20/05/2026
🌱 Notes on 5 Things We Learned from the “Khon Kaen Area-based Education Project” (Year One)
If we count from the very first day that we, Isan Ja Learn, had the opportunity to oversee the Area-based Education (ABE) project supported by the Equitable Education Fund (EEF), these past 10 months have passed incredibly fast — as if we had traveled through time and arrived at the final stretch of the project’s first year.
Our intention was to “plant seeds” of learning across pilot districts by decentralizing educational management to ordinary citizens who wanted to design learning ecosystems for children and youth in their own communities. Now, it is time to pause, reflect, and draw lessons together.
For this moment of reflection before moving forward, the ABE Khon Kaen network partners gathered at Ease Ashram. Surrounded by the energy of nature and mountains, the atmosphere encouraged all of us to slow down and become more present with one another.
The reflection session began around five in the evening. Friends and colleagues sat together in a circle, and conversations slowly unfolded into shared discoveries from the journey we had taken together.
1. Education management does not follow a fixed formula like a “standardized dance.”
In the beginning, we tried hard to invent a “formula for education” so that every area could move in the same direction (just reading this now, we already know we were heading the wrong way!). We attempted to define expected outcomes, activity formats, and support systems.
But everyone eventually agreed that the more rigidly we imposed fixed formulas, the greater the distance became between us and the children. Each area has its own unique context — community challenges, working styles, target groups, and the needs of local people.
To prevent standards from destroying diversity, next year we plan to focus much more deeply on understanding the context of each area. Educational design will grow from community resources and strengths, while support will adapt according to real situations and local challenges.
2. Education is about “thinking long-term, but taking small steps.”
Once we discovered each district’s educational goals, the next step was learning how to “move forward little by little, consistently.”
If the dream is to nurture local entrepreneurs, then we should begin by asking what small activities can start that journey. If the dream is career-oriented education, then we should explore who in the community already holds valuable expertise.
Many team members shared doubts and anxieties about whether the direction taken during the first year was correct or whether adjustments were needed. This realization showed us the importance of constantly shifting perspectives between the “big picture” and the “small next step,” helping us build stronger inner confidence in our work.
3. Learning resources are not confined within our own boundaries.
Even though we were connected through pilot districts, our first year of work focused so heavily on “breaking new ground” that learning resources remained mostly used only within each local area.
But what if a child from Mueang District who dreams of becoming an entrepreneur could learn from experts in Phu Pha Man District? Could a child from Phu Pha Man learn guiding skills through the nature classrooms in Si Chomphu District?
Beyond sharing resources within the network, we also realized there are many government agencies ready to support children and youth — whether through vocational training or housing assistance. This discovery opened our eyes to the possibility of accessing nearly limitless resources to improve children’s quality of life.
4. Education can take a child much further than we imagined.
Although we all work in education, we came to see education itself as a “medium” that connects children to many other dimensions of growth — economics, careers, family, personal development, and self-discovery.
We discussed how, in some areas, educational certificates are seen as the final destination students should reach. But in other areas, certificates become merely a byproduct of thoughtfully designed learning journeys.
No matter the pathway, the shared goal remains the same: helping children move closer to their dreams.
5. While caring for children, don’t forget to care for one another’s feelings too.
“Are we still having fun?” became one of the questions raised during the discussions. It brought us back to the reasons we first came together.
Working on social issues — whether education or any other cause — can leave people feeling discouraged or exhausted. Spaces where everyone can pause and check in with each other emotionally are therefore essential for continuing forward together.
Next year, “joy” will likely become something we intentionally nurture and protect much more carefully among ourselves.
🌻 If learning is like a seed gradually growing, then perhaps right now we are only tiny sprouts beginning to emerge from the soil. Our roots are slowly anchoring themselves into the earth, helping us stand upright and grow stronger.
Next year will hopefully become an even more joyful journey of learning together.
Thank you to everyone for being part of this journey with us : )
✏️ Article: Maprao – Chatthabodin Art-harn
🎨 Photography & Graphics: Cat – Jantimaporn Cheewasawat
