Another School Thread

[mattias33]

Catching up with old friends in Sweden at the moment and it turns out one of them is moving to Thailand with his family for a year or so. They are thinking seriously about Samui and of course ask me alot since i been living there some years now. Most of the issues i am a good adviser and can answer the questions but the main issue for these people is the situation for the kids. I already advised them to check out previous links on this forum about schools, hospitals and so on, but im going there in two days for a bbq so it would be nice to have some updates. Since im not on the island at the moment i only hear rumors now and would like your guys oppinions. I know the money interest in the school-buisness is big. So many scams and dirty tricks against eachother to gain students. And hopefully this could be a thread without "parents" who are new users with only one post. Bluewater, and open gates, just seem to be in so much dirty tricks against eachother that i am afraid to actually advise anybody to go to either of them. I did not til recently realize that there is so much money in the school-buisness that it is actually worth all the dirty tricks that goes around.

So, to make this thread slightly different from the other school-threads i would like to have some advise about the Thai schools. The kids are 7 and 10 years and will be in Thailand for one year. Whatever they miss over there they can catch up in summer-school when they come home again and they will be carrying the Swedich schoolbooks for the year to read at home anyway. The trip will give them a bit different experience in life and hopefully a thaischool will give them some different attitudes and perhaps new friends. And there need to be somebody speaking englich on the school offcourse. I know you guys will turn this into advising bluewater or open gates. Maybe its the only options for foreign kids, but it just dont feel right somehow to advise anybody to walk in that teathre, where it seems no limit at al to get the money out of the parents, or am i wrong? This is just about the kids and if there is not good enough alternatives they might aswell move to another destination in Thailand. There minds are not set on Samui yet.

Thankful for your help guys.

[mssabai]

Oonrak - bilingual kindergarten in Nathon, but primary school in Me Nam may be open in time for them. Google them. Great facilities including pool. Good Thai education with one english teacher dedicated to each class.

Also Panyawadee gets good reports.

I really would recommend your friends go with a Thai school for the time they are here. What the kids learn will be invaluable. They will be able to keep up with their swedish studies, but also gain so much insight into Thai culture and history and also improve their english. These private schools tend to have more forward thinking management and staff...Thailand still operates a fairly disciplinarian education system and the public schools still often have a lot of corporal punishment. Private, western minded schools shouldn't have this problem, though they are issues that need to be discussed when visiting the school.

As an ex teacher in a bilingual school it was amazing having western children come to the school for short or long term stays. Most of the children were Thai or half Thai but they would all happily practice their english whilst trying to communicate and the western children picked up both English and Thai at amazing speeds. It really opens up the worlds for both sets of children and I am sure it is an experience they remember for the rest of their lives.

[Khun Jean]

My nephew is from Sweden and he has a hotel business in Austria. His kids (6,8 and 10) went to an Austra school but they had difficulty when they got back.

Now they study again in Sweden and while they are in Austria for the winter winter season the kids will use school books that he will bring with him and has a Swedish au-pair that will work with the kids. A friend of him also in Austria has been in Africa for two years and was very happy with education via internet. I don't know the details but it seems that kids from Sweden have several options and the internet online education looks like a good solution for your friends. It will keep them in 'the system' which will be benificial when they return.

Putting them in a Thai school can be good for social contacts and for picking up some culture.

Edited August 10, 2008 by Khun Jean

[mattias33]

My nephew is from Sweden and he has a hotel business in Austria. His kids (6,8 and 10) went to an Austra school but they had difficulty when they got back.

Now they study again in Sweden and while they are in Austria for the winter winter season the kids will use school books that he will bring with him and has a Swedish au-pair that will work with the kids. A friend of him also in Austria has been in Africa for two years and was very happy with education via internet. I don't know the details but it seems that kids from Sweden have several options and the internet online education looks like a good solution for your friends. It will keep them in 'the system' which will be benificial when they return.

Putting them in a Thai school can be good for social contacts and for picking up some culture.

Agree with everything in your post khun jean. I printed it and past it on to them. Lets see how they decide to do.

Thx

[HeadmasterOnSamui]

There are quite a number of schooling options on Samui other than Bluewater or Open Gates. May I suggest a couple for you to investigate:

The Samui Centre of Learning based in Lamai, Panyadee located in Chaweng Noi, Oonrak based in Nathon, St Joseph based in Nathon.

There are also a large number of Thai state schools on the Island which are too numerous to mention.

I am sorry if I have inadvertantly missed any other schools out.

I hope you find the above info helpful.