IntEdSource

Having seen a large number of questions and debates on this forum regarding various topics related to international schools in Thailand, as well as many erroneous claims, I thought it might be beneficial to create a thread that offers information based on facts and data rather than speculation. Though I will provide my own opinions at times, I will also make it clear when I am doing so as opposed to drawing upon evidence. As to my own background, I have worked in international education for over ten years, seven of which have been in Thailand. After initially teaching English elsewhere in Asia, I taught at what is typically termed a mid-tier international school in Bangkok and now work at one considered to be an elite school. My roles have been diverse and not solely restricted to teaching. I would prefer to retain my anonymity, and regardless of whether you agree with my choice to do (or choose to believe the content I post), I affirm that I am providing an insider's perspective. I'm also more than willing to answer questions, and I will make it clear when I have a definite answer or am merely providing a best guess. A Brief History of International Schools in Thailand The first international school in Thailand, International School Bangkok (ISB), was founded in 1951 to provide children of American diplomats and expatriates with an American-quality education. At that time it was located in central Bangkok, on the land now occupied by NIST International School. Shortly thereafter, in 1957, Bangkok Patana School (BPS) opened to serve British nationals, and Ruamrudee International School (RIS) opened through its affiliation with the Catholic Church, and more specifically the Redemptorists. Very few other schools were established until 1992, when ISB relocated to northern Bangkok and members of the UN, who did not wish to send their children so far, lobbied the government to open New International School of Thailand (changed to NIST International School in 2012). This marked the end of the first era of international education in Thailand. During the first few decades in which these first schools operated, the existing schools were composed entirely of expatriates. This changed in 1992 when the government decreed that Thais could enroll in international schools. Seeing the opportunity to capitalize on the ensuing demand, foreign and Thai investors began opening their own schools, leading to a boom throughout the 1990s in which dozens of schools were opened. While the first few non-profit schools remain, and represent the largest enrollments, more for-profit schools have continued to open each year, and the demand is expected to continue to grow with the full integration of the ASEAN Economic Community scheduled for this year. Defining International Schools & the Debate over Tiers At last count in 2015, approximately 150-160 institutions were registered with the Thai Ministry of Education (MOE) as international schools. Officially, this classification requires a minimum percentage of non-Thai students to be enrolled, but this has either been changed or is simply not enforced, as there are several major international schools that have a high percentage of Thai students, including Harrow International School (HIS), RIS and Shrewsbury International School (SHB). Other hallmarks of international schools, both in Thailand and abroad, typically include the offering of a curriculum other than that of the host country, a broader academic focus and similar features. However, one further mark of an international school in Thailand is membership in the International Schools Association of Thailand (ISAT), of which there are approximately 100-110 members as of 2015. Membership within ISAT requires that the institution possess or be in pursuit of accreditation through one of a small number of accepted international accreditation bodies, among them the Council of International Schools (CIS), New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and CfBT Education Trust. However, it should be noted that ISAT does not regulate or oversee the curricula of its member schools in any way; it was established in 1994 primarily to advance international education within Thailand and act as a representative for the schools in lobbying the MOE. The debate over international school quality frequently arises, with supporters and detractors of differing schools assigning tier 1 (top tier), tier 2 (mid tier) or tier 3 (low tier) status. However, it should be emphasized that there is no clear agreement on what constitutes a tier 1, 2 or 3 school, and no such definition exists in peer-reviewed literature related to international education. Fees may correlate to quality, but they cannot predict it, nor can accreditation, remuneration, test scores, university matriculation or other factors in isolation. The reality is that if we accept that schools can loosely be categorized within tiers, all of these elements play a part in defining the overall quality, and thus tier, of each school. In my personal opinion, the lines between the three tiers can be blurred among Thailand's international schools, but most can safely be placed within one of the three when examining many of the above criteria as a whole. International School Fees Fees at the differing schools vary widely, often due to the initial available capital and the market position they seek to occupy. Not all schools begin on the low end. A good example of one that opened more recently with a higher tuition cost is Berkeley International School, which opened in 2010 but has already entered the top ten list of most expensive schools. On the other hand, others seek to compete purely through a low-cost strategy, including schools such as Modern International School, Glory International School and Crescent International School. Institutions such as these also cater toward a far more specific market as well, narrowing their ability to raise fees - and thus gain capital - as their competitors can do. As indicated previously, the reality is that the fees that schools charge do play a part in determining the quality of education for a simple reason: more funds translate to a greater investment in the teachers, resources and facilities. Again, this must be examined in balance with other criteria, but is is one indicator. As of 2015, the top ten most expensive international schools in Bangkok are: Shrewsbury International School (Est. 2003, British curriculum): THB 482,100 - 865,500 International School Bangkok (Est. 1951, American curriculum): THB 457,000 - 830,000 Harrow International School (Est. 1998, British curriculum): THB 380,000 - 770,000 NIST International School (Est. 1992, IB curriculum): THB 422,700 - 768,900 Bangkok Patana School (Est. 1957, British curriculum): THB 378,100 - 736,200 Concordian International School (Est. 2001, IB curriculum): THB 397,200 - 627,600 KIS International School (Est. 1998, IB curriculum): THB 295,500 - 622,000 Swiss School/RIS Swiss Section (Est. 1963, Swiss curriculum): THB 224,500 - 614,300 Ruamrudee International School (Est. 1957, American curriculum): THB 389,000 - 586,600 Berkeley International School (Est. 2010, American curriculum): THB 360,000 - 582,000 These are only the base annual tuition fees at the lowest (typically nursery) and highest (typically Years 12-13/Grades 11-12) levels and do not include testing fees, registration fees, capital investment options, meals, uniforms or transportation. Additionally, several do offer discounts for the enrollment of siblings, though it is uncommon for the most expensive schools. On the other end of the spectrum are the international schools that charge even less than most bilingual schools. Ekamai International School, Kinkaid International School, Kevalee International School and the previously mentioned Modern International School each charge less THB 200,000 annually even at the high school level. This is significantly less than many of the well-regarded bilingual schools such as Amnuay Silpa School. Are International Schools Worth the Expense? Again assuming that we can safely categorize most schools within one of the three tiers, my answer to this question would depend on the tier in question. The low tier schools in my opinion are the only ones that I definitely would not send my child to given the other options that are available. Though they legally possess international status through the MOE, the reality is that they quite often cannot afford Western teachers, and if they do, those teachers most often possess no background in education. A far better option, if budgets are a concern, is sending your child to a quality bilingual school. This leaves mid and high tier schools. The mid tier schools pose a greater challenge, as they can vary greatly in their approaches, facilities, philosophies and resources. The bottom line is that most are on par with the average public school in the United States and United Kingdom, and many do exceed that quality of education due to their ability to provide more individualized attention and higher quality teaching. Based on my personal work experience, connections within those schools, and feedback from parents and students who attend them, I would identify schools within that category as St. Andrews International School (note that there are two St. Andrews chains in Bangkok, and I would not include the other in this list), Bangkok International Preparatory & Secondary School (Bangkok Prep), Wells International School, International Community School, KIS International School, Regent's International School, Concordian International School and Ruamrudee International School. However, one major factor holds back several - though not all - of these schools from becoming more successful and challenging the top schools: their for-profit status. Though they all provide an above-average education that enables their graduates to attend excellent universities around the world, several of them also possess significant issues due to the ownership. In some cases this takes the form of micromanagement, while in others it involves a failure to maintain the facilities, even while investing sufficiently in the educational programs. Despite these flaws, however, I would reiterate that on the whole they provide a quality education that is worth the investment. The top tier schools are another matter entirely. I argue that only three schools in Bangkok are truly top-tier, while four others border on it. International School Bangkok, Bangkok Patana School and NIST International School each possess resources that far outstrip most other schools not only in Thailand, but worldwide. More importantly, they are all non-profit, meaning the parent community possesses oversight and influence in their operations. Shrewsbury International School, Harrow International School, International Community School and Ruamrudee International School are the top four mid-tier schools. Shrewsbury and Harrow, despite their immense capital, may be held back in one sense by being for-profit, and they also do not have the diverse student populations as these three. International Community School, while non-profit and progressing rapidly, isn't quite at the point of competing with them, and based on my conversations with administrators there, they have no intention of doing so. Finally, at one time Ruamrudee would have been included in this list. However, it underwent significant issues several years ago, including the mismanagement of funds. Combined with its high percentage of Thai students, it also cannot compete with the big three, and it may never recover. Ultimately, if price were no object, I would recommend ISB, Patana or NIST. In addition to being non-profit, these schools possess the leadership, resources and quality that enable them to compete with other top schools globally. Given the differences in their curricula (American vs. British vs. IB), locations and cultures, the best choice for a child would ultimately be based on factors other than quality. There are several lines of evidence that could be offered for making the case for these three, but they are varied and require elaboration, so I leave it open to questions from others. International School Salaries & Benefits Just as tuition fees can be dramatically different, base salaries within international schools also cover a wide range, often precisely because of the corresponding variance in the fees. Additionally, their non-profit or for-profit statuses affect the funds that can be allocated toward staff benefits. Following with the loose classification of schools above, the range for the average teacher in 2015 typically includes: Low-tier schools (usually only hire locally)Base salaries: THB 40,000 - 70,000 per month Benefits: Few to none - basic insurance, small bonus, no flights, no housing allowance, no personal professional development fund, no relocation stipend, no retirement funds/plan Mid-tier schools (hire both locally and internationally)Base salaries: THB 50,000 - 120,000 per month Benefits: Some - basic insurance, bonus, annual or biannual flights, either no housing allowance or a token amount, a staff-wide professional development fund and/or a small personal fund, sometimes a relocation stipend, pay for additional duties and/or responsibilities, may include basic retirement funds/plan Upper mid-tier and high-tier schools (usually hire internationally, most often through employment fairs, but occasionally will hire locally)Base salaries: 100,000 - 200,000+ per month Benefits: Many - full insurance, including dental; large bonus, annual flights for teacher and dependents, generous housing allowance, large personal professional development fund, relocation stipend, pay for additional duties and/or responsibilities, matching retirement schemes The majority of teachers I knew in my previous positions fell within the mid-tier range. However, an average teacher at the top-tier schools, with around ten to fifteen years of experience, often earns approximately 180,000 - 200,000 per month (net, including the housing allowance). Again, the range can vary depending on the school. Beyond the benefits listed above, they also gain access to resources that their peers at other schools do not, including professional connections to many of the top educators worldwide, and de facto membership in many professional educational organizations that provide high-quality training opportunities. Questions? Due to the sheer number of factors that come into play when considering a school either as a parent or a teacher, I will be writing for weeks in order to address every aspect of international education here in Thailand. As indicated earlier, I'm willing to provide additional details about any of these areas, or others, and answer any questions.