Cost of Kindergarten

[WalsallRobbo]

Hi. My daughter is 4 and attending a local kindergarten. It isn't a private international school. 

I have just been told it is 15400b school fees for the second term. It isn't a lot of money but seems strange to be asked for this as I thought it was free. Is this a normal charge?

[KhunLA]

what school and who told you.

[1FinickyOne]

Ask the other parents there... you can also ask the school what other charges there might be...

 

My niece is going to a highly regarded Catholic school [which is 99% Buddhist ] and I just paid 20,000 baht for the term... She is in Junior Year of high school. It is not an International School. 

[Foghorn]

My friends son was at a supposedly good catholic school near us , cost about 7000 a term , he took his kid to school and waited for teacher to show up , had many children in class unsupervised, took teacher another 40 minutes to show up , my mate was angry teacher leaving kids so long alone , director said if you not like change school , he did , I did , Thais think if you pay you get better service , doesn’t always work like that 

[Tropposurfer]

Be very careful and highly vigilant when it comes to tendering your kids with others here. Make sure you vet extremely carefully. Speak to lots of parents, and ask around elsewhere about any institutions being considered.

[khunPer]

19 hours ago, WalsallRobbo said:

I have just been told it is 15400b school fees for the second term. It isn't a lot of money but seems strange to be asked for this as I thought it was free. Is this a normal charge?

If it's a Thai school term, it's about 5 month, i.e. circa 3,000 baht per month, which seems fair for a kindergarten, which is not a bilingual- or international school.

You alternative is a Kindergarten-class in a public school – i.e. K1 or K2 – if that is available. There will still be some costs for uniform and meals, plus eventual school bus.

[WalsallRobbo]

Thank you khunPer that makes sense. I was under the impression my daughter was at a public school but it must be a Thai kindergarten.

[rickudon]

My daughter went to a free public kindergarten near our village for about 18 months, food included. She had previously gone to a private one but that only lasted one day - we went to pick her up early and wife saw them abusing her because she wouldn't sleep. We were quite satisfied with the free one.

When she was 4 she moved to a kindergarten that was part of a catholic school (school receives some state funds, but not state run), that had fees similar  to what OP said.

[JeffersLos]

Catholic schools sound the way to go. 

 

Nothing ever bad goes on at a Catholic school. 

[puchooay]

On 10/29/2022 at 10:26 AM, WalsallRobbo said:

Thank you khunPer that makes sense. I was under the impression my daughter was at a public school but it must be a Thai kindergarten.

I don’t understand you differentiating between Public and Thai.

 

You say local school. That could mean anything from local village school to largest school in town, depending where you live.

 

My daughter attended Anuban Buriram. Most if not all main towns will have a school named Anuban + Town/District name. They are government schools and all teach the same curriculum. Great schools too. In 9 years my daughter was there, kindergarten to P6, I only ever had one cause to complain.

 

Fees were in the region of 3k per term. General study was free. Payments for computers, learning with foreign teacher, food and insurance. 

 

Sounds like you are sending your kid to a private school (public in England). As one other poster commented, often in Thailand paying high fees doesn't mean better school.

[Foghorn]

When you have young children at school , make unannounced visits to see what’s really happening,don’t take other peoples word on it

[ChaiyaTH]

Average good kindergarten would cost easily 10-20K per month, so to pay 15K per term is peanuts, this are usually the cheapest options (4-5K a month). Kindergarten is a option to choose from parents, so it is not offered by the state.

 

I personally yet have to send my son to start going, he is 4 in a few months, the doctor agreed with me. We used the money to do activities and the like with him, there was covid anyway for the past 2 years.

But the one he is going to, the cheapest, is 200B per day or 5-6K a month. After he goes to Inter school at 20K a month.

Edited November 4, 2022 by ChaiyaTH

[puchooay]

1 hour ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Average good kindergarten would cost easily 10-20K per month, so to pay 15K per term is peanuts, this are usually the cheapest options (4-5K a month). Kindergarten is a option to choose from parents, so it is not offered by the state.

Totally disagree. There are many great kindergardens around for lot less. As I previously said, my daughter attended one for 3k a term.

 

It was a state run kindergarden. They start at 3 years old. Great school. 

Edited November 4, 2022 by puchooay

[markclover]

Just avoid Thai teachers at all cost.  They are abusive and can not teach English.

 

Any school with an EP program would be better.  The foreign teachers work hard and understand the material better.

[puchooay]

6 hours ago, markclover said:

Just avoid Thai teachers at all cost.  They are abusive and can not teach English.

 

Any school with an EP program would be better.  The foreign teachers work hard and understand the material better.

Extreme, unfounded generalisations

[richard_smith237]

On 11/4/2022 at 6:23 AM, Foghorn said:

When you have young children at school , make unannounced visits to see what’s really happening,don’t take other peoples word on it

When you have young (or any aged) children at school.... Don’t send them to a place that allows any parent to walk into a classroom on a whim !!....   

[richard_smith237]

25 minutes ago, puchooay said:

7 hours ago, markclover said:

Just avoid Thai teachers at all cost.  They are abusive and can not teach English.

 

Any school with an EP program would be better.  The foreign teachers work hard and understand the material better.

Extreme, unfounded generalisations

I suspect the generalisation comes from much of the news reporting of events where teacher cut the child's hair, hit them with a rule... and the ‘generalisation’ that seems widespread that Children cannot under any circumstances question the teacher..... 

 

While the generalisation may be extremely, while it may be a generalisation from the worst of the news and reports its not a wholly unfounded generalisation. 

 

While I never consciously avoided sending my son to a school with Thai teachers - the only schools I considered were those with B.Ed qualified (or above) native English speaking teachers from Western Countries (i.e. UK, Australia etc). 

 

Generalisations exist for a reason.... 

 

 

[puchooay]

5 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I suspect the generalisation comes from much of the news reporting of events where teacher cut the child's hair, hit them with a rule... and the ‘generalisation’ that seems widespread that Children cannot under any circumstances question the teacher..... 

 

While the generalisation may be extremely, while it may be a generalisation from the worst of the news and reports its not a wholly unfounded generalisation. 

 

While I never consciously avoided sending my son to a school with Thai teachers - the only schools I considered were those with B.Ed qualified (or above) native English speaking teachers from Western Countries (i.e. UK, Australia etc). 

 

Generalisations exist for a reason.... 

 

 

Any post suggesting all of a certain group are bad, good or better than others are unfounded generalizations. Quite simple.

 

In my experience of Thai education, 21 years as a teacher and 18 years as a parent, I have met and worked with some exceptional Thai teachers. Likewise I have worked with some shocking foreign teachers, including BEd qualified ones.

Edited December 3, 2022 by puchooay

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, puchooay said:

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

I suspect the generalisation comes from much of the news reporting of events where teacher cut the child's hair, hit them with a rule... and the ‘generalisation’ that seems widespread that Children cannot under any circumstances question the teacher..... 

 

While the generalisation may be extremely, while it may be a generalisation from the worst of the news and reports its not a wholly unfounded generalisation. 

 

While I never consciously avoided sending my son to a school with Thai teachers - the only schools I considered were those with B.Ed qualified (or above) native English speaking teachers from Western Countries (i.e. UK, Australia etc). 

 

Generalisations exist for a reason.... 

 

 

Expand  

Any post suggesting all of a certain group are bad, good or better are unfounded generalizations. Quite simple.

It is quite simple...  extremely simple...   The generalisation no matter how disagreeable originates from ’somewhere’...    Of course, in the woke and modern world we cannot be held to generalisations and I too try to avoid them... 

 

.... Yet, when it came to the safety and education of my son - I avoided the ’Thai system’ not only because of the generalisations, but also because the many many news stories and information that supported that generalisation.

 

That generalisation tells me - If a Thai teacher in a Thai school hits my son, the school will do their best to cover it up, ultimately nothing will happen to the teacher, there is no preventative action or accountability. 

Conversely, I know that if a Western Teacher in an International Kindergarten / school hits my Son, that teach will lose their job and may well face criminal action. Additionally the teacher training for that International teacher is of a far higher standard and they have the tools to handle situations whereby less well trained Thai teachers may resort to acting out their own frustration and even their anger. 

 

Now... as a generalisation, I don’t believe it fits all Thai schools and all Thai teachers... but I am not willing to challenge that generalisation when it comes to my son. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[puchooay]

16 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Now... as a generalisation

There you go.

 

Unfounded generalisations, unless you have a news story for every Thai school, which I very much doubt.

 

I also doubt you vetted every foreign teacher that ever taught in schools in Thailand.

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

Now... as a generalisation

There you go.

 

Unfounded generalisations, unless you have a news story for every Thai school, which I very much doubt.

This is where you are tripping over yourself...  a generalisation is a generalisation for the very reason that there is ‘founding’... its a general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases...

 

In this example there are sufficient ‘specific cases’ to form a generalisation about Thai schools that they suffer from poor standards. 

 

The generalisation about Thai schools is far from unfounded...  almost every day we have a news report about some issue in a Thai school which simply would not be acceptable in a school in the west (UK for example) or at an International school in Thailand.... 

 

 

1 hour ago, puchooay said:

I also doubt you vetted every foreign teacher that ever taught in schools in Thailand.

Absolutely not...  but the top end international schools do, and they are the ones I trust. 

There exists a generalisation about the top international schools in Thailand - they are excellent but expensive because they source highly qualified, experienced, enthusiastic staff - the Thai schools do not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[puchooay]

52 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

This is where you are tripping over yourself...  a generalisation is a generalisation for the very reason that there is ‘founding’... its a general statement or concept obtained by inference from specific cases...

 

In this example there are sufficient ‘specific cases’ to form a generalisation about Thai schools that they suffer from poor standards. 

 

The generalisation about Thai schools is far from unfounded...  almost every day we have a news report about some issue in a Thai school which simply would not be acceptable in a school in the west (UK for example) or at an International school in Thailand.... 

 

 

Absolutely not...  but the top end international schools do, and they are the ones I trust. 

There exists a generalisation about the top international schools in Thailand - they are excellent but expensive because they source highly qualified, experienced, enthusiastic staff - the Thai schools do not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh dear. 

 

Go and have a beer and settle yourself down. You'll give yourself a hernia. ????????????

[Scott]

Please stay on topic....the cost of kindergarten...

[Foghorn]

On 12/3/2022 at 5:52 PM, richard_smith237 said:

When you have young (or any aged) children at school.... Don’t send them to a place that allows any parent to walk into a classroom on a whim !!....   

sounds like your a teacher, you got something to hide ?  Why would you not want parents checking on their kids  ? You sound very fishy 

[Scott]

13 hours ago, Foghorn said:

sounds like your a teacher, you got something to hide ?  Why would you not want parents checking on their kids  ? You sound very fishy 

Parents showing up in the classroom can be very disruptive.  We don't allow parents in the classroom.  The classrooms are open and any of the school admin have full access at all times, and it's not uncommon for them to do a walk through and make sure the students are doing their work.

 

Access to the classroom should be controlled by the school, not solely by the teacher.  

[richard_smith237]

14 hours ago, Foghorn said:

On 12/3/2022 at 1:52 PM, richard_smith237 said:

When you have young (or any aged) children at school.... Don’t send them to a place that allows any parent to walk into a classroom on a whim !!....   

sounds like your a teacher, you got something to hide ?  Why would you not want parents checking on their kids  ? You sound very fishy 

erm... ‘reads' like you need a teacher !!!!  ????

 

It would be wrong of any school to allow parents to walk around and into classrooms unannounced.

 

You sound like an overbearing parent if you think that behaviour is acceptable.

 

I trust the professionals at my sons school, they do a fantastic job.

If I turned up to ‘walk into my sons class in the middle of the day’ I doubt I’d get past security.

 

I’d question why you would feel the need to ‘check up on the school in such a manner’....  if you feel that way, you should be questioning the choice of school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thaiclan]

Interesting that in just a few short decades it has become perfectly 'normal' to send toddlers off to school.
The first 5 years are the single most important stage in a child's development. I get that everyone needs babysitting. No-one seems to want their young children around the house all day. The role of Mothers has changed so much that she wants and needs more time away from demanding young children (and boy are they demanding!)
Over here in Asia 'pre-school' and 'nursery' means scheduled instruction time. Group reading at 10am, paint play at 2pm etc.

If you have the time, energy and money and are purely focused on the brain development of the young child, then a stimulating home environment offering plenty of resources for curious minds is the best avenue you can take. If you can afford it then hiring a babysitter/aupair type (someone who will actually do things with the child and not just watch TV) is a great addition.
Children do not actively group-play until they are around 4-7 years old. Prior to that they 'parallel play'. This means they play alongside other children but do not actively seek much engagement in order to develop the understanding of the task at hand.

But I do get it, and especially among the Thai Mums, they seem to love the structure, lifestyle, uniforms and 'cuteness' of their little toddlers going off to school everyday.
Just don't be in a rush to start the institutionalised learning if you really could adapt home and all the loved ones there to nurture the young mind(s) at home and around your local community. ????

[MrJ2U]

On 10/29/2022 at 3:41 PM, khunPer said:

If it's a Thai school term, it's about 5 month, i.e. circa 3,000 baht per month, which seems fair for a kindergarten, which is not a bilingual- or international school.

You alternative is a Kindergarten-class in a public school – i.e. K1 or K2 – if that is available. There will still be some costs for uniform and meals, plus eventual school bus.

We just put our 3 year old into the public school which is free. 

 

Kindergarten he starts private school, catholic school, for around 20,000 baht.  Pretty good school, better than the public school for sure. 

[puchooay]

1 minute ago, MrJ2U said:

We just put our 3 year old into the public school which is free. 

 

Kindergarten he starts private school, catholic school, for around 20,000 baht.  Pretty good school, better than the public school for sure. 

I'd be interested to know where? Thanks.

[richard_smith237]

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

Interesting that in just a few short decades it has become perfectly 'normal' to send toddlers off to school.

No... you are missusing words... Kindergarten isn’t school... 

 

For the first coupe of years - playgroups where toddlers learn interaction with others is important - its just a couple of hours in the morning and parents are present. 

 

Kindergarten then takes over at about 2-3 yrs old... its a 2-3 hours in the morning and is perfect for a childs development - interacting, playing with others kids.

 

Actual school as we know it starts at about 5 years old... 

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

The first 5 years are the single most important stage in a child's development.

Which is why its so important not to just keep them at home - get them out doing things, interacting with other children - playgroups and kindergartens are the idea stage for this.

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

I get that everyone needs babysitting. No-one seems to want their young children around the house all day. The role of Mothers has changed so much that she wants and needs more time away from demanding young children (and boy are they demanding!)

You're projecting... I don’t know anyone who thinks like that. 

 

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

Over here in Asia 'pre-school' and 'nursery' means scheduled instruction time. Group reading at 10am, paint play at 2pm etc.

Also group play and learning social skills etc.

I don’t know of pre-school, nursery or kindergartens that go on after 2pm.

Perhaps some Thai schools do, I’m not sure about that. 

 

My Son International school day finishes at 2:30pm (he’s 9).

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

If you have the time, energy and money and are purely focused on the brain development of the young child, then a stimulating home environment offering plenty of resources for curious minds is the best avenue you can take.

I agree... but not only at home.. also outside of the home at Kindergarten for a few hours a day.

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

If you can afford it then hiring a babysitter/aupair type (someone who will actually do things with the child and not just watch TV) is a great addition.

I'm not so sure - get the child out and about, mixing with other children is advantageous.

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

Children do not actively group-play until they are around 4-7 years old.

Not if they are stuck at home all day with a parent (or au pair).

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

Prior to that they 'parallel play'. This means they play alongside other children but do not actively seek much engagement in order to develop the understanding of the task at hand.

Thats part of the development... parallel play and progression from there.. 

Plenty of children ‘group play’ early on at 4 years old.... 

 

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

But I do get it, and especially among the Thai Mums, they seem to love the structure, lifestyle, uniforms and 'cuteness' of their little toddlers going off to school everyday

Some might...  I get that.

 

50 minutes ago, thaiclan said:

Just don't be in a rush to start the institutionalised learning if you really could adapt home and all the loved ones there to nurture the young mind(s) at home and around your local community. ????

... there you said it.. and around your local community...  and kindergarten and early stages learning helps massively with the development... 

 

Not ‘every school’ is institutionalised in the sense I think you mean it... The great schools are incredibly enjoyable for kids.