Hand to Hand Foundation Vice-President Margaret Granger (right)
meets with Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn and Education Department
staffers at city hall.
Phasakorn Channgam
Pattaya officials are considering raising enrollment limits on select
city schools to help the Hand to Hand Foundation with its latest
initiative to improve education for underprivileged children.
Foundation Vice-President Margaret Granger met with Deputy Mayor Wutisak
Rermkitkarn and Education Department staffers at city hall Feb. 18 to
discuss school quotas, as well as Hand to Hand’s proposal to build an
early-learning center.
Wutisak said the city “was more than happy to sponsor” the education
center, as well as work to get poor and disabled kids at attending
foundation classes into public schools. In some cases, he said, that
will require raising limits on attendance at some schools.
Granger said the new center would support poor,
disabled and exploited children in their early years with educational
activities and the teaching of both Thai and English. Hand to Hand
currently cares for 60 kids whose parents work too much to properly care
for them. The families pay no tuition, but the children receive
education, lunch and clothing.
The new center, aimed at helping children learn and develop, would need
additional funding from the city and other charities, she said.
Wutisak said the funding and school quota issue will be presented to
Pattaya’s mayor and city council for consideration.
