Government Schools Charging Hefty Entry Fees

[pab]

Can someone please explain why a parent would pay a 30,000 - 40,000 baht fee in order to have a child enrol at a local government school.

By the way, no receipts are provided for such a "placement fee"....is this common practice in Isaan? Am I missing something? Sounds to me like a bloody scam.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

Can someone please explain why a parent would pay a 30,000 - 40,000 baht fee in order to have a child enrol at a local government school.

By the way, no receipts are provided for such a "placement fee"....is this common practice in Isaan? Am I missing something? Sounds to me like a bloody scam.

It should be only 2,000-3,000, but some schools charge 4,000. Are you sure this isn't an EP program? "Placement" sounds like EP, and my school charges 40,000 baht for EP. In EP, the student will get as much as 80% of their instruction in English, rather than Thai.

[Thai Chi]

Can someone please explain why a parent would pay a 30,000 - 40,000 baht fee in order to have a child enrol at a local government school.

By the way, no receipts are provided for such a "placement fee"....is this common practice in Isaan? Am I missing something? Sounds to me like a bloody scam.

Apparently so. And not just in Issan.

Is the student you are refering to already enroled in another school in the same area?

[Nomad97]

Quote "Can someone please explain why a parent would pay a 30,000 - 40,000 baht fee in order to have a child enrol at a local government school." Unquote

I understand that placement in the better government schools is determined by an entrance examination. Students that get the required grade enroll for free (or a modest entrance fee). Students that do not get the required grade will usually attend schools of a lower standard. I have heard (first-hand) that students that fail the grade may, for a small financial inducement (20,000 to 40,000 Baht - no receipt, no questions asked), 'buy' there way into the better schools. This may answer your question why a parent will pay a 30,000 to 40,000 Baht joining fee.

[pab]

I understand that placement in the better government schools is determined by an entrance examination. Students that get the required grade enroll for free (or a modest entrance fee). Students that do not get the required grade will usually attend schools of a lower standard. I have heard (first-hand) that students that fail the grade may, for a small financial inducement (20,000 to 40,000 Baht - no receipt, no questions asked), 'buy' there way into the better schools. This may answer your question why a parent will pay a 30,000 to 40,000 Baht joining fee.

This is my understanding as well....but it sure does not make it any more acceptable or even legal.

My children will be facing this in a year or two and I just wanted to open the topic up so that I will know what to expect in the future.

Just where does the money go? Maybe that question is never asked or even considered....just accepted as "thats the way things happen around here like so many other things !!" Normally I am happy to pay for the goods and services required but I buck at getting well and truly ripped off for these same services. Thanks anyway Nomad97

[Nomad97]

I understand that placement in the better government schools is determined by an entrance examination. Students that get the required grade enroll for free (or a modest entrance fee). Students that do not get the required grade will usually attend schools of a lower standard. I have heard (first-hand) that students that fail the grade may, for a small financial inducement (20,000 to 40,000 Baht - no receipt, no questions asked), 'buy' there way into the better schools. This may answer your question why a parent will pay a 30,000 to 40,000 Baht joining fee.

This is my understanding as well....but it sure does not make it any more acceptable or even legal.

My children will be facing this in a year or two and I just wanted to open the topic up so that I will know what to expect in the future.

Just where does the money go? Maybe that question is never asked or even considered....just accepted as "thats the way things happen around here like so many other things !!" Normally I am happy to pay for the goods and services required but I buck at getting well and truly ripped off for these same services. Thanks anyway Nomad97

I can't believe that I wrote 'there' instead of 'their' - as in buy their way into the better schools. I guess this is an example of corruption in Local Government Services. Another friend of mine, a fellow expat with an adopted Thai stepson, is facing a similar prospect this coming educational year. He has already acknowledged to me that he will probably have to buy his son's place in the better school in town. TIT.

[JoeInSurin]

I had to pay 30,000 baht to get my wifes daughter in the best school here in Surin. I see it as a way for people with money to keep their kids going to the best schools together and keeping the poor people and farmers out because they could not afford the entry fee. Here are a few related articles:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/rea...;keyword=school

http://www.bangkokpost.com/131108_News/13Nov2008_news04.php

[oxo1947]

After moving here from BKK, I paid 30,000 to get my Daughter into what is rated one of the best schools in Issan. Thanks to Mr. Taksin largesse, it has a Language laboratory, and all students must take the main subjects (math’s etc) in English as they taught by imported Teachers. They are also encouraged to learn a third language Japanese –Chinese or Russian.

I could have took a “principled” stand and refused this school or paid more for a any one of the 4 private schools here which are nowhere near as good.

Where does the money go? In my case 5K to the intermediary (a retired teacher) who approached the school. After we had been told it would be impossible for our child to get a place there. And 25K to whomever in the school found that it was not so impossible.

But in answer to your 2 questions

Is this common practice in Isaan?... Absolutely. And as far as I am aware all of Thailand. Certainly in BKK.

Am I missing something? I don’t think so.

[abdulrahman]

Is this common practice in Isaan?... Absolutely. And as far as I am aware all of Thailand. Certainly in BKK.

My wife's son is in a private school,in Isaan,yes.

Next year he will begin Matayom(spelling?)but,not being the brightest child in the block,the costs would go up a lot.

By enrolling him in a public school,the demands on him are lower,the classmates are ,more or less,at his capacity level,the hours are reduced.

And I save some money. TiT They choose their schoolsistem,following the U.S.example,no doubt,let them live with it.Japan,Korea or Singapore,are no match!

[pothai]

I know a girl that told her boyfriend school fees for her child were 18,000 Baht.....was only 6,800 and kept the rest for herself..

[pab]

I know a girl that told her boyfriend school fees for her child were 18,000 Baht.....was only 6,800 and kept the rest for herself..

Thanks for your valuable input. If you had read fully the previous posts on this topic then it would be obvious that your scenario was completely invalid. Sorry you were conned out of 11,200 baht

[torrenova]

I know a girl that told her boyfriend school fees for her child were 18,000 Baht.....was only 6,800 and kept the rest for herself..

Thanks for your valuable input. If you had read fully the previous posts on this topic then it would be obvious that your scenario was completely invalid. Sorry you were conned out of 11,200 baht

I have read this topic fully and I have lived here for years and let me assure that when there is a westerner involved, this scam will be pulled much more than the school scamming for money. If anything, they will both happen.

Thais do it to guys all the time and even to each other.

[pothai]

I know a girl that told her boyfriend school fees for her child were 18,000 Baht.....was only 6,800 and kept the rest for herself..

Thanks for your valuable input. If you had read fully the previous posts on this topic then it would be obvious that your scenario was completely invalid. Sorry you were conned out of 11,200 baht

I have read this topic fully and I have lived here for years and let me assure that when there is a westerner involved, this scam will be pulled much more than the school scamming for money. If anything, they will both happen.

Thais do it to guys all the time and even to each other.

Wasnt me but someone I know. Thought it may be relevant, sorry you thought it was invalid to your post.

[thedi]

Our village has its own 'matayom' school, but the school in the next Amphor has a much better reputation.

People from our village can send their kids to the village school for free, or to the school in the Amphor for a entry fee. This is the official statement from the school manager in the Amphor. Nothing shady.

Regards

Thedi

PS: I pay ~ 250'000 Baht a year for our daughter to visit a private school - I think its good invested money

[pab]

I know a girl that told her boyfriend school fees for her child were 18,000 Baht.....was only 6,800 and kept the rest for herself..

Thanks for your valuable input. If you had read fully the previous posts on this topic then it would be obvious that your scenario was completely invalid. Sorry you were conned out of 11,200 baht

I have read this topic fully and I have lived here for years and let me assure that when there is a westerner involved, this scam will be pulled much more than the school scamming for money. If anything, they will both happen.

Thais do it to guys all the time and even to each other.

Wasnt me but someone I know. Thought it may be relevant, sorry you thought it was invalid to your post.

Apologies for my over-reaction mate. Its just that despite all the years I have lived here as well, I still find it difficult to swallow scamming even though its sadly an integral part of life here.

[Issangeorge]

Thedi, ฿250,000 for a private school may be a good investment, but I teach in a government school with an EP program, my students are getting 18 hours of English instruction a week and 12 hours of Thai. I only have 8 students and thus have time to work with each one individually. I believe the parents pay ฿50,000 for the program and I doubt if at a private school the students would get as much individual time spent on them as my students get. Also the savings of ฿200,000 would pay for a lot of private tutoring if you felt it was needed. Issangeorge.

[thedi]

Thedi, ฿250,000 for a private school may be a good investment, but I teach in a government school with an EP program, my students are getting 18 hours of English instruction a week and 12 hours of Thai. I only have 8 students and thus have time to work with each one individually. I believe the parents pay ฿50,000 for the program and I doubt if at a private school the students would get as much individual time spent on them as my students get. Also the savings of ฿200,000 would pay for a lot of private tutoring if you felt it was needed. Issangeorge.

But there is no Issangeorge in our village school or in our Amphor. Would you consider to move?

Regards

Thedi

[torrenova]

Thedi, ฿250,000 for a private school may be a good investment, but I teach in a government school with an EP program, my students are getting 18 hours of English instruction a week and 12 hours of Thai. I only have 8 students and thus have time to work with each one individually. I believe the parents pay ฿50,000 for the program and I doubt if at a private school the students would get as much individual time spent on them as my students get. Also the savings of ฿200,000 would pay for a lot of private tutoring if you felt it was needed. Issangeorge.

If what someone is paying 250k for is available next door for nothing, then either move or rent some cheap shack in that village !

I know the two are not comparable but if it was only that issue, a move would be the best thing and give the kid 250k pocket money !!!!