Education minister orders close inspection of complaints against controversial school

By THE NATION

 

Nataphol Teepsuwan

 

The Ministry of Education has told the Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC) to monitor complaints against the branches of Sarasas Witaed School nationwide.

 

Minister of Education Nataphol Teepsuwan said on Tuesday that 34 out of 42 of the school's branches faced complaints via the OPEC.

 

Most of the complaints were about severe punishment, unlicensed teachers, and charging parents fees not allowed by the ministry.

 

Nataphol has told the OPEC to check the issues and take appropriate action.

 

He said that the most important issue of Sarasas Witaed School this time was about an alleged abusive teacher, Onuma Ploadprong, at the Ratchaphruek branch in Nonthaburi province, as well as other cases found later.

 

The minister added that his ministry prohibits teachers from punishing their students, and the legal punishments consisted of warning, placing on probation, cutting educational scores, and holding correction activities.

 

Nataphol also said that education officials found initially that Sarasas Witaed School had assigned babysitters to be teachers. The minister warned that this was illegal. If the school's alleged illegal activity is proved, the assigned babysitters will be imprisoned for two years and the school director for three years.

 

He said that he had told the OPEC to keep an eye on issues at private schools across the nation.

 

Last week, Sarasas Witaed Ratchaphruek School came under the spotlight after CCTV recordings showed kindergarten teacher Onuma physically assaulting children by banging their heads on their desks, pushing them to the ground or twisting their ears until they screamed in pain.

 

A recent video published online on Tuesday showed the teacher dragging a child along the floor by the collar.

 

The subject is still a hot issue on social media, with some netizens sharing their personal experiences of abuse in school, making the point that this problem needed to be addressed as soon as possible.

 

Some social media users see the abusive problem as the tip of the iceberg in the Thai educational system.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30395340

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-30

 

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Wonder if there is any motivation behind targeting this group of schools. 

I am sure, if they were bold enough, many teachers and ex-teachers on this forum could mention instances where they have observed behaviour by teachers that is a bit beyond the pale. And did not react for fear of losing their jobs. 

If you’re serious about protecting children in schools, then set up a hotline. I can imagine cases where kids are scared to tell their parents or where parents are scared to confront the school. Have a hotline where people can report the abuses. 
 

But of course there needs to be a will from the authorities. And I’m just not believing there is. 

To be honest, if they are going to check these schools - then all other schools need to be checked too.

1 hour ago, Crusader said:

To be honest, if they are going to check these schools - then all other schools need to be checked too.

Unfortunately they may stumble across a private school only to find out later that a major shareholder is someone very important. And that would be far worse than saving a child from any form of abuse.

 

Fortunately for them, many of the people who care about this case are quite visceral. They fire a few teachers here and there, maybe even a principal, and then top it off with taking down a foreigner as the piece de resistance. People assume it's all over ('til the next time) and it's all forgotten. 

 

 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Nataphol also said that education officials found initially that Sarasas Witaed School had assigned babysitters to be teachers. The minister warned that this was illegal. If the school's alleged illegal activity is proved, the assigned babysitters will be imprisoned for two years and the school director for three years.

A catalogue of maleficence is coming to light, untrained teachers, others on extensions without licences, foreign teachers without work permits, was anything normal in this school?

Plus 34 of 42 schools have a history of complaints.. 

Sounds like this was run as a money making enterprise rather than a school for education.

The principal/director must be held responsible and not hide behind teachers in the blame game.