
PHITSANULOK - A delighted Grandma Sayant Noppakun attended the opening day of Romsamer Witthaya School for the elderly on Wednesday, the first of its kind in this northern province, saying her life would no longer be so lonely.
The 70-year-old from Dong Pradok village in tambon Samerkhae of Muang district said she was so pleased to learn a school for the elderly was opening in her community.
She did not hesitate to apply to be in the first batch of students at the school, and hoped she could further expand her knowledge and her intellect.
Above all, she would not feel lonely anymore, since her children had all left to find work. At the school, she could exchange views and ideas with other students, she said happily.
Mrs Sayant was among over 100 people aged 55 or more from eight villages who applied to study at the school on Wednesday.
Thongmuan Panturee, chairwoman of tambon Samerkhae administration organisation (TAO), said Romsamer Witthaya School, run by the TAO, provided a one-year-course for elderly students. The local body drew up the school’s curriculum in line with the Second National Plan for Older Persons (2002-2021). It was intended to enhance recognition of the dignity of the elderly and improve the quality of their lives, she added.
The TAO decided to open a school for its older citizens after it noticed the many consequences arising from a change in the community’s population demographic. As young people moved away, there were more elderly people suffering from illness and depression after being left at home alone in their houses, said Mrs Thongmuan.
The school would play a key role in providing education and activities suited to the elderly, the TAO chairwoman said. They could also benefit from exchanging views with other students of around the same age.
Volunteers, local educational officials and local scholars were invited to share their knowledge and experiences with the elderly students. The one-year course included fundamental subjects, general knowledge and informal education, she said.
Each batch of students will attend 20-days of schooling, six hours each day. The courses will be held once a week, every Friday. The first semester began this month and ends in September, with the second semester from November to March, said Mrs Thongmuan.