The Equity Partnership’s Social Network Program
The responsibility of providing equitable education, as well as continually improving it, does not fall upon the public, government, nor the private sector; rather, it is our collective responsibility as individuals to make unified strides to ensure said education is provided.
The Equitable Education Fund (EEF) has partnered with Shrewsbury International School, Bangkok Christian College, and JD Central to create The Equity Partnership’s Social Network program. This partnership program brings together students from different communities to better understand one another and trade practical skill sets and valuable knowledge which can help them in their future careers.
Students from both Thai and International schools will work together creatively and use the resources available to them to create and refine products over a nine-month period. The students will then utilize e-commerce technology and their entrepreneurship skills to sell these products to the general public.
The following segment consists of an interview conducted to past participant about their experience of the program.
Napat Apisaksirikul
Shrewsbury International School
What made you interested in joining the program?
I have always wanted to do something with the inequitable education issue in Thailand. When I heard of this program, I thought that this was a perfect opportunity for me to get involved and make a positive impact on society. I strongly believe that it is important for us all to strive for an equitable education to move forward as a society together. Furthermore, I was also interested in applying my business skills.
What was your experience like working with Thai students?
We communicated with them using Skype, but there were also times where we experienced difficulties with the network signal. They were also a bit shy at first, so I tried really hard to encourage them to speak more. As time went on and we continued to work together more and more, they gradually opened up, and communicating with them became easier and more productive.
What were some things you learned from this program?
My main takeaway from this program was being able to meet new people and being able to develop a close relationship with them. We were also able to exchange ideas and spent time getting to know each other. My other takeaway was how I was able to learn and develop my business skills and engage in a hands-on experience.
What would you tell future participants of this program?
To take on this rare opportunity and to come into this project with an open mind. You will learn a lot of new things you would not learn in a traditional class setting and be exposed to many new ways of thinking as well.
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There are many possible ways for us to move forward as an equitable society together. This program contributes to that cause and benefits students with a unique experience, so what are you waiting for?
