Back to more serious matters, the following report is my visit to see 5 Primary Schools needing financial help to upgrade their facilities.

The following is the report of my visit to 5 schools in the Ayeyawaddy Division. I had also visited 3 schools in the Inle Lake region. Pictures will be uploaded later.

Date : 21 Feb 2011

Subject : Visit to Future Foundation School Project Region (Delta Region) 21.Feb.2011 & 4 other Primary Schools by Dr Sing Kong Yuen


6:10 AM : Start Journey from Sedona Hotel .

 Drive way passing over Ba-Yint-Naung Bridge across through Hlaing River.
 After passed bridge, welcome to Hlaing Thar Yar Township and FMI City .
It charges Ks 200 Toll gate fees.
 It has a big Industrial zone and most of population who not-educated persons depend on their earn working in factories.
 Passed by Htan-Ta- Pin Toll gate paying Ks 350 to drive our destination Place.
 Driving from Htan Ta Pin Township , we can see “ Welcome to Ayeyarwaddy Division “ known as Delta Area .
 Driving one hour from the entrance of Ayeyarwaddy Division, arrived junction of Sarmalauk village.

8:30 AM : Arrive Junction of Sar-Ma-Lauk Village and stopped engine to join boat .
We can see boats loading paddy hard shell at the bank of river let.
After taking boat just a few minutes, motor-bike through another side of river let.

8:50 AM : Just 20 minutes riding motor bike, arrive Par Le’ Middle School . Our Visit date is their first day of examination. The Chief of Village, U Shwe Kyi, head-master and all teachers welcomed us. The following is their information about Nyaung Tone:

Nyaung Tone Township is a district of Delta Region located in Ayeyarwaddy Division.

 Population in Nyaung Tone : over 60,000
 Professional Earning : Farming and Fishing
 Total No. of Education School : 180 ( High School , Middle School , Primary School )
 Total No. of Teacher In Nyaung Tone : 1033 Teachers
• ( High School Teacher 67 ,
• Middle School Teacher 190 ,
• Primary School Teacher 776 )
 Total No. of Teacher In Nyaung Tone : 42414 Students
• ( High School Students 2232 ,
• Middle School Students 8513 ,
• Primary School Students 31669 )


1. SCHOOL INFORMATION
Name : PAR LE’ BRANCH OF MIDDLE SCHOOL (Grade 1 to 9)
 Location : Nyaung Tone district, Ayeyarwaddy division
 Total No. of Students : 300 Persons
 Total No. of Teacher : 12 Persons
 Total No. of building : L 90’ x W 30’ 1 building 1 storey type
L 120 ‘ x W 30 ‘ 1 building 1 storey type
( Not complete construction, blue print building )
Please see video recording and Photos of buildings)
 Total No. of expected new building : L 90’ x W 30’, 1 building 1 storey type
 Total No. of Water Room : 4 rooms for students,2 rooms for Teachers
(Need to renovate to good condition)
 Type of Classroom : Hall type , partitions with blackboard to be
classroom each
 Total No. of Library : Nil
 Total No. of Recreation Center : Nil
 Total No. of Canteen : Nil

 Total expected No. of Students
At new 90 ‘ x 30’building : 200 Students
 Population in Par Le’ Village Group : over 3500 Persons

 The percentage of Exam passed in 2007-2008 Grade 1 to Grade 9 :100 %
 The percentage of Exam passed in 2008-2009 Grade 1 to Grade 9 :100 %
 The percentage of Exam passed in 2009-2010 Grade 1 to Grade 8 :100 % ,
• Grade 9 : 97.3%

Requirements
L 120 ‘x W 30 ‘, 1 building 1 storey type (To provide present blue-print building)
L 90 ‘ x W 30’ , 1 building 1 storey type
Water Rooms to renovate to good condition.
Tables and benches
Mini Library
Blackboards

2. SCHOOL INFORMATION
Name : Htein Ta Pin Primary School ( Grade 1 to 5 )

 Location : Nyaung Tone district, Ayeyarwaddy division
 Total No. of Students : 102 Persons
 Total No. of Teacher : 4 Persons & 1 Volunteer from Village
 Total No. of building : 1 building 1 storey type L 60 ‘ x W 30’ x H 13’
 Total No. of Library : Nil
 Total No. of Recreation Center : Nil
 Total No. of Canteen : Nil
 Type of Classroom : Hall type , partitions with blackboard to be
classroom each
 Total No. of tables and benches : 50 sets , L 3’ x W 1 ‘ (3 students per 1 table and bench)
 Population in Htein Ta Pin Village Group : 517

Requirements
Tables and benches
Mini Library

Remark: Htein Ta Pin Primary School is newly opened school on May, 03 2010 sponsored by a Japanese and a local sponsor. In 2008, the Japanese sponsor died suffering from Lung Cancer.


3. SCHOOL INFORMATION
Name : Innma Primary School (Grade 1 to 5)
Under construction by Future Foundation, a charitable foundation in Singapore. 
Started construction Mid of Dec 2010 and
Expected to finish constructing the end of March 2011

 Location : Nyaung Tone district, Ayeyarwaddy division
 Total No. of Students : 102 Persons
 Total No. of Teacher : 3 Persons & 1 Volunteer from Village
 Total No. of building : 1 building 1 storey type L 60 ‘ x W 30’
 Total No. of Library : 1 (L 16’ x W 10’)
 Total No. of Recreation Center : Nil
 Total No. of Canteen : Nil

Requirements
Tables and benches @ US $50/set. 
Blackboards


4. SCHOOL INFORMATION
Name : Myitt Yoe Tann Primary School ( Grade 1 to 5 )

 Location : Nyaung Tone district, Ayeyarwaddy division
 Total No. of Students : 129 Persons
 Total No. of Teacher : 3 Persons & 1 Volunteer from Village
 Total No. of building : 1 building 1 storey type L 60 ‘ x W 30’
 Total No. of Library : Nil
 Total No. of Recreation Center : Nil
 Total No. of Canteen : Nil
 Total No. of tables and benches : 30 Sets, L 5’ x W 1’ (4 students per 1 table and bench)
 The age of school from opening year : 12 years olds
 Type of floor-ground : Sand
 Type of classroom & school : Hall Type
 Some students sit on bamboo board in the sand to lecture because of not enough tables and benches.

Requirements
Tables and Mini Library. Roofs and Floor cemented.
To renovate the building. This school has more requirements than the above schools to be good condition .Students are facing not enough tables and benches, inconvenient days in raining & windy season because unsafe roof and building. As the floor is built with sand, students and teachers has very big problem in rainy season.

5. SCHOOL INFORMATION
Name : Pa Daw Daung Primary School ( Grade 1 to 5 )

 Location : Nyaung Tone district, Ayeyarwaddy division
 Total No. of Students : 90 Persons + 15 Persons of Pre KG
 Total No. of Teacher : 3 Persons & 1 Volunteer from Village
 Total No. of building : 1 building 1 storey type
 Total No. of Library : Nil
 Total No. of Recreation Center : Nil
 Total No. of Canteen : Nil
 The age of school from opening year : 29 years olds
 Type of floor-ground : Sand
 Type of classroom & school : Hall Type

Requirements
Tables and benches
Mini Library
Floor
***To renovate the building
School building type is one which cannot get good sunlight, fresh air and is gloomy because of old one.

 2:30 PM : Pa Daw Daung Monastery gave taking rest with seasonal foods and fruits.
 2:45 PM : Riding Motor bike to gate of boating .
Joined with Hi-Way road to Yangon
 4:30 PM : Arrive Sedona Hotel

CONCLUSION
From this tour of 5 primary schools in the lower delta region and 3 schools in the Lake Inle area, I note that that the building of some schools and in the kindergartens in villages are done by NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and kind private individuals like the Japanese man and Myanmar people working together to build a better future for the village children of farmers and fishermen. Myanmar is a large country with over 55 million people and therefore, it cannot be expected to cover all villages, some of which are isolated inland. The private individuals, some kind foreigners like the Japanese man mentioned in this report and corporations including UNICEF and NGOs can make a great difference by sponsoring the building of primary schools and providing equipment and tools.

The government will provide around two teachers in the smaller primary schools. The building and maintenance of some village schools will need to be supported by well-wishers as the country is big and the villagers are relatively poor. Some village schools need money to buy tables and chairs or maintain the leaking roofs. 

Singapore school principals will not appreciate or need the donation of tables and chairs, exercise books and pencils but these items are essential in many village schools.   Singapore students and teachers who are kind enough and want to make a small difference to help their Myanmar counterparts, by donating pencils or exercise books or other things or promoting student tourism for their students, please let me know at judy@designtravelpl.com or tel +65 9668-6468. 

Those who wish to visit the schools as part of the school visit and Bay Of Bengal Resort Tour Package, please let me know too.  For information, goto: 201104. Volunteers' tour to support the building of a Primary School in Myanmar's delta region