Our Dedicated TeamOur wonderful teachers, many of whom are products of the school, are the real engine room of our innovative programme. Both individually and as a team they give their time, transmit their enthusiasm and ambitions, and utilise their considerable skills to the good of the students. They are true role models helping each and every child fulfil their potential, enabling them to contribute to this fast changing country.
The team are regularly augmented and guided by highly qualified teachers from Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA. They bring and pass on the latest teaching techniques holding regular meetings with our teachers. Additionally senior members of the staff travel to seminars in Yangon & Thailand, sharing their experiences on their return. Our super staff also encourage a sense of community spirit and social awareness among the students. This has a clear affect on the whole Lintha population a large proportion of whom suffer extreme poverty and deprivation. As the local region develops with increasing tourism, the young can now contribute to and benefit from these changes.
This is all possible thanks to our fantastic team ... read on! |
Chaw Su KhaingHead Teacher, Intermediate, Advanced
Head teacher, Chaw Su Khaing, began teaching at VTES in 2003, after studying English since the age of five at the government school. Prior to that she had been a government schoolteacher for seven years, a job she dearly loved, but had to quit when the government wanted to transfer her to Northern Rakhine and her grandmother protested. Hoping to practice her English, she took a job at a local hotel, which is where she first met Mommy Sue. After several visits to Ngapali Beach and sponsoring an increasing number of children to attend school, it was decided to open an English school to help children speak an international language to get better jobs. Chaw Su Khaing was the first VTES teacher hired, and later received ongoing support and mentorship from several Australian teachers who would visit and coach her – how to teach in a new way, prepare lesson plans, and become more confident to teach in English. In the beginning, she says that parents didn’t see the value of learning English for their children. But these days they are eager to send their kids to VTES. Now, Chaw Su Khaing is very happy to see her students go on to become teachers at VTES, and when she sees them speaking to guests easily and with confidence.
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“I am very, very grateful to our supporters because without you, how could we have lasted this long? Without your help, we could not have an English school like this. But now we have a valuable and precious resource for every villager, and opportunity for teachers to make a good salary. Everything is good for everyone. I never want to lose this chance for us, for our village.”
Nge NgeDeputy Head Teacher, Teacher
Nge Nge became a teacher-in-training in February, 2018. She first began learning English in kindergarten at the government school. Before teaching, Nge Nge lived in Dubai where she had the opportunity to practice her English with people from all over the world, saying she got to the point where she could tell where someone was from by their accent in English. She most enjoys teaching reading and speaking through games. She hopes her poorer students will find jobs, and she echoes the same sentiment from other teachers – even if you don’t pass the 10th standard exam*, if you can speak English you can get a good-paying job. She would like to help build another school so that children in other areas can have these same opportunities.
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Thank you to our supporters for giving us all a chance to learn English. Our students get many opportunities because of you. Thank you for our generation, for giving us these opportunities.”
* The 10th standard exam is a required, stressful, rigorous test in Myanmar high schools that determines whether they will go on to college, and if they do, what subjects they can study.
Ma ThandarIntermediate, Advanced
Thandar began learning English at the age of five and, along with Kyaw Su Khaing, is one of the original teachers at VTES, beginning 16 years ago. She was working as a librarian, and teaching students from very poor families. Mommy Sue learned of what she was doing, and asked if she could help open the school. It was obvious that Thandar loved the students, and enjoyed teaching. Her favorite thing to teach is grammar. There is a Burmese expression, “If you know grammar, you can do anything.” She believes this, and says English is the same. Thandar wants her students to become resources in their communities, to be leaders. She says educated people can do very well as they know right from wrong, and can make a difference. She knows her students will have a better and easier life if they are educated, and Myanmar needs educated people.
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Thank you so much – thanks a million! Because of you, our students will have a chance at a better life.”
Aung WinBeginning, Intermediate
Aung Win began teaching in 2015, and has been studying English for more than 11 years. When he was seven years old, his sister got married and moved to Lintha Village from Northern Rakhine. She learned about VTES, and Aung Win moved in with his sister and began studying here. He loves teaching – sharing his knowledge, encouraging his students, playing games and having fun with them. He wants them to be prepared, to remember vocabulary so they can communicate well. He wants them to have a good life, to do better than their parents even if their families have difficulties, to pass the 10th standard exam* and stay enthusiastic.
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I don’t know how to thank our supporters, because this is the greatest opportunity for all of us. Thanks a million, and thanks to Mummy Sue. If there were no Mummy Sue, there would be no school, and I can’t imagine that. I wish all of you happiness, and I will try my best for the school.”
Chu ChuHead of Preschool, Beginning, Intermediate
Chu Chu began teaching in 2011, after studying English at school for more than 10 years. She learned about VTES through her parents. While they themselves are not educated, they wanted her to go to school. Her father introduced her to the head teacher, Chaw Su Khaing, and asked that she help his daughter. Chu Chu’s favorite part of teaching? Everything. She likes the challenge of working with the younger students. She knows it’s difficult for them, and their first time in this kind of environment. She wants them to be the best they can be, and to help them make good choices in life – not to drink, and to be a good person. She believes it doesn’t matter what career they have, the most important thing is to be a good person.
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I want to say thank you to our supporters. This school has really changed the education level of our village. At first they thought learning English is a waste of time, but now parents all want to send their kids to VTES. English is important because if you can speak English well, even if you did not pass the 10th standard exam*, you can get a higher level position.”
* The 10th standard exam is a required, stressful, rigorous test in Myanmar high schools that determines whether they will go on to college, and if they do, what subjects they can study.
Khin Than YeePreschool and Kindergarten
Khin Than Yee began teaching in 2013, and has been studying English since 2006. She learned about VTES after moving to Lintha Village from central Rakhine State to live with her aunt. She enjoys using flash cards, teaching vocabulary, and dancing with the students. Her desire for her students is to have goals in life, and to know they can achieve those goals.
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Thank you to Mummy Sue and my sponsors, all the donors and guest teachers. They have all taught me how to gain knowledge and speak easily with people.”
Su Su SanPre-School and Kindergarten
Su Su San started as a Pre-School teacher in 2019 and loves her job. In January 2022 she has started teaching one extra class which is for Kindergarten. She loves teaching her students and her ambition is to improve her teaching skills and eventually teach higher level English, as well as continuing teaching the young students.
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Tin Tin KhinePreschool and Kindergarten
Tin Tin Khine teachers a Kindergarten class and has been studying English since 2016. Her favorite part of teaching? All of it, she says. She enjoys playing games, teaching vocabulary and dancing. She is still learning, and wants to learn more teaching skills to better manage the children.
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I want to say to the donors, thank you so much. The children not only learn English, but they get many other benefits such as healthcare from visitors. We are so grateful.”
Saw Mon ZinPre-School and Kindergarten
Saw Mon Zin started training as a teacher at our school in 2017 and in 2019 she taught for half a day and the rest of the time she was training. Now she is a full time Pre- School teacher, and this year has started to teacher one Kindergarten class too. She is so happy when she is teaching and in fact her hobby is learning more and more about teaching.
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AmyPreschool
Amy began as a Pre-School in June 2021. When she was 7 years old she started learning English at our school, and when she finished her high school education she got 5 distinctions. She has applied to go to Medical University, however has not been able to as all the universities are closed, She will however go once they are open. For now she is teaching, which she loves, and is so pleased to see the children learning day by day, and gaining more knowledge.
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Wai Yan PhyoComputers, IT
Wai Yan Phyo has been teaching since May, 2017, and learned English at the government school. He learned about VTES while working as a cook at a hotel in Ngapali Beach. Another VTES teacher, Chu Chu, and his brother convinced him he should teach computers to the students. He first learned how to type and use Word in his village. A self-motivated learner, he has since taught himself Excel, PhotoShop and many other skills using YouTube and Google. He hopes his students can upgrade their life because IT is very important today – as important as learning English.
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Thank you to our sponsors for our school and our students. This computer lab gives our community a chance to learn valuable IT skills that they would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn.”
Soe Soe SanPreschool and Kindergarten
Soe Soe San has been studying English since 2014. Originally from Sittwe in Northern Rakhine, she heard about VTES and told her parents she wanted to come learn here. Luckily she had a sister living in Thandwe, and was sponsored to come and study. She enjoys many activities with the students – games, teaching vocabulary and grammar. Soe Soe San would love to travel, and wants to become a tour guide someday.
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I really want to thank Mummy Sue and the donors. I’m happy for this opportunity.”
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