School's out... forever?

[Brunolem]

Since some TV members are also teachers in the Land of Smiles, maybe they will be able to shed some light on the consequences of the government's decision to postpone back-to-school until July, at the earliest.

 

First, does anyone know if a definitive date to reopen schools has been set?

 

Then, have the schools adapted the coming year schedule accordingly, and how?

 

More generally, how do the schools plan to catch up after starting more than a month late?

 

I am asking because I have a son who is at matayon level and I have no information at all regarding the coming school year.

 

Thank you for your input.

[nikmar]

im in the same boat as you. No info on when my son, he's going up to M1 and therefore a new school, starts entrance exams etc. i have to say though, having previously worked in a government school, that you are being extremely optimistic when asking about "plans" to catch up. 

[Keyser Soze666]

I agree that they are probably being over cautious and a June 1st start would seem okay, as opposed to a July 1st. My kids school, which is a private school (not intl so on the Thai calendar) are doing online teaching for June (which I don't like) and are scrapping the holiday in October.

 

HTH

[Brunolem]

6 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

I agree that they are probably being over cautious and a June 1st start would seem okay, as opposed to a July 1st. My kids school, which is a private school (not intl so on the Thai calendar) are doing online teaching for June (which I don't like) and are scrapping the holiday in October.

 

HTH

So one full year without holidays...only in Thailand...

[Swiss1960]

Same here, daughter coming into M5. So far all we know is the government's plan with online lessons in June and restart in-class from July. School is currently gathering info (who has what computers and what connections), but they themselves don't know nothing about what is available from government to be taught online

[Keyser Soze666]

1 minute ago, Brunolem said:

So one full year without holidays...only in Thailand...

Well I prefer that to another holiday in October, and anyway they have 2 weeks off at Xmas/NY??

 

You sound like just another grumpy expat who likes to complain about everything...oh and no problem for the info.

 

 

[mackayae]

My youngest starts M6 online on May 18. My eldest, in university, completes her school year this week, the last month being online.

[colinneil]

1 minute ago, Swiss1960 said:

Same here, daughter coming into M5. So far all we know is the government's plan with online lessons in June and restart in-class from July. School is currently gathering info (who has what computers and what connections), but they themselves don't know nothing about what is available from government to be taught online

As is the norm here, nobody knows what is going on.

My wife is spending everyday at school, gathering info from parents, which families are affected by the virus situation, ready for doing a report for the education office.

Now my wife is a director and is completely in the dark as to what is going to happen.

No sensible info being given to schools, everything is maybe, maybe.

[Brunolem]

22 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Well I prefer that to another holiday in October, and anyway they have 2 weeks off at Xmas/NY??

 

You sound like just another grumpy expat who likes to complain about everything...oh and no problem for the info.

 

 

Maybe you have spent too much time locked down and become a bit touchy...

 

First, Thai schools don't have 2 weeks holidays at year end, but only a few days around New Year.

 

Then Thailand is already one of the countries with the least school holidays...compare their couple of weeks in October with Westerners enjoying 2 weeks holidays on average every 2 months or so...with far better results...

 

No child, and no adult, has an attention span long enough to learn new things 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, without ever taking a break...

[cyril sneer]

I'd be surprised if they went through the full school year without at least a week's break

 

The government still have to re-arrange songkran for workers who lost their 4-day's holiday

 

I think July 1st has been confirmed already this week, with some schools starting online mid-May

 

 

[garygooner]

Thai schools can open on July 1st or continue with online lessons if desired. International schools could possibly open to students earlier if approved by the provincial governor. 

[Keyser Soze666]

22 minutes ago, cyril sneer said:

I'd be surprised if they went through the full school year without at least a week's break

 

The government still have to re-arrange songkran for workers who lost their 4-day's holiday

 

I think July 1st has been confirmed already this week, with some schools starting online mid-May

 

 

Yes, some schools are having a week off in October.

[colinneil]

1 hour ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Yes, some schools are having a week off in October.

Where did you get that info from?

You claim to know what is going to happen, yet nobody involved with education here does.

Or are you just saying that with no background information.

[Keyser Soze666]

12 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Where did you get that info from?

You claim to know what is going to happen, yet nobody involved with education here does.

Or are you just saying that with no background information.

I'm talking about private schools, a chums school have told them they have a week off in Oct, my school are currently saying no break in Oct. Sorry, didn't realise this thread was for the gov schools only, thankfully my kids don't have to be exposed to that.

[colinneil]

21 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

I'm talking about private schools, a chums school have told them they have a week off in Oct, my school are currently saying no break in Oct. Sorry, didn't realise this thread was for the gov schools only, thankfully my kids don't have to be exposed to that.

Private or government are all in the same boat, nothing official has been announced, so nobody knows.

[2 is 1]

49 minutes ago, colinneil said:

Where did you get that info from?

You claim to know what is going to happen, yet nobody involved with education here does.

Or are you just saying that with no background information.

Teatchers is on duty already, they try online education system 18.5.2020. Most going to use Google classroom APP. And make Line group etc.

New student can apply for new school in online or go in that new school to visit.

Every school director decide most of vacation can even cats up and make longer days or even some weekend if want vacation! Now they watch how many student need help from coverment if don't have tablet,tv etc. Every village head have internet conection from coverment! Free to use! Nothig extra school valuation not going to make in this school year. And how i know little is coz my wife. 

 

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Private or government are all in the same boat, nothing official has been announced, so nobody knows.

We will probably be gong ahead with online learning (starting about the 18th May), private school. There is no point to wait until July 1, as it will depend on the covid situation at that time. If kids do go back to school on July 1, they would have lost about 6 weeks of school - which means there will be no (or a short) mid year break and teaching will need to go through much of March. We do get 11 days off at Xmas. Hope we can keep that at least!  Our school, also has little drirection from the MoE. We can't wait till July 1 to start. Having a son in m5, at home this long, is not healthy, and I'm sure not healthy for any child. They need to be learning something.

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

Teatchers is on duty already, they try online education system 18.5.2020. Most going to use Google classroom APP. And make Line group etc.

New student can apply for new school in online or go in that new school to visit.

Every school director decide most of vacation can even cats up and make longer days or even some weekend if want vacation! Now they watch how many student need help from coverment if don't have tablet,tv etc. Every village head have internet conection from coverment! Free to use! Nothig extra school valuation not going to make in this school year. And how i know little is coz my wife. 

 

Online learning won't work for most of rural Thiland as most kids do not have internet access, even if the village head does. Most Thia teachers also have no idea how to use the internet for teaching. I would guess they will send a buncg of worksheets to be done, and wont bother with live calls. How motivating.

[Brunolem]

25 minutes ago, DavisH said:

Online learning won't work for most of rural Thiland as most kids do not have internet access, even if the village head does. Most Thia teachers also have no idea how to use the internet for teaching. I would guess they will send a buncg of worksheets to be done, and wont bother with live calls. How motivating.

Exactly!

By the time schools, teachers and students would be ready to go online, it would be already past July.

 

They cannot implement a national online teaching system in a matter of days...most schools were supposed to open by mid May, ten days from now.

 

The hardware is not there, the know how is not there and most probably the money is not there.

[marin]

21 hours ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

and anyway they have 2 weeks off at Xmas/NY??

 

No they dont in the Thai school system.  

[Slip]

The schools don't even know yet whether they can be sure of their staff returning from overseas.  How can they know how to approach the new academic year?

[Keyser Soze666]

12 hours ago, DavisH said:

We will probably be gong ahead with online learning (starting about the 18th May), private school. There is no point to wait until July 1, as it will depend on the covid situation at that time. If kids do go back to school on July 1, they would have lost about 6 weeks of school - which means there will be no (or a short) mid year break and teaching will need to go through much of March. We do get 11 days off at Xmas. Hope we can keep that at least!  Our school, also has little drirection from the MoE. We can't wait till July 1 to start. Having a son in m5, at home this long, is not healthy, and I'm sure not healthy for any child. They need to be learning something.

Yep mirrors my situation. It seems that (private) schools are having no break in October or just 1 week. I don't think the xmas/NY break will change, and good point about going into March, another option for sure. And totally agree with your last sentence.

[DavisH]

1 hour ago, marin said:

No they dont in the Thai school system.  

Many Thai catholic schools do, and they are part of the Thai school system. All other schools just get a few days over New Year. 

[DavisH]

18 minutes ago, Keyser Soze666 said:

Yep mirrors my situation. It seems that (private) schools are having no break in October or just 1 week. I don't think the xmas/NY break will change, and good point about going into March, another option for sure. And totally agree with your last sentence.

I'm back next Monday - at least I can get free aircond from now on. The kids really need to get learning something, even if it's slow and online. I'm hoping, then, that they will be back for the mid-term exams, as it will be impossible to test them online. I'm not overly critical of the schools, as it should be the MOE that gives direction, and they have given very little at this stage. Too many old fossils work for them and are not willing to adapt to change. 

[recom273]

12 hours ago, DavisH said:

Online learning won't work for most of rural Thiland as most kids do not have internet access, even if the village head does. Most Thia teachers also have no idea how to use the internet for teaching. I would guess they will send a buncg of worksheets to be done, and wont bother with live calls. How motivating.

I used to work in a pilot program in rural areas, I used to visit one school every day for a week and do 4-5 lessons because the schools couldn’t afford a full time teacher.
 

In most of the schools there weren’t enough Thai teachers to teach all the classes, some classes were left to finish assignments and others watched a TV with a broadcast from a school in Bangkok, the kids all chanted along with the teacher and the kids on camera. Assignments were done in their exercise books, typical style with more flowers and colorful borders than meaningful content.
 

Remote learning isn’t anything new here, it doesn’t depend on an internet or interactive exercises, it can be done via a community TV channel.

[Keyser Soze666]

30 minutes ago, DavisH said:

I'm back next Monday - at least I can get free aircond from now on. The kids really need to get learning something, even if it's slow and online. I'm hoping, then, that they will be back for the mid-term exams, as it will be impossible to test them online. I'm not overly critical of the schools, as it should be the MOE that gives direction, and they have given very little at this stage. Too many old fossils work for them and are not willing to adapt to change. 

They will be back on July 1, no?

[flinc2020]

According to something from OBEC the new school year will be:

Term 1 - July 1st to November 30th

Term 2 - December 1st to April 30th 2021

Next school year commencing 15th May 2021

Any schools wanting a break between first and second terms can make up the days by opening for classes at weekends and during national holidays.

No official confirmation of the above as yet but it looks like it's going to be a long stretch for teachers. 11 months with only minimal breaks for national holidays in between (bear in mind Songkran still hasn't been given a date yet so a few days off then one supposes.)

[jomtienisgood]

On 5/6/2020 at 9:59 AM, nikmar said:

im in the same boat as you. No info on when my son, he's going up to M1 and therefore a new school, starts entrance exams etc. i have to say though, having previously worked in a government school, that you are being extremely optimistic when asking about "plans" to catch up. 

Next to the serious part of it all; Are you all Alice Cooper fans? School's out forever. LOL

 

[Brunolem]

1 minute ago, jomtienisgood said:

Next to the serious part of it all; Are you all Alice Cooper fans? School's out forever. LOL

 

I wrote the title of the thread on purpose...

[cardinalblue]

Way over cautious....easily could have started June 1st especially for P1-12...

 

you can’t make up 2 months in the month of October....