In 1993, Sarasas Pittaya School started the first bilingual (Thai-English) program in modern Thailand. It was called the "Extra Class Program" and was a special class in which lessons in Science, Social Studies, Mathematics and Physical Education were taught in English as well as Thai. The Extra Class Program differed from other classes where foreign teachers taught English as a separate subject while other subjects were taught in Thai.
The communicative, content-based teaching of subjects in English enriched the students’ correct use of English in context while ensuring that they also acquired the knowledge, understandings and skills required by the Ministry of Education’s national curriculum.
The school received assistance in curriculum development, personnel development and teaching methodology from the Cambridge Public Schools, Boston, USA which was contracted to support the school in its setting up of the bilingual program.In 1994, the Brisbane Catholic Education Office, which managed a major system of primary and secondary schools in Queensland, Australia, assigned personnel to assist with curriculum development, learning and teaching practices, and support in providing teachers to the school.
Learning and teaching by the bilingual method became very popular among parents because their children showed dramatic improvement in their English skills while, at the same time, maintaining a good academic achievement standard in the Thai curriculum as well.
In 1995, the “Extra Class” was separated from Sarasas Pittaya and established in its own right as Sarasas Ektra School. Ektra is one of 45 schools in the Sarasas Affiliated Schools as of May 2019. It was the first fully Bilingual (Thai-English) school in modern Thailand to be granted a license by the Private Education Commission Board Office, Ministry of Education. This license took effect from 1995. Since then, the school has continued to develop academically and to promote students’ potential in various areas.
In addition, the school also signed a partnership with ACT Education Solutions Ltd., of Iowa, USA, and Shanghai, China, to conduct the the internationally accredited Global Assessment Certificate (GAC). It was the first school in Thailand to do so, starting in 2010. Students who successfully complete the GAC Program can transfer credits to study in more than 100 Pathway Universities around the world.
Currently, Sarasas Ektra School is categorized as a Regular Academic School, Ministry of Education. The school teaches from Kindergarten level to Grade 12 based on the Ministry of Education’s curriculum and uses English as a medium of teaching in the form of a Bilingual (Thai –English) Program. Mr. Piboon Yongkamol is the Licensee, and Mr. Pisut Yongkamol is the Manager and Director of the school.
