Should parents pay 100% school fees despite covid disruptions?

[Ashmanator]

My daughter is in the Private Thai education system that teaches the Thai curriculum in 70% English ad 30% Thai. The term is coming to an end and I have just received the Invoice for the Thai Term April to September. The school have billed 100% as normal. Rough calculations would indicate that there was probably around 25% less teaching/ learning  time during lockdowns etc. So, each child has only received 75% of "normal" education. It seems strange that there are no concessions for the reduced "service" . Having spoke to several other parents, they seem to feel that they shouldn't be paying full fees, but are not prepared to challenge the fact that they are going to. Naturally the school would have had lower operational costs, utilities, admin/ operational staff etc etc. So it seems strange to me that the schools costs were probably lower, but they charge full fees making there bottom line healthier? From the parents perspective, simply paying the same amount for 25% less education seems unethical....

Thoughts? I am meeting with the school next week to discuss, so would be interesting to other peoples thoughts.

[johnray]

They study online with zoom.

[Puchaiyank]

There is a reason the other parents do not wish to challenge the school...think of being seen as a trouble maker...they will not come after YOU!

[robblok]

If i were you id go for a 12,5 percent reduction in fees. Its a situation out of control of the school so why not both bear 50% of the difference. That would be reasonable.

 

Not sure if you can do it or not. But going for a full 25% refund would not be fair in my book. 

[BritManToo]

My kids junior school gave 10% discount.

My other kids university gave 20% discount.

[Sheryl]

My "grandkida" are in private school in Cambodia and school closure there has gone on a lot longer than in Thailand. No tuition discount at all, full fee, take it or leave it.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Ashmanator said:

Thoughts? I am meeting with the school next week to discuss, so would be interesting to other peoples thoughts.

Both our daughters go to a private school, they didn't return to school till I believe June, and we were charged for the April to September terms.

 

The above said, we frequented the school a couple of times to collect books and uniforms for the girls, we saw teachers there who were doing whatever they were doing together, meetings, preparing, etc, etc,.

 

The important thing here to understand from where I am coming is that the school has to pay the teachers, the gardeners, admin staff, etc, etc, to keep them employed so as to be able to teach our kids when they return to school, now if they don't charge us for it, then what, they pay for it out of their pocket, Covid wasn't their making, and not ours, it is what it is.

 

We are not fussed about the differences in the money for the period they didn't go to school, we look at it as supporting the teachers and the school during that period.

 

That's my take on it anyway, each to their own.

[bkk6060]

Less "learning time" does not mean they did not concentrate the learning into the other 75%.

Geez, I would say pay the full fee if you support the school and your kids future.

If you think other schools will be better and you don't like it, move your kid to another school.

[Scott]

For the staff at some of the schools, the workload increased enormously.   I know some schools where students went Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the 2nd group went Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.   That meant the teachers worked full days for 6 days. 

 

When the students were not in physical attendance, they were learning by video, so video lectures had to be prepared for those students.  

 

I don't know if discounts should be given, but I know for the teachers it was a major increase in work with no increase in pay.

 

[Anders W Ferslev]

we got 20% discount

[NoshowJones]

No! You do not pay for what you don't get. Simples.

[thomago]

2 hours ago, Anders W Ferslev said:

we got 20% discount

My two kids (Primary) go to an international school in Phuket which teaches the Cambridge curriculum in English. For Term 3 (April to June) the school voluntarily provided a 20% discount which I thought was very fair. I'm also aware that some parents complained that the discount should be much higher.

The quality of Internet-learning was very high with daily "classroom sessions" from 8.00 AM to 3.00 PM or 4.00 PM. The teachers were very well prepared, engaging, and the school communicated constantly and very well with the parents. Friends of mine with kids at other international schools in Phuket were not that happy with the quality of Internet-learning provided.

Since I was very impressed with the school's response to Internet-learning, I would not have asked for a discount. In the end, I think it boils down to if the OP received value for money under difficult circumstances.

[Bender Rodriguez]

name some schools & prices 

[Kenchamp]

Maryvit Pattaya gave about 25% reduction in term fees

[tgw]

Quote

Should parents pay 100% school fees despite covid disruptions?

of course not, it's better to let the school close of course.

[richard_smith237]

My Son received ‘online learning’ for his Term 3 (summer term - April to June) and only actually attended school for 5 times in the final two weeks (school class split in half and students attended every other day) meanwhile online learning continued. 

 

Online learning included an hour with the teacher each day (scheduled to 4 kids online at at time), the rest of the time work and fun actives were set - the teachers worked extremely hard and still needed to get paid. 

While the students were not there the school was effectively still operating. 

 

We received a 50,000 baht discount (approx 18%) on his Term 1 (August to December) the school is fully open. 

Students have to wear facemarks, full activities and ECA’s continue. 

[bodga]

are  they paying teachers the  full salary would be my first question

[Thorgal]

Got  only 5% discount after many parents started a petition claiming a logic/proportional 20% discount.

School was not really happy.

 

They raised the school fee for the new school year with 5% + the yearly uplift.

Edited September 12, 2020 by Thorgal

[EVENKEEL]

Our's is an EP school, the 2+ months we lost is being made up with shorter breaks between 1/4's and terms.

I never brought up this subject with the school.

[spidermike007]

You would have to speak with a number of other parents, and see if they were up for challenging the charges. Most Thais are unwilling to engage in confrontation. We just do not care what others think of us. At least the healthy ones amongst us. But, doing it on your own will create potential enemies, and could end up in harassment of your kids. 

[KhunKenAP]

They are only following the Thai tradition, which is to charge the same, or more to make up for any losses.

 

You are asking for reason from a system that only teaches memorization, not free or critical thinking.

[polpott]

17 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

name some schools & prices 

Pay for terms in advance at Satit Udomsueksa, Pattaya. Received 10% rebate when school resumed.

[Rawairat]

Private school in Phuket 20% seems fair although it appears a private music school has not given credit for classes my child never went too, the school was shut and only recently opened. I now have a bill to pay for current lessons whilst the payments I have already made are written off? Waiting for a reply before I start paying again.

[Bender Rodriguez]

one has to think ... if your children are to remain in thailand, why spend millions in private schools ?  or does your job pay for everything or are you filthy rich ?

 

I plan to go to back to europe when it is time for university with my child

[EVENKEEL]

12 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

one has to think ... if your children are to remain in thailand, why spend millions in private schools ?  or does your job pay for everything or are you filthy rich ?

 

I plan to go to back to europe when it is time for university with my child

Yes, I'm extremely filthy rich.

[Andycoops]

My sons Uni gave a 50% discount between March and July.

[Hamus Yaigh]

Any updates on this second school lock down? For our kids the school has been shut for nearly all of December and January, with online learning a shambles and only seemed to start in January occasionally. I can see the teachers are probably putting in the hours (trying to sort their stuff out more than teaching) but the results in homes with kids home all day is awful. The school isn't budging on its regular term fees. 56,0000 THB/term/child in our case with some foreign English speaking teachers. You could say go elsewhere, but the inconvenience of longer commutes means just a case of suck it up. I expect every child will pass exams with flying colors when parents are paying like this - or will that involve more fees!?

 

I get sense from Thai parents some discount would be preferable no matter how small else they have us over a barrel.

[ChaiyaTH]

I wonder how many schools can even stay open if this continues a bit longer, as most Thais send their kids to school funded by loans who are now maxed and with no other income either. Those kids can't even pay those loans back after graduating, or are then stuck in their own life + supposed to take car of their parents + start their own generation. --- Little in the Thai economy seems sustainable to me.

Edited January 30, 2021 by ChaiyaTH

[Neeranam]

On 9/13/2020 at 3:43 PM, Bender Rodriguez said:

one has to think ... if your children are to remain in thailand, why spend millions in private schools ?  or does your job pay for everything or are you filthy rich ?

 

I plan to go to back to europe when it is time for university with my child

How old are your kids now?

 

And how do you think they'll get into European universities if they've gone to a Thai temple school?

[Mike Rodik]

move your kids to a government school till uni

 

the degree is not worth the paper it was printed on anyway, private school or not

 

and it costs less than ONE expensive meal in a hotel/resto