The Wat Khao Sarp School Model

One of GC’s CSR initiatives in education is to support and create opportunities for young people to access a quality education system, as they will be an important driving force in the country’s future development. However, in today’s society, many youths still lack essential support to access education, and they also lack opportunities to pursue their dreams and future career paths.

GC helps build dreams for young novice monks at “Mongkol Wittaya School” or “Wat Khao Sarp,” and has continuously supported educational opportunities for more than 30 years. The support enables novice monks to receive lower and upper secondary education, along with ongoing sponsorship for students who pass university entrance exams, continuing until they complete their bachelor’s degrees. Most of these novice monks come from underprivileged backgrounds and lack sufficient financial resources for education. As a result, they choose to enter the monkhood and leave their families behind to open the door to educational opportunities at “Mongkol Wittaya School,” also known as “Wat Khao Sarp”.

One of the key driving forces behind this initiative is Phra Athikan Wittaya Jittadhammo, the abbot of Wat Mongkol Samakkhi Thammothai (Khao Sarp), who shared:

“The lives of underprivileged children are often filled with discouragement and hopelessness. Whether it is having enough food to eat or even the opportunity to receive an education, these are difficult to access. In addition, drug-related problems often occur alongside disadvantaged youth. Determined not to let these young people lose hope, I established a temple school to promote education. I wanted underprivileged children to be able to dream big and have the chance to achieve those dreams. The school offers education from Grade 7 to Grade 12. It provides full sponsorship for students who pass university entrance examinations, supporting them through to the completion of their bachelor’s degrees at no cost whatsoever. This initiative has been carried out continuously for 35 years.”

This school was founded upon true compassion, hope, and a genuine commitment to providing knowledge to the underprivileged, grounded in the belief that “developing youth is the foundation of national development.” GC, or PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited, has therefore continued this legacy of goodness from generation to generation. The company has consistently supported Mongkol Wittaya School for more than 30 years, helping to develop over 1,600 young people to date. In addition, GC and its group companies organize an annual educational Kathin (robe-offering) ceremony to raise funds in support of the school’s educational mission.

In addition, GC also recognizes the limitations faced by Mongkol Wittaya School, particularly the shortage of English teachers. Today, English proficiency is considered an essential workplace skill and a key factor in expanding opportunities and enhancing young people’s ability to compete on an equal footing. As a supporter of Kamnoetvidya Science Academy (KVIS), GC has therefore partnered with KVIS to strengthen English-learning opportunities for the novice monks. This collaboration includes providing English language specialists and designing a learning approach that emphasizes communication skills and exam preparation for students in Grades 9–12.

The project provides novice monks with the opportunity to practice their communication skills with foreign teachers from Kamnoetvidya Science Academy (KVIS), while learning through the English Discoveries Online (EDO) program over one semester. This approach has fostered a positive, tangible attitude toward learning English. Test results show that 80% of the participating novice monks from Mongkol Wittaya School demonstrated improved English proficiency after completing the program.

With the belief that development has no limits, GC has further expanded its English language development initiative for novice monks by enhancing the program to make learning more engaging and enjoyable. This has been achieved through the organization of a four-day English Camp designed to strengthen communication skills while connecting lessons to the novice monks’ everyday lives and real-life contexts.

The program also received valuable support from GC employee volunteers, many of whom are company scholarship recipients. They led interactive sessions to share their experiences in preparing their English skills for higher education, as well as insights into future career pathways. These exchanges were designed to spark inspiration and motivate the novice monks as they continue their educational and professional journeys.

Through their dedication and perseverance in both spiritual practice and academic pursuits, together with the commitment of the teaching staff and continuous intellectual support from various sectors, the school has achieved remarkable success. In the 2025 academic year (B.E. 2568), seven Grade 12 novice monks successfully gained admission to leading public universities to pursue their bachelor’s degrees. This accomplishment stands as another proud milestone in advancing a temple school in Rayong Province toward its highest potential, while nurturing young people to grow with knowledge, integrity, and strong moral values.