Free Education For Disabled

[churchill]

All of the disabled in the country will be given free education until they have finished a bachelor's degree starting next year, said Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit on Tuesday.

Mr Jurin said this was a resolution made by the Committee on Education for the Disabled.

The resolution is for the disabled to be entitled to free education to the bachelor's degree level in either state-run or private universities. They will not have to pay for tuition and other fees to the universities in which they study. Their expenses will be covered by the offices of Basic Education Commission and Higher Education Commission, he said.

"I have signed a regulation of the Committee on Education for the Disabled to enforce this resolution, which will take effect from academic year 2010," the minister said.

continued http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/15...on-for-disabled

-- Bangkok Post 18/08/09

[dale8]

Hello, this might motivate more disabled people to get a better life for themselves as many people feel sorry for what they are given to work with. It should be a good thing for them to help with the economic situation of their family, and they will not feel like they are a burden. Good luck for this program, and I hope more disabled people will take advantage of this.

[churchill]

Disabled education bill approved

The cabinet on Tuesday approved the draft bill on education for the disabled, Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit said.

Under the draft, the Office of Special Education of the Basic Education Commission will be reorganised and be the main agency to ensure the disabled have the the opportunity to receive education through special means.

The status of the director of the Office of Special Education will be upgraded to be equivalent to director-general of a department, Mr Jurin said.

-- Bangkok Post 01/09/09

[Travel2003]

Hello, this might motivate more disabled people to get a better life for themselves as many people feel sorry for what they are given to work with. It should be a good thing for them to help with the economic situation of their family, and they will not feel like they are a burden. Good luck for this program, and I hope more disabled people will take advantage of this.

I could not figure out in the article about what disability it is about.

I saw deaf people were mentioned.

But it seems like all kinds of disabilities.

So, if I had one foot shorter than the other, and had serious problems walking, I would be able to get a free education?

And the highly intelligent child next door, he should just continue to use his brain to come up with better ways to sell flowers to the tourists, because he is not disabled?

Sounds riduculous to me.

All people should have the equal opportunity to education.

[G54]

I think it is a good thing.

Far too often in the past anyone with a disability was looked down upon. Luckily many 'Farang' countries have good education and work opportunities for the disabled, maybe now the same will happen here.

Simply because someone is disabled does not mean they have to be a burden on society. Many are as intelligent as their non-disabled counterparts but are in need of more specialist care in a lot of cases.

It is good for them and for society as a whole if they are given the opportunity to get a decent education and employment afterwards. Much better than begging on the streets or hawking around the pubs selling trinkets and flowers.

[Travel2003]

I think it is a good thing.

Far too often in the past anyone with a disability was looked down upon. Luckily many 'Farang' countries have good education and work opportunities for the disabled, maybe now the same will happen here.

Simply because someone is disabled does not mean they have to be a burden on society. Many are as intelligent as their non-disabled counterparts but are in need of more specialist care in a lot of cases.

It is good for them and for society as a whole if they are given the opportunity to get a decent education and employment afterwards. Much better than begging on the streets or hawking around the pubs selling trinkets and flowers.

Hi

I agree with 99,9% of what you are saying.

There is no doubt that it might have been some stigma regarding both physical and mental challenged people in this region.

Good that it is at least brough up on the agenda. That is admirable.

But.

I even wonder if they have worked out a system how to accommodate the various needs all the people with God knows how many disabilities have?

Will the schools and universities already be equipped to receive them?

I seriously doubt it, as this is not something that can be done within a few months.

We all know that from back home.

It takes careful planning to make sure the needs are cared for, and the facilities for the various disabilities are up and running.

Quite amazing that this breaks the news and they just decide that this will be implemented.

Ok, I am negative now, I admit that, but I am also realistic here.

In this case I think it is some kind of over the top knee jerk reaction, in order to score political points.

Same as when they "over night" a few years ago decided to close bars/discos earlier, in order to give Thailand a better repurtation. The result? Underground night clubs, and prox 30% of all local musicians in the country lost their jobs over night.

Or, when they decided to stop all sex change related operations until further noticed, when they discovered some unethical butchers were working in the industry. Resulting in a lot of visiting customers loosing their money (investments), and personnel loosing their jobs.

Same same, but different.

[Dakhar]

Thailand has a surprisingly aggressive assistance for the deaf.

For one, Thai citizens that have govt benifits can get free hearing aids or cochlear implants. Cochlear Implants, cost around 30K USD, and the govt picks up the bill.

The US pales in comparison. How Thailand can afford this is beyond me.

[G54]

I think it is a good thing.

Far too often in the past anyone with a disability was looked down upon. Luckily many 'Farang' countries have good education and work opportunities for the disabled, maybe now the same will happen here.

Simply because someone is disabled does not mean they have to be a burden on society. Many are as intelligent as their non-disabled counterparts but are in need of more specialist care in a lot of cases.

It is good for them and for society as a whole if they are given the opportunity to get a decent education and employment afterwards. Much better than begging on the streets or hawking around the pubs selling trinkets and flowers.

Hi

I agree with 99,9% of what you are saying.

There is no doubt that it might have been some stigma regarding both physical and mental challenged people in this region.

Good that it is at least brough up on the agenda. That is admirable.

But.

I even wonder if they have worked out a system how to accommodate the various needs all the people with God knows how many disabilities have?

Will the schools and universities already be equipped to receive them?

I seriously doubt it, as this is not something that can be done within a few months.

We all know that from back home.

It takes careful planning to make sure the needs are cared for, and the facilities for the various disabilities are up and running.

Quite amazing that this breaks the news and they just decide that this will be implemented.

Ok, I am negative now, I admit that, but I am also realistic here.

In this case I think it is some kind of over the top knee jerk reaction, in order to score political points.

Same as when they "over night" a few years ago decided to close bars/discos earlier, in order to give Thailand a better repurtation. The result? Underground night clubs, and prox 30% of all local musicians in the country lost their jobs over night.

Or, when they decided to stop all sex change related operations until further noticed, when they discovered some unethical butchers were working in the industry. Resulting in a lot of visiting customers loosing their money (investments), and personnel loosing their jobs.

Same same, but different.

Yes, I tend to agree.

It took the UK a long time to adapt to the disabled. In fact some places are still trying to adapt, be it schools or shops or Gov't establishments and that is how many decades on?

For Thailand to implement this idea of education for disabled people it is likely to be haphazard if it is implemented at all.

Still, it is better to make a start in the right direction.

I noticed at one hospital there is a solitary parking space for disabled people near the entrance and the only disabled parking space I have seen in Thailand so far though I do not doubt there will be others.

As I recall - from an above post about deaf people - AIS have a 99 Baht per mth SMS service for the 'hearing challenged customers' and they get 500 SMS for that. They do have to give proof at a shop.

So there is an awareness regards disability here, though I am not sure how seriously it is taken. In the past I have heard that Thai people tend to hide their disabled relatives away from the general public.

All in all, if this idea of education does take off in the future then I am all for it especially if it helps to remove some of the stigma attached to disabilities.