Photos by Kotcharak Kaewsurach

Every morning at five, teachers from the Star Flower Education Centre in Mae Sot District, Tak Province drive a large pickup truck to collect their students, the children of migrant workers.

“We start picking them up at six in the morning. Mae Sot is a large district. Some children with disabilities live as far away as Huai Kalok in Mae Pa Subdistrict. Others live in Mae Ku Subdistrict or near the First Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.”

“If we didn’t pick them up, there might not be a single student in school. Parents lack documents, money, and motorcycles to send them,” said Naw Thu Muey Paw, the Centre's principal. She is known ‘Sayama Paw' at the Centre - Sayama being Burmese for Teacher.

Their route passes through both nearby and distant villages. Some families live in small communities, others in employer housing, and still others near rice fields.

When they arrive at students’ homes, parents bring their children out. In some cases, teachers carry students out themselves.

Education centres for the children of migrant workers are not all alike; teaching approaches vary depending on each centre’s capacity and objectives.  They can be classified according to the three curricula they utilise:

1. The Myanmar curriculum

2. The Non-Formal Education (NFE) curriculum

3. The General Educational Development (GED) curriculum which is used to prepare for the GED exams, a U.S. high school equivalency test.

The centres provide skills and knowledge at affordable rates for the children of daily-wage workers. Enrolment is simple and fits the mobile lifestyle of migrant workers who often relocate frequently. It also gives parents peace of mind, allowing them to concentrate on work without worrying about the safety of children left alone at home or in the community.

According to the Migrant Educational Coordination Centre  (MECC) under the Tak Primary Educational Service Area Office 2, the province currently has some 62 learning centres serving 18,171 migrant children.

Among these, only one provides education for migrant children with disabilities: Star Flower.

It began operations in 2009. Its founders recognised that Mae Sot lacked a learning centre for children with disabilities. Other centres had long reported that it was difficult for them to teach children with disabilities alongside mainstream students.

Children accepted by Star Flower are under 18 and have physical or mental disabilities. They include children who have developed more slowly than their peers, kids who often have problems with mobility, communication, coordination and social skills.

Some seem completely normal - they speak fluently and can read and write - but as a result of learning disabilities, it impossible for them to study in mainstream classrooms. Others have neurological problems like cerebral palsy (CP) that affect movement.  Some cannot walk or use their hands easily.  A few have Down Syndrome.

Star Flower’s aim is to teach them how to manage their daily lives independently, with as little reliance on others as possible.

This report, written by Prachatai in collaboration with  Thisable.me, explores the centre’s work and educational goals, as well as the challenges faced by its students and their parents. 

Mae Sot’s only education centre for kids with disabilities

Star Flower Education Centre is a compact facility located inside the Satu Lay Education Centre.  Its main classroom attaches to several individual learning spaces, a teachers’ lounge and a kitchen. There are restrooms for boys and girls, who learn to navigate the facilities independently.

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Tak had as many as 74,000 migrants in 2023. There is no data on how many of them had children with disabilities.  Sayama Paw is certain there were a lot, however. She says that between 2014 and 2015, the number was already in the hundreds and has risen ever since.

Established to help these children, Star Flower faces constraints in space, funding, and personnel. With 8 teachers, the centre can accommodate no more than 35 students, up from an initial intake of just 15. The highest number it has ever taken in was 28.

Sayama Paw explains that for children unable to attend, her staff visits them at home to observe their daily lives, speak with their parents, listen to their concerns, offer guidance, and provide encouragement.

Naw Thu Muey Paw or Sayama Paw, Star Flower Education Centre's Principal

The difficult lives of migrant families with disabled children

Running the centre, Sayama Paw often listens to parents’ concerns and provides them with counselling.

She explains that children with disabilities face daily-life challenges and find it harder to secure jobs in the future. Their parents, in turn, are in Thailand to support families and send money home, and experience stress when they have a child with a disability and do not know how to care for them. Day labour provides limited income, and for undocumented workers, finding employment is difficult. Caring for a child with a disability under such conditions is exceptionally hard.

This hardship is reflected in parents’ ability to pay tuition at Star Flower. The centre charges a scant 700 baht a month, but 70 percent of its 35 students are unable to pay the full amount. In such cases, payment is flexible as children need continuous development and the school does not want them to drop out.

According to Sayama Paw, parents often worry that their children will be mocked if they interact with people in public. When teachers visit homes, some families are reluctant to let their children come out because they feel ashamed and do not want them to be ridiculed. In Myanmar society, which largely adheres to Buddhism, there is also a belief that having a child with a disability is the result of wrongdoing in a past life, causing such hardship in the present one.

Some families that cannot leave their children at home because of disabilities are also unable to afford caregivers. As a result, they bring children to work with them, risking the irritation of employers and coworkers alike. Some children have difficulty staying still and may disturb others, affecting productivity. In such situations, parents risk complaints that could cost them their jobs and their incomes.

“The lack of understanding leads to accumulated stress and pressure for parents. And if there is no learning centre or school for children with disabilities, parents simply don’t know what to do,” Sayama Paw said.

She adds that having a centre helps parents realise they are not alone and that other families face similar challenges.  It serves as a space for parents to share their experiences. It also works to raise awareness that having a child with a disability is not shameful, that disabled children are just like other children and should be afforded the same opportunities and rights.

“Caring for children with disabilities is emotionally demanding. Teaching them is intense. But when parents come and share their stories, we can’t turn them away. If we don’t listen to what they have been through, who will? But the listening is heavy on our hearts too,” Sayama Paw said.

Limited access to healthcare

Disabled children from migrant families face difficulties in purchasing health insurance.  As a result, when they fall ill, they often have to seek treatment at Mae Tao Clinic or in public hospitals. In the latter case, migrant workers must have the required documents, and medical costs are relatively high, often beyond what families can afford.

As Sayama Paw explains, the insurance problem stems from a misperception that children with disabilities visit hospitals frequently, increasing costs. In reality, most children only see doctors when necessary for conditions that genuinely require hospital treatment. Disability, she adds, is not a disease but people often assume that disabled children must constantly see doctors. She thinks that children with disabilities should be able to obtain health insurance the same way that migrant workers do.

There are additional concerns, however. Some disabilities are often accompanied by underlying medical conditions. For example, children with Down syndrome may have heart valve defects. Without proper care, or if specialised care is not provided, these children may have a short life.

‘Able to care for themselves without depending on others’

“Zomukaposehwe”, known as “Saya Se,” explains that Star Flower’s teaching approach is specifically designed to support the development of children with disabilities. The learning methods are divided into three formats:

1. Group learning, which helps strengthen daily living skills such as tooth brushing, hand washing, and improving physical abilities.
2. One-to-one learning, because each child has different developmental challenges and abilities. Some learn a great deal and progress quickly, while others develop more slowly and require more time. Individual teaching allows skills to be strengthened in a targeted way. For children who have difficulties with speech, for example, one-to-one sessions enable teachers to focus specifically on improving those skills.

It’s like pouring water into different-sized bottles,” Saya Se, a former civil engineer, explains. “If you pour water into a bottle with a wide opening, it can take in more water, while a smaller bottle takes in less. One-to-one teaching is like filling each bottle individually.”

1. Vocational training, because some children with disabilities may not be able to work outside the home. While at home, they can still engage in income-generating activities such as flower arranging, sewing, weaving, or making bags to sell.

A one-to-one session at Star Flower

Education is often seen as being organised around grade levels, as it is in Thailand’s formal education system. Children begin in kindergarten, move through primary school, and continue to secondary education. Teaching at Star Flower is not structured that way, however. Instead, its objective is for “children with disabilities to develop to the point where they can care for themselves without relying on anyone else.”

“Our goals are for them to be able to take care of themselves, to socialise, to not disturb others, and to not be a burden on their families. These goals are not that ambitious - we want children to be able to look after themselves so that the burden on their families is reduced. Once we reach that goal, a second is education, maybe even attending a mainstream school, depending on the individual child,” said Saya Se.

Sayama “Nenemohan”, a singing instructor, expressed a similar view, saying that teaching children to be self-reliant is essential, because their parents will not be with them for their entire lives. The education centre therefore tries to teach children to live as independently as possible. In addition to teaching at the centre, staff also speak with parents about how to communicate with and care for their children, so that development at home can progress hand in hand with development at the school, so that, in the future, the children will be able to stand on their own.

“In the end, these children must also be able to make a livelihood for themselves. When we finish eating, some of them rush to make coffee for us … some dream of opening a café … they are developing and if they continue to receive support … they will have a future of their own. Even though they are special-needs children, they will earn an income for themselves,” said Sayama Nenemohan.

Encouraging thinking and decision-making

In addition to self-care skills, taught every Wednesday, the centre also trains children to make their own decisions. For example, when a child needs to go to the toilet, teachers will always ask whether the child would like to continue playing where they are or go to the toilet. The child pauses to think for a moment before expressing a preference.

Teachers also encourage children to eat a wider variety of foods. In some cases, children will eat only plain rice and refuse other dishes, raising concerns that they may develop nutrition problems. When food is served and a child refuses to eat, teachers begin by changing to a more brightly coloured plate. If that does not work, they return to foods the child likes and try introducing new menu items again on another day. The process is repeated until the child shows signs of progress.

Sayama Nenemohan explained that the education centre does not use physical punishment or discipline. Instead, teachers rely on repeated communication or, at times, a firmer tone of voice to prompt children to think, which in turn helps them develop better memory and understanding.

“I believe children are capable of making decisions on their own, and we try to teach them to do so,” said the music teacher.

Teaching classroom rules

Seeing progress is a source of pride for teachers

Teaching children with disabilities is not an easy task, especially given the low wages. Teachers at the Star Flower Centre receive a monthly salary of only 2,500 baht, far below Thailand’s minimum wage. Despite this, many teachers continue working because they are able to witness the steady improvement and development of children with disabilities.

Teacher Se talked of his many moments of happiness and pride, explaining that what truly keeps him going is seeing children’s development. Some are extremely restless at first. They don’t listen, may even bite teachers, and cannot sit still at all. But gradually, changes begin to appear. They start coming to school, sitting quietly, and interacting with other students. Some, who on their first day refused to eat lunch and shouted at teachers, later learn to eat with their friends. This gives him a great sense of pride. Some children initially do not know how to use the toilet but after a period of learning, they are able to manage their daily routines. These moments of progress give him the motivation to continue working as a teacher.

Sayama Paw said proudly that in 2024–2025, 2 children moved on to attend mainstream learning centres for children of migrant workers. At Star Flower, the foundation subjects taught include Burmese, English, and mathematics. Once the children transition to mainstream centres, they are able to study additional subjects.

Another case that Sayama Paw is particularly proud of is an 18-year-old teaching assistant who was previously a student at the centre. He works and handles his responsibilities just like other teachers. He aspires to work as a mechanic repairing cars and bicycles. Due to limitations related to documentation and difficulties communicating with others, finding employment has been a significant challenge for him.

Children with disabilities are ‘human beings’

When asked why children with disabilities should be cared for and given an education, Teacher Paw said, explained without hesitation: “They are human beings. Whether a child is able-bodied or disabled, they should receive the rights that every human being deserves. As long as they are alive, they should be allowed to live as a human being. They must be able to learn, to eat good food. Growth is a right.  That is why we must care for them. Why are these children important? Why must we give them opportunities? Because they are human beings.”

As for the name “Star Flower”, Sayama Paw explained that it originated from the centre’s first principal, Yusanateng. The name reflects the belief that every child with a disability is like a beautiful flower, while the “star” symbolises the idea that all children can shine brightly, just like stars.