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.
Hand to Hand Foundation Vice-President Margaret Granger (right) meets with Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn and Education Department staffers at city hall.
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.
