In remembrance of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, D-Prep students were involved in various learning activities this quarter in appreciation of His Majesty’s legacy. Students learnt about the King’s projects and paid particular attention to his teachings.
They were also accompanied by teachers on field work days where the students were able to learn first-hand about the King’s ideas in the fields of agriculture and self-sufficiency.
First and foremost, we must understand the importance of His Majesty’s work in promoting the well-being of children across the country. During his reign as monarch, the lives of children changed dramatically.
Virtually all Thai children at that point were going to school, had access to good health care and very few were going to bed on an empty stomach. Infant mortality had been drastically reduced and immunization was near-universal.
The accomplishments of His Majesty in supporting a better future for children had not gone unnoticed by the people of Thailand and the global community. Yet, despite such progress, there had always been something that troubled him.
The King had a deep concern about the absence of community and collective responsibility exhibited by today’s youth. He had always been an advocate of a sense of communal responsibility shared by the youth of his childhood.
With great emphasis on the importance of a good education and applicable knowledge beyond the distraction of mobile devices we see today, the King often shared his concerns. In many ways, the King’s appreciation of all things traditional in education rang true in his exoneration of neat handwriting and arithmetic without calculators.
So how does His Majesty’s legacy influence our approach here at D-Prep? Well, at the start of every academic year, the first quarter’s Celebration of Learning is dedicated to His Majesty.
Students read and inquire about why we should remember and listen to His Majesty’s teachings. Homeroom teachers have their own take on their work and they, along with their students, decide on which areas of learning are most suitable for their particular interests.
Largely focused on his foundational projects, teachers and students work together in creating a learning pathway which not only remembers His Majesty’s work but honours it in a Celebration of Learning.
King Rama IX passed away on the 13th of October 2016. Every year, during the week of the 13th, D-Prep has a ceremony in honour of His Majesty’s accomplishments during his reign and the legacy he left for us to follow in education.
