We believe in ensuring that all children have access to good education. This has been particularly challenging in the Don Sahong area where the villages were not well-connected by roads and where it is difficult to attract good teachers. DSPC invests significant resources to ensure that children in the local villages are able to attend school and excel in their studies, and also provides scholarships for higher education for local children.
In 2016, DSPC constructed the new Don Sadam Secondary School on a 2-ha site. The company replaced an old, dilapidated timber school with a new permanent concrete school which has complete facilities, including four classrooms, one staff room and an office, one library, separate toilet blocks, a water supply system, electricity supply, a football field, perimeter fencing, a gate and a flag post.
The company provides scholarships to high school graduates to continue their studies at university. Since 2016, the company has sponsored 10 students to further their studies.
We also continue to support 16 underprivileged children to attend school by paying their school fees as well as providing all other necessary schooling requirements such as uniforms, school bags, shoes and stationery.
In the DSHP area, village children formerly had limited educational opportunities, with many of them only completing five or fewer years of formal education. Now local students can access primary schools in all villages except Don Phapheng, where DSPC funds the cost of transport for 21 students to cross Phapheng Channel to a primary school in Thakho. Most children now complete some secondary school at the new school built on Don Sadam Island by DSPC. This school is easily accessed via new roads by students from Hang Sadam, Hua Sadam, Don Sahong and Hang Khone Villages. DSPC plans to improve a small road and bridge to allow Don Phapheng students to easily access the Don Sadam School. Students from Don Esom Village can access all schooling at Hang Khone Village, and the company plans to subsidise faster boat transport for them. For the relatively few local students who continue their education past secondary school, DSPC funds bus transport to high schools in Nakasangor Khinak, a round trip of up to 60 km; currently 35 students are being supported.
DSPC plans to build a large primary school adjacent to the Don Sadam Secondary School. This new school will consolidate the existing five primary schools to improve educational facilities and provide better opportunities for all students and a better environment for teaching and support staff.
The company provides direct support to schools and has purchased 115 new textbooks for three primary schools in Hua Sadam, Hang Sadam and Don Sahong villages, benefitting 184 primary school students.
School Year | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2016 -2017 | 28 | 27 | 23 | 24 | 102 |
2016 -2018 | 29 | 22 | 18 | 14 | 83 |
2018 -2019 | 27 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 79 |
2019 – 2020 | 24 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 73 |
2020 -2021 | 36 | 21 | 18 | 11 | 86 |
2021 – 2022 | 34 | 28 | 17 | 18 | 97 |
2022 – 2023 | 17 | 24 | 19 | 10 | 70 |
2023 – 2024 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 49 |
