Kannekar Butt is a true pioneer in Montessori education. She trained in an AMI 3-6 course in Sydney during the 1990s. Responding to the call of the Royal Thai Government, she introduced child-centered Montessori Education in Thailand in 2004.
Starting with a successful EsF pilot project in rural Thailand, the Montessori movement spread across the country. Kannekar played a key role in establishing the Australian Thai Montessori Support group and the Montessori Association of Thailand (MAT), emphasizing AMI training and materials.
She established a remarkable training center in northeastern Thailand, and supported official agreements with AMI International. If that wasn’t enough to keep her busy she completed her PhD in 2018 on Montessori management in Thai schools.
Over two decades, Montessori in Thailand has flourished with over 1,000 classrooms and 1,500 trained teachers and administrators. Kannekar's leadership also contributed to the 29th International Montessori Congress in Bangkok, expanding Montessori access across the Asia Pacific region.
Dr. Kannekar Butt's remarkable leadership has transformed Montessori education in Thailand and Southeast Asia, leaving a lasting impact on the community.
