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Press Release
June 22,2010 The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is joining hands with the National Institute of Development Administration’s Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society along with Transparency Thailand in launching its “Growing Good” program. This initiative aims to empower Thai youths in kindergarten to Grade 3 by teaching them about social values and ethics in order to fight corruption. Ms. Taya Teepsuwan, Deputy Governor of Bangkok, stated that corruption is “the underlying cause of many other grave social problems including poverty, underdevelopment, vote-buying, drug-related problems or even human rights violations.” She asserts that “a more transparent, impartial and progressive society” is possible only through the promotion of “good social values, responsibility and compassion for others.” To assist teachers in local Bangkok schools and to promote this initiative, a new and innovative website www.growingood.org was introduced. This site includes an online forum that will allow everyone to exchange ideas with one another and also to raise public awareness about the importance of transparency in Thai society. Dr. Juree Vichit-Vadakan, Chairperson of the Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society and Secretary General of Transparency Thailand, explains that the program includes teaching equipment and teaching manuals. She adds that “a total of ten training classes for teachers will start this July, and qualified teachers will actually begin their classes with students in August.” Dr. Juree explains that there are Five core values to be emphasized :
1) Honesty and Integrity, the ability to adhere to truthfulness and virtue; 2) Greater Good and Public Spirit, the awareness of contributing to creating a better society, as well as the
responsibility to oneself and other; 3) Fairness and Justice, the equal, indiscriminate treatment to all; 4) Responsibility and Accountability, the realization of one’s roles and duties; respect for others and rules that apply; as well as, willingness to correct one’s mistake; and 5) Sufficiency and Moderation, the adherence to living a sustainable and truthful life and the abstention from greed and taking advantage of others. “The cherished values behind the Growing Good program will be taught to the young through a series of fun-filled, yet thought-provoking, activities. We want the kids to feel proud performing good deeds and to be able to differentiate vice and virtue. Such activities include ‘Is it personal, or public?’, ‘Storytelling about Sacrificing Oneself for Others’, ‘The Punishment of Lies’ and ‘Identifying Public Assets’. We will also assess the success of this program along the way, and we have plans to extend it to cover grade 4 to 6 and secondary level in the near future”, said Dr. Juree.
Each participating school will allot about one hour per week to this special program. A total of 435 schools will participate and benefit from this ground breaking scheme in the near future.
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