SULAK SIVARAKSA*
Thai education has followed the West uncritically since the last century. It deals almost exclusively with the heads, not the hearts, of students. The clever ones are recognized and rewarded materially and financially, although they need not be generous or aware of social ills. Most of the rich and the powerful are not happy either. Their exalted positions rest directly or indirectly on mass poverty and ecological destruction. This unjust social structure deprives poor kids and orphans of normal education.
Pibhop and Rajani Dhongchai were teachers in main-stream education and were
unhappy with the system. They were bold enough to start their own school—the
Children's Village School in 1979.
Firstly they were inspired by A.S. Neill's Summerhill in England. But since
Pibhop was the editor of Pajarayasara, an educational quarterly since 1973,
he and his wife were in touch with quite a number of alternative thinkers
like E.F. Schumacher,
Paulo Friere, Ivan Illich, John Holt, etc.. More importantly, they were influenced
by Buddhist scholars like Bhikkhu Buddhadasa, Bhikkhu Payutto, and Thich Nhat
Hanh. They were further encouraged by quite a number of good friends or kalayanamitta,
especially Dr. Sem Pringpoangkeow and Dr. Prawase Wasi who also guided them,
helped them, and criticized them. In other words, kalayanamitta in the Buddhist
context could be called the other voice of conscience, so that one can develop
critical self awareness, to reduce selfish desires, to be more selfless in
one's endeavour.
Rajani, the head teacher, in particular, is humble and understands her role
well, plus has a wonderful capacity to love all students, who call her mother—in
the true sense of the word.
The freedom of the students, the innovative teachings and workshops (none of which are compulsory) plus the forest environment make the school unique. The upper and middle classes in Siam, including the Ministry of Education, no longer regard the school with suspicion. In fact quite a number of them support the school financially. Financial support also comes from many friends abroad, especially Japan.
Yet, the school, like all human inventions, has its weakness. It has not yet
been able to cultivate proper understanding and love to all its members. It
has now linked with
the Spirit in Education Movement (SEM)
in the hope that SEM could help empower both teachers and students spiritually,
so that they would be skillful in not exploiting themselves and others and
that they would have more time to breathe properly in order to cultivate seeds
of peace, seeds of joy within, and to develop critical awareness of society
so that each would link with other good friends and together experience a
transformation of greater peace, love, and environmental balance, thus, each
would also find his or her best potential for personal benefits for all sentient
beings.
Dr. Sem Pringpuangkeow is the inspiration behind the school's founders and
honorary president of Spirit in Education Movement. He has accepted an invitation
to open the new SEM house at the school on 26 October 1997 in the presence
of Mr. Jakob von Uexkull, founder of tlie Right Livelihood Award, who will
give the Third SEM Annual Lecture on 29 October 1997 at Silpakorn University
in Bangkok.
This small book, edited by Ms. Ellen Cowhey, a Maryknoller, who teaches English
at the school, and Mr. Pipob Udomitthipong, editor of Pajarayasara,
founded by Mr. Pibhop Dhongchai twenty years ago, is published to mark these
two auspicious occasions. I hope the public will read it critically, and if
anyone would be good enough to send us your critical remarks, we would be
grateful. If you have not visited the school or have not joined any of SEM's
courses, you are welcome to do so.
*President -- Spirit in Education Movement
Sathirakoses-Nagapradipa Foundation
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