School Director Thidaporn Laoviseskul, Manager Perkiat Ketkul, students, foreign and Thai teachers formed a welcoming corridor at the entrance to the school to welcome parents to the three days of the open-school.
Phuket Vice-Governor Somkiet Sangkaosutthirak arrived to officially open the school. Some speakers at the ceremony remembered the small beginnings of the private school, founded in 1954 by Khun Chai Ketkul, with the support of Luang Kajon Lohavej.
In 1964, a two-storey wooden house was redesigned to be used as classrooms. In 1986 the school’s ownership was passed on to Khun Pravit Laoviseskul and later, in 1995, to Khun Thidaporn Laoviseskul, who is still
the school’s director now.
In the open central atrium, decorated with flags of ASEAN countries, mingled senior students who were colourfully dressed in national costumes of the member countries.
The message is clear that the English-language programme of the school wishes to help students to graduate with the English-language skills they would need to compete with other Southeast Asian workers when ASEAN borders open in 2015.
Kindergarten 1 teacher Eniko Kovacs, from Hungary, said she loved the new classroom that her class was already using. It is new and spacious and there is even a shallow pool where her students can cool down in and learn the basics of swimming, she said.
The new campus of the school is situated off Pra Phuket Kaew Rd in Kathu. Construction workers had paused for that morning on the substantial building behind that will provide more class rooms, a swimming pool and covered playing areas for futsal, basketball and tennis.
Eventually around 2,000 students will use the new campus that will house the Kajonkiet International School (KISP) and the English-programme part of the school. The original Chao Fa Rd campus will continue to teach the Thai-language programme.
Students danced graceful southern dances on the stage after the opening speeches. The drama group then took to the stage for Hansel and Gretel, acted out in English.