The FERC Scholarship Program began before the Foundation was officially registered when we began making donations to existing scholarship programs in area schools and supporting scholarships for children who were being cared for by orphanages and children’s homes. As FERC evolved, so did our commitment to scholarships for children who were at risk of dropping out of school because of poverty.

Education in Thailand is compulsory only through the ninth grade, and children whose families have severely limited incomes often drop out after that.  Their futures are as limited as their educations. Children who continue into the 10th grade and beyond find themselves faced with many extra costs – fees for biology and chemistry labs, fees for art or music, fees for language and computer studies, fees for everything except basic education, fees that may prevent them from becoming nurses or doctors, teachers or lawyers, business people, contributors to society. But if that student is able to complete high school and take the university entrance examination, she or he will be eligible for grants and loans to go to university.

This is how FERC scholarships help.  Students use the scholarship money to pay those extra costs so that they can complete high school and take the expensive university entrance exams.  They pay for books and supplies, tutors, extra high school fees, transportation, uniforms and the university entrance exam itself.  We work with them to get them through high school so that they are eligible for available grants and loans to go to university.

And we are succeeding.  Our scholarship students are often the only people in their family, school and village to have ever attended university.  In the Thai tradition, they will not leave those institutions behind when they begin their professional lives.  They will support younger children in the family, helping them to finish high school.  They will help their parents.  They will contribute to their school and village temple.  In the best of all possible ways, they will Pay It Forward.

The FERC Scholarship Program consists of two parts: a fund for Designated (High School) Scholarships and an Emergency or Supplementary Scholarship Fund.

Designated Scholarships of 10,000 baht per student are awarded to selected students, ages 15 to 17, for one to three years. With recommendations from teachers and administrative staff of the regional Department of Education, the FERC Scholarship Committee identifies students who are completing their compulsory education and do not have the funds to complete high school (Matayom 4, 5 and 6).

Students are interviewed by members of the Scholarship committee, and selection of students is completed in consultation with specially appointed teachers at each of the selected high schools in rural areas of northern Thailand.

Funds are deposited with the student’s school account at the beginning of every semester, and managed by students with supervision by designated teachers. The progress of each scholarship recipient is carefully tracked and monitored by the Scholarship Committee members.

Emergency Scholarships are awarded to students on a needs basis to assist students who have emergency needs in completing the school year or who cannot afford to participate in enrichment programs such as computer literacy, sports, art or music. As with families all over the world, unexpected emergency situations do arise with families in the rural provinces of Thailand. Death or disability of one or both parents, illness, family crises such as desertion by the wage earner are unfortunately not uncommon. Without assistance, the children of these families may have to drop out of school. Once a child leaves formal education, the chances of her or him returning to school are severely diminished. As little as 500 baht may keep a child in school.

On behalf of the FERC Board of Directors, the FERC Scholarship Committee works with identified school boards to provide assistance in time of need, whether to high school students in the Designated Scholarship program or with children of all ages in the Emergency Scholarship Program. The members of this Committee are:

• Frank Weicks, Chairman
• Debbie Goss
• Norman Robinson
• Carolina Thompson
• Glynn Morgan
• Yuwan Pujeenaphan

Donations to the FERC Scholarship Program can be made through bank transfer directly into our bank account. Please see our donations page for information. A little money goes a very long way in educating a child in rural Thailand.

If you would like more information about this important part of FERC activities, please contact us.

FERC scholarship recipients from
the Hang Dong School District in Northern Thailand.