Enraged mother accuses school of stealing children’s scholarship money

By Khanitta Sitong
The Nation

 

 

A private school in the southern province of Trang was accused of pocketing 70 per cent of the scholarship money its six students received from a temple in a National Mother’s Day event.

 

 

Reportedly fed up with this trend of “collecting commission”, which has reportedly happened many times before, a Facebook user going by the name Chutima Bussba posted a message saying that her daughter and the five other students who received scholarship money from Wat Sakikaram were told to leave their envelopes with their teacher and collect it the following day. She added that the money in the envelope was reduced from Bt1,000 to Bt300 when they collected it the following day. 

 

“Why do pupils have to split the money with the school? Where is its conscience and ethics? I’m disappointed,” the mother, whose two children study at the same school, said. 

 

Her post received 1,800 reactions and more than 700 comments.

 

Chutima, 39, told The Nation on August 16 that she had previously heard about this school helping itself to children’s scholarship money every year, and was wondering if it will do the same again this year – the first time her own daughter got rewarded. 

 

When she noticed the teacher collecting the envelopes from the students, she said she went over to ask a monk if the money had to be split with the school, but the teacher intervened and told her to be patient and see how much money the principal gives students the following day.

 

Chutima also noted that students from other schools did not have to give their envelopes to their teacher. 

 

Enraged after receiving just Bt300 the following day, Chutima said she had to speak up for justice. 

 

“I don’t want that Bt700 back. I’m speaking up for justice because it is not right to take student’s money away,” she said, adding that other parents quoted the principal as saying that the money deducted from the scholarship will be spent on making merit. 

 

Preecha Sohhap, 61, a resident in Trang’s Muang district, said his granddaughter – who studied at the school in question but moved to another after completing primary school – had the same experience last year.

 

He said the girl had received Bt1,000 from the temple, but the teacher kept the envelope and when it was returned to her days later (due to the school break), the contents had shrunk to Bt300. 

 

He said he wanted to initially file a complaint but then decided to drop it. “I just felt sad to see the children’s joy in receiving the scholarship being turned to disappointment,” he said, adding that he was pleased that Chutima has blown the whistle as such things should not happen.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30374898

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-08-17

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5 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Where is its conscience and ethics?

Come on love, you're talking about Thailand now, you should know better than that !

19 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

“Why do pupils have to split the money with the school? Where is its conscience and ethics? Chutima, 39,

At 39 you still haven't worked that out! There is no conscience or ethics, just greedy, money grubbing *****!

Disgusting form. So many bent higher ups here who don't begin to understand that stealing from kids makes them the lowest of the low.

 Hope this story gains some proper traction

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

When she noticed the teacher collecting the envelopes from the students, she said she went over to ask a monk if the money had to be split with the school, but the teacher intervened and told her to be patient and see how much money the principal gives students the following day.

  Never let third parties handle your brown envelopes.

Nearly everyone wearing a uniform in Thailand is a thief.

The education system is as bad, if not worse than the RTP. If school directors will steal the children's lunch funding they will steal anything. 

I suspect directors, senior staff and teachers need this money to go on those "study trips" to resort areas they seem to go to regularly.

...No dark sarcasm in the classroom,

 

Teachers leave them kids alone.

 

Hey! teachers! leave them kids alone!

 

Is there a Thai equivalent to the US colloquialism "everyone gets their beak wet" ?

 

 

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

He said he wanted to initially file a complaint but then decided to drop it. “I just felt sad to see the children’s joy in receiving the scholarship being turned to disappointment,” he said, adding that he was pleased that Chutima has blown the whistle as such things should not happen.

But not sad enough to make a complaint.

I do you one better, mother stealing from her own daughter...

 

every year, the visit to the rich chinese family gave many red envelopes

 

supposed to be put on my daughters savings account

 

never happened

 

till I told my wife, where is the money on the bank account

 

that day, she took away the bankbook of the child

 

so the proof was gone, but the stealing continued

 

40-50.000 baht per year, went to my ex pocket for extravagances

 

it was ok, it was money from her family, that she stole...

 

thainess

 

 

The price of merit making is 700tb this year including inflation and vat don't spend your 300tb just yet you haven't left a tip???? 

When you get the guys at the Top concealing their assets ill gotten gains then you have no chance with the rest of society they will just think they do it so why not me........?

Then you have mothers selling their own daughters so stealing 700 baht looks not that bad

What exactly do they mean by making merit? I really don't know. I expect that's just another way of saying we need your money and it's none of your business why, but what would making merit be, if it was done? Praying? Waiing? That's free.

2 hours ago, rooster59 said:

...other parents quoted the principal as saying that the money deducted from the scholarship will be spent on making merit. 

Making merit by stealing? I don't think the Lord Buddha mentioned that method. How about spending the money to educate students, in particular, the ones who earned it through their own merit?

The parent really needed to pursue this money loss rather than drop it. What is the point of speaking out publicly if you then lay down the cause to die and get on with your life again. I would demand action and not stop till the 700 baht was back in my hands. Thai parents are weak when it comes to dealing with school authorities which is why theft and violence by schools against students occur so regularly.

Everybody gets a brown envelope, even teachers.

3 hours ago, z42 said:

Disgusting form. So many bent higher ups here who don't begin to understand that stealing from kids makes them the lowest of the low.

 Hope this story gains some proper traction

He's just putting the children through proper training for life in Thailand, 'trust nobody'

4 hours ago, rooster59 said:

adding that other parents quoted the principal as saying that the money deducted from the scholarship will be spent on making merit.

I have no doubt about that what-so-ever... restaurants & a few drinks all round !

What many dont seem to understand is that corruption is built into the the system from the start.  Years ago my wife worked as a teachers' assistant.  During her interview for the job the director told her what her salary would be and also told her she would get an extra 1000 baht for travel and meals.  When she collected her salary it was correct but the extra 1000 was not in the envelope.  Upon questioning this she was informed that it is normally paid to the classroom teacher each month and the classroom teacher would then pass it on to the assistants??  However when she received her envelope from the teacher it only contained 300 baht, same as the other assistants who told her to keep quiet or she would be looking for another job.

 

If corruption is not structured into the system then why not pay it direct with her salary?

 

At last, the worms are turning......maybe? 

1 hour ago, Cereal said:

What exactly do they mean by making merit? I really don't know. I expect that's just another way of saying we need your money and it's none of your business why, but what would making merit be, if it was done? Praying? Waiing? That's free.

no the idea is you must give rich people your money to feel good all Thais will tell you that but it has to be done at the wat so others can see you do it like look at me I give more than you so I better than you and you can feel real good till you go to pay a bill

I note this story and reflect and refer readers to the story of a teacher slapping a child and my comments rep that story.

I see a parallel and connection to the attitudes and denials in this story to that one.

its a disgrace to steal, yes steal gifted money from a child’s education and future!

shame on the school and everyone in it that either actively or passively participated in this crime against the children.

Can't see any indication that the Nation has approached the school head or the teacher(s) concerned for comment nor the education zone chief. Why not?

These things reflects society and to make quick money by available means it so common regardless of the source. This happens when wealth is not distributed properly.

I understand if the school takes some but 70% is daylight robbery.

If the school thinks it's ok to do this, one has to wonder about the quality of their education.

So many Thais are morally bankrupt, but as several have said it's just part of the culture the Thais are so proud of.

Thais must have that type of culture in their DNA... neighbor called tuk tuk taxi for a short ride, the charge was 120 baht, 100 for driver 20 for neighbor, this type of mentality, for us westerners, it's hard to understand

1 hour ago, ThaiFelix said:

What many dont seem to understand is that corruption is built into the the system from the start.  Years ago my wife worked as a teachers' assistant.  During her interview for the job the director told her what her salary would be and also told her she would get an extra 1000 baht for travel and meals.  When she collected her salary it was correct but the extra 1000 was not in the envelope.  Upon questioning this she was informed that it is normally paid to the classroom teacher each month and the classroom teacher would then pass it on to the assistants??  However when she received her envelope from the teacher it only contained 300 baht, same as the other assistants who told her to keep quiet or she would be looking for another job.

 

If corruption is not structured into the system then why not pay it direct with her salary?

 

I beleive class teacher thought that she should deduct VAT ????

Sorry just a joke

Good on this woman for speaking out and calling out the corrupt school gangsters. Social media, when used in this manner, can be a very effective way to out creeps, and thieving heathens. Now all we need are the names of the teachers involved, so we can shame them and their entire families. Only then, will things begin to change. 

Just now, spidermike007 said:

Good on this woman for speaking out and calling out the corrupt school gangsters. Social media, when used in this manner, can be a very effective way to out creeps, and thieving heathens. Now all we need are the names of the teachers involved, so we can shame them and their entire families. Only then, will things begin to change. 

She spoke out then dropped it without recompense. Seems semi pointless to not push for a result.