Illustrative photo
BANGKOK (The Straits Times/Asia): Teacher, cook, administrator, cleaner – even gardener: Krit Chomphra does it all at work.
As the only teacher and staff member at a 20-student primary school in Phanom Sarakham district in central Thailand, the 34-year-old has to wear many hats to keep the school running smoothly.
He was left as the only educator at Ban Nong Heang School after the school’s director recently retired and the only other teacher asked to be transferred to another school, Thai daily Bangkok Post reported on Sunday.
Krit, who has been teaching at the public school since 2019, said he has sought help from the authorities and a teaching assistant will soon arrive to help him.
“I have to act as a director and a teacher. I have to prepare lunch, as there is no money to hire a cook. I also do the administration work and deal with procurement and put data into a computer system,” he said.
He added that the first day he took on multiple responsibilities in the school was a “long day”.
“I was very tired,” he said.
Though the 20 students are in different grades, they gather for class at the same time. Krit teaches them in groups, and the students do textbook exercises while waiting for him to come to them.
The students – boys and girls – are aged six to 12.
He said: “The class is a bit chaotic, but I can keep them under control. When they are noisy, I have to raise my voice to make myself heard.”
When noon approaches, Krit hands out assignments to his students so he can head to the kitchen to cook lunch for them.
One of the key challenges he faces is the lack of resources in the school. There is only one computer, for instance, which students take turns using.
“We need another computer, maybe a second-hand one, for students to (check things using) Google or watch YouTube (videos) without having to wait too long for their turn,” he said.
He added that many of his students come from low-income families and lack basic school supplies such as uniforms, shoes and pencils. Many of these items are donated to the school by members in the local community.
Despite the difficulties, Krit finds meaning in keeping his students in school and giving them the best possible education.
“Whenever students fail to do their homework or do not behave well, I alert their parents. We help one another take care of them,” he said.
He told Bangkok Post that one of his students passed an entrance exam for secondary school, coming in at 22nd place out of 200 students, and was accepted into a well-known school.
Many parents have stepped in to help Krit, such as by cutting the grass and cleaning the premises, which the teacher said he was grateful for.
“I will do my job to the best of my ability to help my students realise their dreams and be good citizens. I will not abandon them,” he said.
