced to make drastic cuts in services and
programs.
The situation along the Thai /
Burma border is becoming more critical. Big donors such as USAID have
chosen to cancel funding for organizations on the Thai side of the border,
leaving critical services in many organizations, including Mae Tao Clinic,
without funding. Unfortunately, one of the necessary budget cuts
facing the Mae Tao Clinic is the elimination of their GED program. They
need all the help they can get. Chiang Mai International Rotary
Club will raise funds to support the GED. efforts being undertaken by Mae Tao
Clinic Child Development Center. We need you help!
CDC Success Story
Meet Naw Gold Rain, a product of the Child Development Center and now one of their English Teachers and Student Advisor.
Her detailed story is below. Here is an extremely brief summary:
- 2008 –2009 - :Student at CDC
- 2010 – 2012 - Studied G.E.D. in Minma Haw, Mynmar
- 2012 – 2016 – Studied at Asia Pacific International University in Saraburi Province Thailand made possible by a scholarship from Child’s Dream Foundation. She graduated 22 May 2016 with a degree in education
- 27 May 206 to present: Teacher at CDC. Naw Gold Rain is teaching English. She is advisor to the Student Council and serves as the scholarship coordinator. She is a living example of what can be attained even in desperate situations!
Education is the most sustainable thing we can possibly facilitate. Knowing full well that there are many brilliant children with little or no opportunities because of their political and economic situation CMIRC and Mae Tao Clinic is considering a project to provide General Education Development (G.E.D.) scholarships to qualified migrant children in the Mae Sot area.
\\ Naw Gold Rain’s story as written by the Child Development Center//
Being a migrant student especially in CDC school last six years ago was like making a risky investment for the future. Unless there was luck, no one could reach to their highest potential. Last six years ago, when she was a CDC’s high school student, the opportunities for young adults were very limited since most students had no legal document. she had always felt insecure regarding her future education and career like her other classmates because there had been no one who continues university education before her patch. On contrast, she felt that she was loved and cared by the CDC teachers and staffs. She received the best education that she ever had in her past school years. She had never studied English with native speaker when she was in her mother land. It was unaffordable for her family to give her a chance to study with native English speakers. The support and encouragement that she received from CDC family was very magnificent. Even though CDC was not able to send her to the university directly, teachers helped to find many alternative ways to enter the university. With the love and help from CDC school, she was able to enter to GED program (General Education Development) in 2011 after she finished her high school in CDC.
She studied GED program for a year with 24 classmates. It was very competitive and intensive since the chance of getting scholarship was less than the number of the students. Out of 24 students, only the top 7 would be able to go to university. Unless she was at the top of the class, she would not make it to the university. So, she felt that every day was a war for all of her who was studying in GED program. Teachers kept tracking their daily and monthly assessment to compare with the past and present skills. She was able to survive in the ring with the help of her skills from CDC school and supports from CDC family such as stipend, dry food and some toiletries. When the time came, she was selected as a candidate to study in the university with full scholarship. she became one of the very first CDC students who went to the university.
With the GED certificate, She was accepted to study Education and Psychology in Asia Pacific International University in 2012. She had experienced university life and was able to fulfill her dream that she once thought impossible. She did not need to worry about tuition fees, living expenses as well as pocket money when she was studying. Her university life was easy and smooth which made her forgot all the hardships that she endured when she was young. After four years in university, 28 years of her life, she successfully received her first bachelor degree which made her into the first CDC student to graduate from an international university.
After all these years, she has learned that for a person to fulfill his or her dreams, the person itself and environment are very important. It is necessary for a person to have willingness, supporter and wait for the right timing to be able to achieve his or her goal. No matter how much she tried and work hard if there was no one who showed her the right path, it would take her longer to reach her goal. Therefore she believes that if she did not get to study in CDC school, she will not be who she is today. Through the guided of CDC teachers, she was now standing in front of 77 students teaching what she has learned from the past years.
Currently, she was teaching grade 11 and 12 students in CDC school. Although teaching high school students especially in CDC school is not easy, she is still grateful for the chance. Since the beginning of the school years, every day is full of challenges. In a classroom, there are around 25 to 28 students with 5 different levels. Teaching different levels of students is quiet challenging and tiring. Sometime make her wanted to give up on teaching. As she continues teaching, she begins to fall in love with teaching and understand her students more. On the other hand, she has been as a student in migrant learning centre as the same situation with currently students. But the opportunities are more coming to CDC. However, she believes that with the experience of teaching in CDC school, she will be able to go up to another level easily when the time comes and apply her experience with meaningfully. She was helping CDC students to make a change in their life. She said that She was guiding CDC students like what her previous teachers did with her last six years ago. She comes back to CDC school in order to show her gratitude as well as helping children who are hungry of education. There is no doubt that she understands the students more than anyone else since she was once a student in this school.
Since she fulfills one of her dreams, she was looking forward to another one which is her Master Degree again. After two years in CDC, she plans to continue her further study with education administration and develop the high education for young leader again with education. She ever talks about that before she knew CDC, her life was hard and her future was vague. Luckily her life has change ever since she gets to know CDC school. She says “Like a seed meet the correct temperature and grow into a healthy plant, I meet the temperature that is just right for me”. And nowadays, CDC school has become the source of her success.
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GED Program for Higher Education
The GED (General Education Development) program, an American-based and internationally recognized non-formal high school diploma course, allows students without formal education backgrounds to receive an official high school diploma which is typically required for accessing tertiary education. Courses include Language Arts Reading and Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies. At BEAM, the majority of courses are taught by native English speaking volunteers to effectively prepare students for the exams.
Migrant students from many different ethnic groups from Myanmar come to BEAM to study together with the hopes of achieving recognized high school certificates. Many strive to continue their education and apply to international programs at universities. Beyond the focus on tests and college admission, students at BEAM gain invaluable knowledge, participation, social interaction, communication and critical thinking skills. Currently, 85 of BEAM’s GED graduates are studying at various universities. 16 of BEAM’s Higher Education Program students graduated from CMU, Rangsit, Ramkhamhaeng, Assumption and Payap University in 2017 and there will be more students will be graduating in the end of 2017.
New GEDsystem: A new GED exam curriculum has been introduced for the 2017-2018 academic year. This is in response to the administering of the GED 2014 test series at GED testing centers internationally. The new GED system will have four subject tests: Reading Language Arts, Social Studies, Math, and Science. The online exam will now include more interactive features when selecting answers; hence, we will provide compressive computer training for our students. A smaller class of 21 GED students was purposely selected because the GED 2014 series is a more rigorous exam than the prior 2002 GED test series. We plan to work closely with other GED testing centers and schools in Thailand to ensure proper support and guidance in assisting our teachers in instructing the 2014 GED curriculum.
4 GED Students from CDC:
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My name is Khin Tyal Win. I am 17 years old. I am from Myanmar, Karenstate. I have five members in my family. I studied in Mae Sot migrant schools for over seven years. These schools are KweKa Baung, Karen national high school, and (C.D.C) Children's Development Centre. I studied in KweKa Baung school for five years and at the (C.D.C) Children's Development Centre for two years. I completed Grade-11 in C.D.C school and participated in the Youth Leadership training for two yearsat Rays of Youth. There, I shared my experience and knowledge to migrant schools and migrant communities. This year, I am studying in the GED Program at BEAMEducation Foundation. I am trying my best to pass the GED. I would like to get GED certificate because Iwant to attend university next year and continue my higher education. Iwant to improve my knowledge eand gain new experiences.Ultimately, I would like to help my community and migrant peoples by improving their education, life experiences, and healthcare.
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My name is Novelyn. I am a graduate from a refugee camp in Mae Sot Tak province. However, my high school certificate is illegal and there was a lack of opportunity to continue my education. That is why I chose to attend BEAM’s GED Program. I want to pass the GED exam and attend university. The GED certificate is very useful for my further education and it will give me more of a chance to continue my higher education.
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My name is Saw Htoo Plo. I am twenty years old. I’m from Taung Oo, Karen State. I have five members in my family and they are now living in Mae Sod. I have one brother and one sister. Before I came to Mae Sod,I livedand grew up in Mae La Camp. I spent most of my life time in the camp, over 10 years. Sometimes, I feel bored in the camp because I do not want my life to end there; I want to go further and further to improve my sight, experiences, and to accomplish my dreams. Later, I moved to Mae Sod and I studied at Has Thoo Lei School for one year. After that, I got the chance to come to BEAM. Now I study full time at BEAM Education Foundation. I am very happy that I have theopportunity to study in the GED program in BEAM. After the GED, I want to continue to university and fulfill my dreams. Actually, my dream is to become a good nurse because I want to help my people who are weak or sick, and take care of them. It is my biggest dream in life. To fulfill my dream, I pray to God to give me strength to study and pass the exam.
My name is Myo Sandar Lwin.I am 18 years old.I was born in Myanmar,but raised in a border immigrant community in Mae Sot,Thailand.After spending most of my youth in Mae Sot and completing migrant high school there,I decided to study in the GED program at BEAM. I came here because I want more opportunities to continue my studies. While learning at BEAM, I can improve my English and social skills. I am exploring various education scopes to join university. I want to acquire more knowledge and improve my abilities because I want to help my community get to a better situation.
BEAM portion written by Wai Phyo Aung
Abundant Blessings,
Jerry Nelson
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