Visit a girls' school in Thailand (NiE)

Winner of PANPA Award for Excellence

A visit to an all-girl school
Benchamatheputit School Petchaburi

Three decades ago there were many all-boy and all-girl secondary schools in Thailand. At that time, boys were not allowed to enrol in all-girl schools until they had reached the upper secondary level and the same held true for girls. Even though many of these schools are now co-ed, people are still used to calling them all-boy or all-girl schools.

Benchamatheputit School is a big girls' school in Petchaburi province with about 2,900 students.

Like general government schools, its functions are no different from that of boys' schools. But one of its main distinguishing characteristics is its overall atmosphere. The two main buildings welcoming those who pass through the school's front gate boast the historical and religious backgrounds of the people of the province. Together with two other smaller buildings, they came into existence through donations and depict the elegance Thai architecture.

[Students in the library using the computers]

One of these smaller buildings is the library. Students do their research and self-study in this spacious, beautiful and imposing building using its abundant supply of books, electronic equipment and reading corners. With its vaulted ceilings air-conditioners are unnecessary as its structure is already to conducive to good circulation.

The other smaller building has three storeys. Its well-equipped conference room is situated on the ground floor while the other two floors house its many regular classrooms.

Now, let's go to the other end of the campus where workshops are located. Because this is a girls' school, the workshops are not equipped with heavy machines. Instead there are sewing-machines, cooking units, cabinets and big tables for handicraft work. At the time the photograph was taken, one group of girls in the home economics workshop were learning to do macrame. Another group was cleaning up after a baking class. And the third group was leaving another workshop with tiny ribbon-roses in their hands.

The well-manicured walkways linking buildings and workshops cut through green areas decorated in the local Thai style. What a wonderful visit to this school! It leaves you with such a fond memory of cleanliness, greenness, elegance and beauty.

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