15 Years Of Free Education Program Launched

[hammered]

Iirc the 12 year free education plan was linked to legilsation passed before any of the recent comabatants. I think the Dems and TRT sparred over what the 12 years would be - Dems wanted P1-M6 and TRT wanted KG1-M3. TRT won the election and set it up their way although free didnt include uniforms and other extras. Now the Dems are in they have to make it 15 years to get the M4-M6 (also includes college at the equivalent ages I think) bit in that they wanted in the first place. They have also added some uniform and equipment allownces to make it a bit more free although the schools will probably still be able to find a way to add new extras or force after school programs but I digress.

TBH it is hard to fault anyone on this and it seems a concensus in government to increase free education. Whether that is for good reasons or politcal expedience isnt important as at least peopel will benefit from it. The next thing is to reform the eduction system and introduce a single fair system for university entrance that deosnt change every year and which the universities cannot use to the detrimant of poorer applicants. And then there is raising awareness that technical education is not a bad or second class thing.

[animatic]

Or they got the idea from the preponderance of western countries with the same system.

Gee didn't Abhisit go to a country that had a similar school system? Why yes he did.

Seems he wouldn't need Thaksin to tell him this is good.

And I remember nothing of this being in place under TRT,

nor it being canceled during the interim military government.

But you make it sound so 'authoritative' maybe a few will believe you.

Of course there is no corroboration mentioned,

so it can as easily be hyperbolic propaganda, as supportable fact.

You don't really know what you are talking about do you?

The Education Ministry wants the new charter to avoid promising 12 years of "free" basic education

Rather than pontificating on here, some research into the topics at hand may be advised before further embarrassing yourself.

TRT and the Dems fought over the years of coverage and not about the actual need for coverage.

Then in march 2007 there was a attempt to close a semantic loophole the law that cost parents money.

I read your link and you only make it 'seem' that it means what you want it too.

It was clearly about closing a loophole that was costing parents MORE money,

in exorbitant extra curricular after school fees for 'mandatory' things.

So you used selective quotation to 'lead' in a direction that backs your point.

But the article's content proves otherwise.

If you must flame me so blatantly at least have the deceny of properly reading the article

that you base your flame on and then UNDERSTANDING it. You certainly did not.

Sadly, again you are more disingenuous partisanship than accurate substance..

Oh and I never purport to me anybodies pontiff.

If you want to fight my arguments use better arguments.

Flaming me doesn't do squat but diminish your stature in the eyes of others.

Edited March 21, 2009 by animatic

[Oberkommando]

TRT and the Dems fought over the years of coverage and not about the actual need for coverage.

Then in march 2007 there was a attempt to close a semantic loophole the law that cost parents money.

I read your link and you only make it 'seem' that it means what you want it too.

It was clearly about closing a loophole that was costing parents MORE money,

in exorbitant extra curricular after school fees for 'mandatory' things.

So you used selective quotation to 'lead' in a direction that backs your point.

But the article's content proves otherwise.

If you must flame me so blatantly at least have the deceny of properly reading the article

that you base your flame on and then UNDERSTANDING it. You certainly did not.

Sadly, again you are more disingenuous partisanship than accurate substance..

Oh and I never purport to me anybodies pontiff.

If you want to fight my arguments use better arguments.

Flaming me doesn't do squat but diminish your stature in the eyes of others.

You are just parroting Hammered's deliberately vague and misleading response.

Fact is, the Junta tried to remove the 12 years guaranteed free education from the charter. Thus, my earlier post is accurate.

You can argue on the semantics over why they wanted to scrap it all you want.

[Bagwan]

I fail to see how this will, in reality, help the rural peoples. Children have always been withdrawn from school to work in the fields or the home out of economic necessity. Mandatory attendance at school is a MUST, and that means financially supporting parents.

When monitoring my young niece's homework I find myself making more corrections to the teacher's handiwork than that of the child. On the evidence that I am confronted with I rate school teachers as not much better than ignorant. Anybody passing a Thai school cannot help but hear the hubbub from the classrooms. Thais have yet to learn that you learn very little when your mouth is working. It seems to me that the administration of discipline is sadly lacking in Thai schools, much like the roads.

Another consideration must be job opportunity and level playing fields. I see little point is having a degree and the only work available thereafter is as a supermarket cashier. Will Thailand ever be a meritocracy? I'm not holding my breath.

[animatic]

I based my response on the article you linked to.

That was a vote discussion to remove the word "free" from the charter.

To reduce hideden charges from parents because that wording clause

was being abused, as the article said.

Which is not the same thing as the function of how the schooling

would be allocated and paid and to whom.

Edited March 21, 2009 by animatic

[johnefallis]

For those who so not like the Thai education system I can only point to the changes that have occurred in the last 30 years. When I was here then many could not read or write, now most can. THe system may not be perfect but I would feel that the improvement in the system over the period is greater than the improvement that has occurred in the education systems of the UK US and Australia.

Really??? Cause in all of at least the last 3 generations of students (30yrs) in my family in the U.S. can read and write. It shouldn't take 30 years to explain why a country so far ahead in so many ways, is so far behind in education as those that are not. They also shouldn't be compared to Western countries when they can barely be compared to those in S.E. Asia.

Think about it; a typical bar girl learns more in a few years of hanging around partying with westerners, then they typically do their entire childhood in Thai schools. English, business, politics, common sense,....all subjects. Don't you agree?

[hammered]

TRT and the Dems fought over the years of coverage and not about the actual need for coverage.

Then in march 2007 there was a attempt to close a semantic loophole the law that cost parents money.

I read your link and you only make it 'seem' that it means what you want it too.

It was clearly about closing a loophole that was costing parents MORE money,

in exorbitant extra curricular after school fees for 'mandatory' things.

So you used selective quotation to 'lead' in a direction that backs your point.

But the article's content proves otherwise.

If you must flame me so blatantly at least have the deceny of properly reading the article

that you base your flame on and then UNDERSTANDING it. You certainly did not.

Sadly, again you are more disingenuous partisanship than accurate substance..

Oh and I never purport to me anybodies pontiff.

If you want to fight my arguments use better arguments.

Flaming me doesn't do squat but diminish your stateure in the eyes of others.

You are just parroting Hammered's deliberately vague and misleading response.

Fact is, the Junta tried to remove the 12 years guaranteed free education from the charter. Thus, my earlier post is accurate.

You can argue on the semantics over why they wanted to scrap it all you want.

My reponse was not deliberately vague or or misleading but was based onmemory which I noted. The provision for free eduction was not removed by the Junta and the difference between TRT and Dem policy I stated was accurate upon checking. And the notion of free eduction preceded TRT. TRT and Dems both deserve credit for introducing it (TRT) and extending it(Dems). This is one area that neither poltical party can really be faulted on. As I stated there are other areas of eduction that need to now be addressed. The eduction of the young is too importnet for it to be brought down to the patheteic poltical gamesmanship we usually see. Fair play to th eparties to date for not doing this.

There are no politcal points to be scored in some red-yellow non-debate nonsense of the kind that fills most of these threads.

Peace

[chris26be]

Can anyone divert me to a version in Thai language concercing this free education program. Than I can have my wife and family read it as well.

Thanks

[ScienceGuy]

At my school they told us we can order books now, anything we want. Problem is, the foreign teachers have no clue what books to buy because they've never read an English text-book or seen one before. They just pick whatever is pretty from the shelves and call it good.

I guess the Thai kids will continue to learn advanced composition( even though they haven't mastered past tense).

[sriracha john]

Spending on education must be a priority

The latest report from UNESCO shows that developing countries including Thailand are not spending enough on basic education. According to the 2009 Global Monitoring Report, progress towards the EFA goals is being undermined due to the failure of governments to tackle persistent inequalities based on income, gender, location, ethnicity, language, disability, and other markers for disadvantage.

"Progress has been too slow and too uneven in many countries. There is now a clear and present danger that some key [EFA] goals will not be achieved," said UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura in the report's foreword.

The latest available data show Thailand (2005) and Malaysia (2004) with the highest allocation of total public expenditure to education at 25 per cent, compared to 15 per cent for the Philippines (2005) and 14 per cent in Laos (2006).

However, as a percentage of its gross national product, Thailand's total public expenditure on education was 4.3 per cent of GNP in 2005, a drop from 5.1 per cent in 1999.

This figure should encourage the government to promote access to education as it demonstrates that Thailand has not sufficiently spent to improve the quality of its human resources, even though the report also shows that 94 per cent of children aged 6-11 were enrolled in primary schools in 2006.

Now that the government is doling out a massive amount of money on education, the UNESCO release should serve as a guideline for what else can and should be done. After all, money invested in education will produce the most satisfactory and sustainable results. Other populist programmes usually only produce profits in the short term.

- Editorial, The Nation / 2009-03-31

[wolfmanjack]

I can honestly tell you that the education has not been free for the past 5 years. the local school has been charging about 2,000 baht per year in school fees. this does not include any after hours or extracurricular activity. As of Sunday the 29th all parents at our school received 555 baht to pay for 2 uniforms (even though the school has 4 different uniforms required) and books. Receipts are supposed to be brought to school to show what the money was spent on. In my opinion it would have been better if the school made a deal to purchase uniforms and books in bulk getting a discount rather than dispersing funds to the parents but TIT.

School lunches are now free.

I do not know if the school fees for next term are going to be waived yet.

The school now has 3 english teachers (that can not carry on a conversation in english) for 300 kids. this is better than before when they only had 1 teacher for 300 kids. At least they will be able to learn to read and write english.

This is all a step in the right direction as far as i am concerned.

[sabaijai]

I can honestly tell you that the education has not been free for the past 5 years. the local school has been charging about 2,000 baht per year in school fees. this does not include any after hours or extracurricular activity. As of Sunday the 29th all parents at our school received 555 baht to pay for 2 uniforms (even though the school has 4 different uniforms required) and books. Receipts are supposed to be brought to school to show what the money was spent on. In my opinion it would have been better if the school made a deal to purchase uniforms and books in bulk getting a discount rather than dispersing funds to the parents but TIT.

School lunches are now free.

I do not know if the school fees for next term are going to be waived yet.

The school now has 3 english teachers (that can not carry on a conversation in english) for 300 kids. this is better than before when they only had 1 teacher for 300 kids. At least they will be able to learn to read and write english.

This is all a step in the right direction as far as i am concerned.

Same here. Education was a low priority for TRT. It has always been a strong part of the Demo platform in Thailand. Raising the age for compulsory education was also accomplished under a Demo admin.

[sriracha john]

Government adds subsidy into Student Loan Fund

BANGKOK, 11 May 2009 (NNT) - Deputy Education Minister Chaiwuti Bannawat stated that the government would increase the budget for the Student Loan Fund to support more students’ demands and speed up the purchasing of educational appliances and textbooks under the free education scheme in order to be ready for the new school term.

Mr. Chaiwuti said in compliance with the government’s scheme of 15-years of free education, parents have already received grants for their school uniform purchasing and would not have to pay for their children’s tuition fees. He said the ministry was making progress in purchasing textbooks, affirming it would be completely ready for students by the beginning of new school term on May 18.

Mr. Chaiwuti further stated that the government had increased subsidies into the Student Loan Fund to comply with higher student demands and to lighten the financial load of parents with an annual income of less than 200,000 baht. With the higher student loan requests this year, prospective and current students can find more information about the project via www.studentloan.or.th or by directly contacting their university.

-- NNT 2009-05-11

[sriracha john]

PM: Government focuses on distribution of educational opportunities

BANGKOK, 14 May 2009 (NNT) - Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the government was placing heavy emphasis on the development of Thailand's education system and the increased provision of educational opportunities for all students.

Mr. Abhisit viewed that many sides were dissatisfied with the development of the nation's education system in the last decade due to the seemingly directionless and lost nature of the system. He said that considerable resources and intelligence from all sides was required to solve this problem.

The Prime Minister said the government would provide all students with 15 years of free education despite existing problems in the nation's education system and criticism that the free education policy was misleading. Mr. Abhisit said that officials would evaluate the problem and attempt to solve obstacles at their source. He reiterated that parents would not have to pay tuition for their students as the government would fully cover the academic costs for all students.

-- NNT 2009-05-14

[sriracha john]

More teachers to be trained and relocated to rural areas

BANGKOK, 17 May 2009 (NNT)-The Prime Minister has affirmed that the government will work to train teachers in disciplines lacking personnel by adapting the physician production model to insure that teachers are better dispersed throughout the nation.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva admitted on "Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit" that the nation still lacks a standard for education prompting the Government to use its 15 year free education project to equalize the quality of education in all areas.

The administration is still concerned however, over the lack of personnel in rural areas and is actually looking to improve transportation so that small dispersed education facilities can combine into a single stronger unit.

The PM elaborated that work is being done to evaluate teacher numbers so that they can be relocated to areas in need.

He remarked that there isn't a lack of teaching personnel, but rather many teachers are concentrated in urban areas, admitting nonetheless, that disciplines such as science and foreign language are in need of additional faculty.

The government has made plans to use its model for creating physicians to increase the number of teachers.

-- NNT 2009-05-17

[Thai at Heart]

More teachers to be trained and relocated to rural areas

BANGKOK, 17 May 2009 (NNT)-The Prime Minister has affirmed that the government will work to train teachers in disciplines lacking personnel by adapting the physician production model to insure that teachers are better dispersed throughout the nation.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva admitted on "Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit" that the nation still lacks a standard for education prompting the Government to use its 15 year free education project to equalize the quality of education in all areas.

The administration is still concerned however, over the lack of personnel in rural areas and is actually looking to improve transportation so that small dispersed education facilities can combine into a single stronger unit.

The PM elaborated that work is being done to evaluate teacher numbers so that they can be relocated to areas in need.

He remarked that there isn't a lack of teaching personnel, but rather many teachers are concentrated in urban areas, admitting nonetheless, that disciplines such as science and foreign language are in need of additional faculty.

The government has made plans to use its model for creating physicians to increase the number of teachers.

-- NNT 2009-05-17

Is there a bonus program for teachers going out into the rural areas? It works in China. After all, why would a city raised teacher want to live in abercymbaannork?

[chrislarsson]

More teachers to be trained and relocated to rural areas

BANGKOK, 17 May 2009 (NNT)-The Prime Minister has affirmed that the government will work to train teachers in disciplines lacking personnel by adapting the physician production model to insure that teachers are better dispersed throughout the nation.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva admitted on "Confidence in Thailand with Prime Minister Abhisit" that the nation still lacks a standard for education prompting the Government to use its 15 year free education project to equalize the quality of education in all areas.

The administration is still concerned however, over the lack of personnel in rural areas and is actually looking to improve transportation so that small dispersed education facilities can combine into a single stronger unit.

The PM elaborated that work is being done to evaluate teacher numbers so that they can be relocated to areas in need.

He remarked that there isn't a lack of teaching personnel, but rather many teachers are concentrated in urban areas, admitting nonetheless, that disciplines such as science and foreign language are in need of additional faculty.

The government has made plans to use its model for creating physicians to increase the number of teachers.

-- NNT 2009-05-17

Is there a bonus program for teachers going out into the rural areas? It works in China. After all, why would a city raised teacher want to live in abercymbaannork?

Better to give rural people scholarships for the training. I'm quite sure many rural people like to go back home if there a job waiting.

[sriracha john]

Additionally, there's any number of harried city people who would very willingly choose a career in a more sedate, rural setting...the same as teachers in all other societies do. It's not difficult for me to see the attraction of not living in Bangkok.

[samgrowth]

It looks good on the government to give out freebies. Free health care, free bus, free train, free water, free electricity, free schooling. We might as well adorpt a utopia society where everything free free, and let's not print currency as it is not needed. Call it communist or anything you like.

In reality, the government is not the one that foot the bill. THE TAX PAYER pays for all the FREEBIES the Thai people is getting. As long as you do not pay tax, praise the loard. However if you are the unlucky few (who pay tax) . . . . need I say more.

If I run for the election, I will promise more freebies. I will remove all electric meters, all water meters, free mobile phone, free local call (across all system), free computer, free high speed internet. All bus, train, domestic air travel will also be free. Free hyermarket, free resturant, and most important is free massage. Free 100,000 Baht per year for all the citizen of Thailand. All I need to do is to increase tax to (not by) 100%.

[sriracha john]

Bemoaning the notion that public school funding is public taxpayer-supported... (as in, where is not?)

[brahmburgers]

I have no clear statistics for the other countries that border Thailand, but have heard there are surveys that show Thailand ranking near the bottom of SEA for English language. Other subjects, I do not know. henry is right, that the rote system of learning holds them back. And, the idea that the teacher is always right even when she is wrong. And that the school director is God, even when he is corrupt.

I allways thought the language in thailand was thai. Could you let me know how the US rates in the level of thai speaking competance.

Did you allways (sic) think that? English language skills are essential for getting ahead in the 21st century - anywhere in the world. Thais students sit in classrooms pretending to study English for years on end, yet most cannot put a proper five word sentence together by the time they enter University.

I think this was really aimed at the north, where parents are forced to pay tuition fees, and pay for uniforms, books, materials and activities. This law is an attempt to give parents the right of 15 years of free education for their children. It probably would make more sense to send out auditors and investigators to the northern provinces and clamp down on corrupt directors and administrators who were extracting fees, rather than have the MOE dump more money into their pockets.

Thanks for mentioning the north, which is where I'm based. Regardless of where the money is allocated, it will get siphoned off. I know a man who is head honcho of a school. He has an incredibly impressive riverside estate that must have cost many times his allotted salary. It doesn't take a genius to surmise that he probably garnered much tea money from aspiring teachers (under him) who pay to get promotions - same as cops and gov't employees pay to get promotions. Such promotions, based on payments rather than skills, are a big reason for inept professionals throughout. Example: the head honchos who allowed a handful of protesters to bash their way in to the Pattaya hotel to <deleted> the ASEAN gathering. How skilled were those security bosses at doing their jobs?

In spite of promises from Bangkok, it's doubtful school costs (in the north, at least) will change significantly - least so for the poorest and disenfranchised. I'm referring mostly to hill tribe people and others who are at the fringes. There will still be requirements that all students have brand new backpacks, brand new shoes, brand new uniforms every year. Possibly, the new reforms will ease the burden upon families to buy complete sets of brand new books for each of their kids (or free lunches), we'll have to see. Am not hopeful.

Those at the bottom rung of the economic ladder didn't get the recent Bt2,000 handout from gov't, and neither did they get any direct benefit from the recent money handed out to help with educational expenses. Even though Abhisit is the best hope for a change toward less costly education in Thailand, I remain cynical.

[sriracha john]

Jurin satisfied with 15 year free education scheme

BANGKOK, 20 May 2009 (NNT) - Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit voiced satisfaction with the results from the 15 year free education scheme after hearing feedback from the assisted people.

After observing the free education scheme at Panyaworakun School, the Education Minister said the implementation of the project turned out to be smooth and satisfactory. He added that the next missions of the ministry would be the project’s efficacy development and the second phase of education reform which would focus on education at all levels and was substantially useful for the country’s education system and students.

Commenting on the 400 billion baht loan decree, Mr. Jurin said the Ministry might receive additional budget with the decree issuance, therefore, the faster the decree was approved, the better projects of the ministry would be. After receiving positive feedback from the aided parents, He said the project would continually be operated next year.

The Education Ministry also pointed out that he had entrusted the ministry’s officials to give assistance to the family of Mr Nattapon Janae, a teacher shot dead in the southern province of Yala. Moreover, cooperation request had been passed to security authorities to provide a tighter safeguard to teachers in the southernmost areas, said the Minister.

-- NNT 2009-05-20

[sriracha john]

Hilltribe students and parents happy with "Free Education" policy

The hilltribe children in Chiang Rai said on Wednesday that they really appreciated new uniforms provided by the government's "free education" policy. They asked every government to continue the policy.

Jana Mayoh, a 10-year-old student of Mae Mon Wittaya School, said, "The free-education plan helps many children have more opportunity to study and we're very happy to get the new student uniforms."

"In the past, people donated only stationery like books, pencils and rubbers. We want the government to support the free education forever," he added.

Some parents said they needed the government to continue the policy and increase the number of uniforms, as most of children never had uniforms.

Jatupoom Jammor, director of the school, said his school had 220 hilltribe students in elementary level. Most of their parents were poor so they were satisfied with the policy which reduced their expenses.

-- The Nation 2009-05-20

[loong]

Hilltribe students and parents happy with "Free Education" policy

The hilltribe children in Chiang Rai said on Wednesday that they really appreciated new uniforms provided by the government's "free education" policy. They asked every government to continue the policy.

Jana Mayoh, a 10-year-old student of Mae Mon Wittaya School, said, "The free-education plan helps many children have more opportunity to study and we're very happy to get the new student uniforms."

"In the past, people donated only stationery like books, pencils and rubbers. We want the government to support the free education forever," he added.

Some parents said they needed the government to continue the policy and increase the number of uniforms, as most of children never had uniforms.

Jatupoom Jammor, director of the school, said his school had 220 hilltribe students in elementary level. Most of their parents were poor so they were satisfied with the policy which reduced their expenses.

-- The Nation 2009-05-20

I've noticed that these links as above appear in many posts to take you to the Bangkok Post or the Nation, but they don't take you to the relevant story and they can be difficult to find if not today's news.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/search/rea...ltribe+students

[sriracha john]

I've noticed that these links as above appear in many posts to take you to the Bangkok Post or the Nation, but they don't take you to the relevant story and they can be difficult to find if not today's news.

That was a Forum Admin decision on how they decided to set up the news links. (when posting, click on the "Insert Special Item" option). Ideally, they would take you directly to the relevant story and perhaps they can modify the linking codes to do so. Or if we could get uniform, all-posts, forum-wide cooperation to do so even without it, that, too, would be ideal. I would just add that, at least in my case, the overwhelming majority of the news I post is today's news.

All schools required to provide free education to disabled children

The Education Ministry will issue a directive to require all schools to allow children with a disability to study without paying tuition fees, Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said Thursday.

Jurin said the plan to provide free education for children with a disability was approved by the committee in charge of promoting education for disabled children.

The directive will also prohibit any school from refusing enrollments of disabled students.

Schools will also be required to provide all necessary facilities for disabled students.

The minister said the government will also allocate Bt100 million for the fund for promoting education for children with disability from the 2010 fiscal year budget. The fund has about Bt57 million now.

-- The Nation 2009-05-21

Article is here:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...e-education-to-

Edited May 21, 2009 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

I have to say the above news is extremely welcomed and most appreciated by families with disabled children. Many have not had the opportunity to ever attend school and it's terrific that now they can.

[craig]

I think this was really aimed at the north, where parents are forced to pay tuition fees, and pay for uniforms, books, materials and activities. This law is an attempt to give parents the right of 15 years of free education for their children. It probably would make more sense to send out auditors and investigators to the northern provinces and clamp down on corrupt directors and administrators who were extracting fees, rather than have the MOE dump more money into their pockets.

My Thai wife's three kids are in public school...two different schools south of Pattaya...Here parents had to buy all the stuff mentioned in the quote..Hey, this is the first time I've used a quote....this term my wife was given just over 500 baht for each kid...It is a help but does not cover all the expenses. One of the schools says the books are free this year. Last year the oldest daughter had to pay a 500 baht service charge for the computer class...now, both daughters are in the same school...don't know about the lab fee yet. Girl and boy scout uniforms are required also. This is a good start.

[sriracha john]

Education Ministry allots Bt100 million to support education for disabled students

BANGKOK, 21 May 2009 (NNT) - The Education Ministry has established a 100 Million Baht fund for 2010 to insure basic education for the disabled.

After a meeting with a commission for educational support for students with disabilities, Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit announced that the body had resolved to obligate all educational institutions to provide free education to the disabled, inclusive of technology to aid them in their studies.

All schools under the Ministry of Education are now also compelled to accept disabled students without discrimination and facilitate them in their daily commute.

A funding budget of 100 Million Baht has been established for the year 2010 to be used in the support of 180,000 students with disabilities.

Preparations are also being made to develop teachers in order to accommodate the special needs of disabled students.

Training will take place at least once a year while ethical seminars will take place once every 3 years.

-- NNT 2009-05-21

[sriracha john]

Bangkok Poll: Thai Students want to go to school

BANGKOK, 21 May 2009 (NNT) – Latest survey of Bangkok University Research Institute (Bangkok Poll) discovered that a majority of Thai secondary school students want to go to school.

Bangkok Poll had conducted the research under the topic “How do students feel about studying in school?” surveyed 1,146 respondents from 30 public and private secondary schools in the Bangkok area.

The research showed that 60.7 percent of the respondents felt good during the opening of a new semester, reasoning that they felt excited about meeting their friends again. However, the rest said that they were indifferent, and some of them felt lazy when they had to go to school.

In addition, most of the respondents, which accounted for 96.5 percent, believed that the knowledge and experience gained from studying could ensure them a good future.

In terms of satisfaction in aspects related to studying at school, the respondents had the most satisfaction with their teachers, rating them 7.79 points out of 10. Following this, respondents ranked school activities for second place, rating it 7.63 points.

Students graded satisfaction towards the content they studied in school at 7.45 points. However, the respondents also felt satisfied with school supplies and text books by ranking them 7.43 and 7.33 points respectively.

-- NNT 2009-05-21

=======================================================================

Students feel good in new semester

BANGKOK, 21 May 2009 (NNT) – Bangkok Poll shows students feel good at the beginning of this semester.

The Bangkok University Poll or Bangkok Poll had surveyed students’ opinion under the topic “How do students feel about studying?” in order to reflect their viewpoints to relevant units. The poll had asked 1,146 students in 30 schools, both government and private, in Bangkok during May 18-20.

It found that 60.7 per cent of them felt good in going to school during the new semester, when asking them about their satisfaction in any aspect related to studying, they were satisfied with their teachers the most, secondly special activities, content, facility, and books, respectively.

Meanwhile the students have some suggestion for the responsible people as 41.7 per cent of them would like to adjust teaching technique and approach, including the atmosphere in studying.

When comparing suggestions from government school and private school’s students, most of the suggestions from government school’s students are about teaching technique adjustment, and atmosphere, while suggestions about improving environment in school, loosening studying schedule, and modernizing content, which could apply to life, came from both types of schools.

-- NNT 2009-05-21

[justanothercybertosser]

Fine. Let's see if this is more than a publicity stunt. Let's see if it lasts more than a news cycle. This country is still decades behind war-wracked Vietnam and Cambodia and despotic Myanmar in its educational system. Let's see them reform the teachers and the administrators.

For us it means a whopping one time payment of 300 baht.

I can pay now for 90% of one school uniform.