Whilst the school will be run by the Good Shepherd charity, the official name of the school is The Mike Mathews Learning Centre – for The Good Shepherd.
This is to honour the Mike Mathews Foundation, which has been a significant supporter of the school from the very beginning.
The school will act as a learning centre for 150 Burmese children living in the fishing village near Rassada Pier. Many of the children have been at significant risk of human trafficking and sexual abuse, and have had very little or no access to education or medical services.
The school consists of six classrooms, a nursery and a medical centre that will also serve as an open clinic for both the children and their families.
At the opening, one of the organisers of the fundraising efforts, Quintin Clover said, “It was a great day and the children provided excellent entertainment with their dancing and singing. It was a day to say thank you to all of the sponsors who have donated or held events throughout the year.
“A big thank you to everybody who has helped over the last 18 months – the school will be making hundreds of children very happy for years to come.”
In spite of appearances, the school will continue to need to further donations to enable it to educate the many disadvantaged Burmese children in Phuket.
For further information on the school or to make a donation, visit theschoolphuket.com.