Private schools losing battle for students with state schools

[snoop1130]

Private schools losing battle for students with state schools

By The Nation

 

MANY PRIVATE schools are now buckling under the pressure of aggressive student recruitment strategies being employed by state schools.

 

“I have learned that several private schools have now gone out of business,” Private Education Commissioner Nattawut Parapob said yesterday, citing the severe impact these strategies are having on private schools. 

 

He said things are so bad that some private schools are even offering cash to every student enrolled. 

 

“I know private schools should compete on the basis of quality, but I think the government should also be fair to them and not make the competition in the educational sector too fierce,” Nattawut said.

 

He added that there was also no reason for state schools that have less than 10 Mathayom 1 students to continue operating. 

 

Nattawut said the Office of Vocational Education Commission’s policy to recruit students for pre-vocational education – which is equivalent to Mathayom 1 to 3 levels – had also dealt a heavy blow to private schools. 

 

“These schools also poach students from private institutions,” he said. 

 

Meanwhile, an informed source said state vocational colleges were known to have had approached students from private schools even before they completed their Mathayom 3. 

 

“They offer scholarships just to ensure that the students will opt for the state school,” the source said. 

 

Currently, the government offers subsidies to both private and state schools based on the number of students enrolled – the higher the number of enrolled students, the higher the subsidy. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367178

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-04

[justin case]

private schools, lol ... government program + eventually some aircon at 200.000 baht per year (not international), same a.hole useless type of teachers with zero english skills except the few they imported from PH

[johnny49r]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Private schools losing battle for students with state schools

An increase in state school enrollment doesn't mean quality is improving, it means fewer can afford private schools. This is not good news for anyone.

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, johnny49r said:

An increase in state school enrollment doesn't mean quality is improving, it means fewer can afford private schools. This is not good news for anyone.

Prices of private schools increase yearly, sometimes by 5-10% but one here in phuket almost doubled in about 5 years time (KIS).

 

Its getting absurd and fewer people can pay for it.

[hotchilli]

Pure commercialism, chasing the baht over quality !

[Maitdjai]

I would like to know, "what" has been tested!

"State" schools (I know from my two kids, even EP) emphasize a very much on "commitment to memorize", no question if they understand what they're repeating!

No matter if important, or not important.

The pupils get "drilled" to memorize from the mind, instead of learning to think, understand or even questioning! Learn to "Obey"!

This is already starting in the "Kindergarten". Sometimes, the atmosphere on the schoolyard reminds to an R-E-C.

A lot of the educational content is, let's say "Traditional", but absolutely backward in the modern world.

 

The "world" ends at the neighbor countries borders, and the "Big Light" on the horizon is China, at the moment.

"Farang" teachers, often feel powerless to change anything and are ignored, or even mobbed, by arrogant "high" sophisticated Thai teachers in their "impressing" uniforms.

Maybe, because they're not speaking sufficient, or any English, or they just feel superior.

 

So is it a big surprise, that nowadays "State" schools winning "Battles"?

[ThaiFelix]

My experience working for large private school chain for 10 years showed me before long that education was the last thing on the directors mind.  Its all about making money and putting on shows to promote itself.  Unfortunately many parents only concern is their child is seen in the uniform of a whats considered a hi-so school.....the rest is irrelevant.

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, justin case said:

private schools, lol ... government program + eventually some aircon at 200.000 baht per year (not international), same a.hole useless type of teachers with zero english skills except the few they imported from PH

 

Whereas the private international school franchisees charge 1,000,000 plus for providing a mediocre product!

[Krataiboy]

The irony of all this agonizing over education is that in a few decades most of the trades and professions for whcih the current generation of youngsters are being trained will have disappeared.

 

A technological revolution like the one now scarily replacing millions of human workers with robots and AI is predicted to occur every ten years.

 

Nobody has any idea what the needs of the labour market will be in a decade or so, let alone how to equip future generations with the skills needed to earn a living in an ever-changing world..

 

One thing is for sure: the current global educational model, created to serve the needs of the first Industrial Revolution and little changed in essence since, is doomed.

 

Do we really need schools, colleges and universities when digital technology has put self-education at everyone's fingertips?

 

 

 

 

 

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, Krataiboy said:

A technological revolution like the one now scarily replacing millions of human workers with robots and AI is predicted to occur every ten years.

Predicted by who?

This sounds like a dream to me, or a nightmare, depending how you look at it.

Try talking to a computer as customer service contact and find out they cant even put you through to the correct department, let alone they will be solving problems in 10 years time. Sure some professions will be automated, but that will still require human supervision. And the demand for labour will just change: instead of pressing a button they will require more people less simple tasks.

 

But i do agree that the Thai education system is mostly focused on producing button pushers instead of people who are able to innovate, think for themselves, and supervise. 

[Cake Monster]

5 hours ago, ThaiFelix said:

My experience working for large private school chain for 10 years showed me before long that education was the last thing on the directors mind.  Its all about making money and putting on shows to promote itself.  Unfortunately many parents only concern is their child is seen in the uniform of a whats considered a hi-so school.....the rest is irrelevant.

My Daughter has just completed her M3 year at a Private School, and I can agree with Thaifelix 100% on his comments

In the last 5 years I have seen the School fees rise at about 7% PA and the quality of Teaching staff has dropped dramatically. Absolutely everything at this School is geared up to wring every single Baht possible from the parents of the Students.

The Students are just a conduit for the money, and their needs and aspirations come a very poor second to the Bank Balance

 

[rickudon]

As soon as any educational organisation prioritises making money a spiral of declining standards and increasing fees starts. Not just in Thailand. In the UK, universities were encouraged to take on more students and they get to keep the high tuition fees charged. The result was a boom in graduates, who now find good jobs hard to find, and massive investment in the University infrastructure, which now requires more students to pay for it's upkeep. Many universities no longer care about your entry grades, only your ability to pay. And, of course, these high fee paying students ALWAYS graduate, failure is not an option ....

 

Sounds more like Thailand every day!

[Number 6]

Public schools aren't courting students aside from their reputations. The top ten see thousands of M4 applications. Triam Udom alone sees well over 10k itself annually. The top 5-10 publics are literally turning students away although some use various quotas. Then there is Pathumwan Demonstration, Satit Chula and the public/ privates. Finally, the Christian schools like BCC, Assumption and Mater Dei. All respectable education and quite competitive.

 

The private schools that are getting hit are the usual suspects. The mediocre chain schools, the small schools that lack mission, purpose and passion.

 

I do agree, educators need to sort out a model for the coming 50 years and it needs to be quite different than the past 50. As a teacher, this is a complicated issue on many levels. I would say to parents, you are the insurance to see your child is prepared for 2050. Whether it comes from international schools, tutoring, whatever...the world is truly at a crossroads. AI will if not already render millions useless. Many of these will be smart, bright young people.

 

It might be better to simply put the money for university in a trust fund for your child to access at 50. Let them sort themselves through 30+ years best they can. Education, becoming an educated person sans degree is definitely possible without the classroom although university is quite valuable imo although I do not think a liberal arts degree from an elite university is worth us50k a year.

 

Want your child to excel in Thailand? Send them to a top public /private school. See they get tutoring. On to top 3 Thai university international program possibly. Finishing overseas.

 

Your child will need advanced tutoring even in the best public schools both to keep up with the competition and to make up for the Thai teachers whose teaching methods and content are woefully outdated.

 

In the top 5 public privates it's not the Thai teachers that draw the kids, it's the opportunity to study and network with the best and brightest of their peers. The activities and opportunities are exponentially better than even the next rung down, the top 10-15 schools.

 

Also, alum networks at many public high schools are as important as Chula and Thammasat.

 

Private schools are losing kids because so many of them suck. This includes small privates, bilinguals and many faux 'international' schools.

 

The top 5 public schools are very competitive, they are not running giveaways and promotions to attract students. In fact, they are so in demand that wealthy parents will pay 300-1m thb (tea money) to seat their unqualified snowflake in these schools. Article is a bit of a laff.

 

The middle class is waking up to the importance of all these things. Tutoring and studying in the best schools possible, even if that's regional. There are a few great schools spread about the country, even Issarn like Benchamamaharat. Khon Kaen and Hat Yai, others.

 

I'd recently read an article that Education is exploding in Thailand. Cambridge has set itself up a near monopoly in English and ICGSE. Public schools are killing off IP, MEP and even EP in favor of Cambridge curriculum. I have my doubts. I do not think Thailand has the quality of foreign teachers to meet this demand, taught only in English. Certainly the Thai do not.