English Courses In Schools To Attract Expat Children

[george]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

BANGKOK: -- In order to attract more students from neighbouring countries, 14 top government secondary schools will be installed with English programmes from the next academic year, the Office of Basic Education Commission said yesterday.

This ambitious project, which involves a school in Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri, is also aimed at drawing the children of expatriates living in the four neighbouring countries, Obec's secretary-general Khunying Kasama Worrawan na Ayutthaya said.

This project is part of the commission's plan to turn Thailand into a regional hub for secondary education in the next three years. All 14 schools will be allocated with extra budgets to improve their personnel's skills, teaching methods and curriculum, as well as include funding for better accommodation, she added.

The new curriculum will be based on standards set by the Education Ministry, but will not include the Thai language or social sciences. Fees should range from Bt30,000 to Bt50,000 per semester, and the minimum number of foreign students expected is 140 or 10 students per school in average.

The Obec is also planning to launch another project that offers special Asean courses in some 54 schools nationwide, of which 24 are located in border provinces. The schools in border provinces will educate students about the four countries bordering Thailand, while the remaining 30 schools will teach their students about five Asean countries.

The "Spirit of Asean project" is meant to accommodate plans to turn Asean into and economic and trade grouping by 2015, Kasama said.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

[dale8]

Hello, the expats are in the other countries for many other reasons like they have a job there so this will not be attractive unless they can board the children as well. They should put a package together that would include jobs for the parents and a long term visa with a work permit, but this is only a pipe dream too.

[beano2274]

English courses - what a joke.

I visited the EP Program show at the Mall Ngamwongwan the other day, and found many signs to be

incorrect, words spelt wrong and grammar errors.

Each area of Thailand had a heading and list of schools on a big sign adjacent to their areas, the one I noticed was "Brillient South", just made me wanna laugh.

[bangon04]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

BANGKOK: -- In order to attract more students from neighbouring countries, 14 top government secondary schools will be installed with English programmes from the next academic year, the Office of Basic Education Commission said yesterday.

This ambitious project, which involves a school in Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri, is also aimed at drawing the children of expatriates living in the four neighbouring countries, Obec's secretary-general Khunying Kasama Worrawan na Ayutthaya said.

The "Spirit of Asean project" is meant to accommodate plans to turn Asean into and economic and trade grouping by 2015, Kasama said.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

On the Thai Government "We need to make an announcement about something today" scale of stupidity and nonsense , this ranks a good 9 out of 10. Thai government schools are a laughing stock everywhere except inside the Thai ministry of education, and the so called education they provide to Thai people is (or should be) a national shame. Yet they presume to offer education to people from neighbouring countries!!!!!!!

Even inside ASEAN, what could Thai education offer? The Vietnamese are probably coughing over their breakfast.....

[bangon04]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

This project is part of the commission's plan to turn Thailand into a regional hub for secondary education in the next three years. All 14 schools will be allocated with extra budgets to improve their personnel's skills, teaching methods and curriculum, as well as include funding for better accommodation, she added.

The new curriculum will be based on standards set by the Education Ministry, but will not include the Thai language or social sciences. Fees should range from Bt30,000 to Bt50,000 per semester, and the minimum number of foreign students expected is 140 or 10 students per school in average.

The "Spirit of Asean project" is meant to accommodate plans to turn Asean into and economic and trade grouping by 2015, Kasama said.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

Or should we just read: " oh look the international schools are charging a lot of money for education - let's see if we can create another cash cow somehow and charge the rich for the education we should have been providing anyway...."

[Thai at Heart]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

BANGKOK: -- In order to attract more students from neighbouring countries, 14 top government secondary schools will be installed with English programmes from the next academic year, the Office of Basic Education Commission said yesterday.

This ambitious project, which involves a school in Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri, is also aimed at drawing the children of expatriates living in the four neighbouring countries, Obec's secretary-general Khunying Kasama Worrawan na Ayutthaya said.

This project is part of the commission's plan to turn Thailand into a regional hub for secondary education in the next three years. All 14 schools will be allocated with extra budgets to improve their personnel's skills, teaching methods and curriculum, as well as include funding for better accommodation, she added.

The new curriculum will be based on standards set by the Education Ministry, but will not include the Thai language or social sciences. Fees should range from Bt30,000 to Bt50,000 per semester, and the minimum number of foreign students expected is 140 or 10 students per school in average.

The Obec is also planning to launch another project that offers special Asean courses in some 54 schools nationwide, of which 24 are located in border provinces. The schools in border provinces will educate students about the four countries bordering Thailand, while the remaining 30 schools will teach their students about five Asean countries.

The "Spirit of Asean project" is meant to accommodate plans to turn Asean into and economic and trade grouping by 2015, Kasama said.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

I can see that this is going to cause an explosion in demand for Khao San degrees and nothing more.

[bangon04]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

BANGKOK: -- In order to attract more students from neighbouring countries, 14 top government secondary schools will be installed with English programmes from the next academic year, the Office of Basic Education Commission said yesterday.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

What exactly is a "top government secondary school" ??? And if they are top already, why do they need to receive an English programme? Is it only bad secondary schools in Thailand which teach English?

Maybe if Thailand introduces fee paying schools on a large scale, the overall standards will improve? But then again......

[bangon04]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

This project is part of the commission's plan to turn Thailand into a regional hub for secondary education in the next three years. All 14 schools will be allocated with extra budgets to improve their personnel's skills, teaching methods and curriculum, as well as include funding for better accommodation, she added.

-- The Nation 2009-08-25

I had to read this a few times before it sank in - three years!!!!!!! What utter utter utter drivel.

[PeaceBlondie]

Up to 50,000 baht per semester, for each of ten farang or Vietnamese or Kampuchan to go to a govt. school in Lieland Thailand! This week I had dinner with a wealthy South African who had just paid 50,000 for his secondary daughter to attend a WASC-accredited fully international school for one semester.

Based on my professional observation: With the exception of a few demonstration schools, 85% of all Thai teachers of English are incompetent in teaching methods, reading, writing. speaking and listening. But they dress well.

Hub-a-dubba, ten Thais in a tub of hubs.

[baabaabobo]

Thailand a regional hub for secondary education - does this qualify as an oxymoron?

[PatinBKk]

They are doing this in the hope the nasty foreigner will buy some beachfront land to build a villa while his kids are being educated just so they can then take the land back as nasty foreigners shouldnt have land

[Losangels]

Wonder what the annual budget is given to this Basic Education Commission.

Perhaps tax payers money can be better spent on other meaningful departments

[mrtoad]

Thailand - Hub of nonsensical announcements.

[Hawk]

Based on my professional observation: With the exception of a few demonstration schools, 85% of all Thai teachers of English are incompetent in teaching methods, reading, writing. speaking and listening. But they dress well.

I would say more like 98% and they even have the audacity to boastfully call themselves "English teachers".

[Losangels]

Based on my professional observation: With the exception of a few demonstration schools, 85% of all Thai teachers of English are incompetent in teaching methods, reading, writing. speaking and listening. But they dress well.

I would say more like 98% and they even have the audacity to boastfully call themselves "English teachers".

As in most things here, apperance is more important than substance

[Ijustwannateach]

Hmmm.. aside from the tuition fees- just where are these children going to live, if their families are in those 'neighboring countries?' Just asking....

[Thai at Heart]

Hmmm.. aside from the tuition fees- just where are these children going to live, if their families are in those 'neighboring countries?' Just asking....

First things first, where are they going to sit? All the state schools I have ever seen are grossly overcrowded.

[Scott]

I may be wrong, but if I were an expat and planning on sending my kids away to school, I would have to give serious consideration to sending them to Singapore.

I see a couple of problems with sending kids (away) to school in Thailand.

1. As IJWTT has mentioned, where will they live? I don't think some of the larger cities here are conducive to having youngsters on the loose. Bangkok certainly isn't a safe city and it's far from being child friendly.

Other places maybe safer, but not necessarily enough to allay the fears of parents.

2. I would have concerns about everything from visas to medical care here.

[hammered]

Compared to "proper" international schools that price is cheap. If done properly this could work. By English Program I assume they mena a full curriculum of subjects taught in English. The problems with doing this kind of program are that most Thai schools dont have a lot of Thai teachers who could teach their subject in English, and foreign teachers tend not to be qualified to teach in a school, often dont have a clue as to the curriculum and cost more.

I say this based on my experience of having a daughter working her way through the education system.

Hopefully it will be done properly and not rushed. It would also be interesting to see what schools are picked. I wonder if it will be those that have effectively forced the tutor schoolization by their low academic standards (and often respected names), or if it will be schools that have a standard where results and grades dont depend on attending some tutor school with prcies that make lien piset look an incredible bargain.

I await hearing more on this program and meeting teenagers who complain about having to attend the teachers cousin's tutor school in order to pass with the net cost being somewhat more than double that currently mentioned.

In Chonburi the English Programs (Thai curriculum) at schools are actually full of Thai kids from what I see.

[PeaceBlondie]

Cost per year just for boarding, Prem Center 308,OOO per year

492,500 Tuition, grades 9 to 12

[Thailand]

Ah- Another "regional hub" proposal from the ministry of "regional hubs"

Perhaps Thailand could become the "regional hub" for "regional hubs" in the next three years also.

[NormanW]

Or should we just read: " oh look the international schools are charging a lot of money for education - let's see if we can create another cash cow somehow and charge the rich for the education we should have been providing anyway...."

Nail on the head!!!!!!!!!!!!

[henryalleman]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

BANGKOK: -- In order to attract more students from neighbouring countries, 14 top government secondary schools will be installed with English programmes from the next academic year, the Office of Basic Education Commission said yesterday.

This ambitious project, which involves a school in Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri, is also aimed at drawing the children of expatriates living in the four neighbouring countries, Obec's secretary-general Khunying Kasama Worrawan na Ayutthaya said.

The "Spirit of Asean project" is meant to accommodate plans to turn Asean into and economic and trade grouping by 2015, Kasama said.

[thenatio[/thenatitio2009-08-2-25

On the Thai Government "We need to make an announcement about something today" scale of stupidity and nonsense , this ranks a good 9 out of 10. Thai government schools are a laughing stock everywhere except inside the Thai ministry of education, and the so called education they provide to Thai people is (or should be) a national shame. Yet they presume to offer education to people from neighbouring countries!!!!!!!

Even inside ASEAN, what could Thai education offer? The Vietnamese are probably coughing over their breakfast.....

On the contrary what some people think there a few exceptions. Some government schools in the Bangkok area have the highest % of students who succeed in the entrance exam of Chulalonkorn university. Its for that reason my stepson took his daughter out of a privat school and let er study there, (and believe me, money is not the reason).

And the reachers their are realy motivated.

Prior to that my grand daughter was a complet unmotivated student,, now she follow extra classes and tutoring in the weekend, even on sunday. She realy is a studax now.

Her teacher even give her study books from her son who is at Chulalongkorn to prepare her the entrance exam.

And also outside Bangkok there are good government schools, my wiffinnished high school in nakhon Sawan, 52 years and she learned how to speak, read and write perfect English there. better than me anyhow LOL

But I agree that in general the Thai governments school are of a very very low standard.

But as always there are exceptions who confirm the rule

[khonkaen man]

English courses in schools to attract expat children

BANGKOK: -- In order to attract more students from neighbouring countries, 14 top government secondary schools will be installed with English programmes from the next academic year, the Office of Basic Education Commission said yesterday.

This ambitious project, which involves a school in Bangkok, Phuket and Chon Buri, is also aimed at drawing the children of expatriates living in the four neighbouring countries, Obec's secretary-general Khunying Kasama Worrawan na Ayutthaya said.

The "Spirit of Asean project" is meant to accommodate plans to turn Asean into and economic and trade grouping by 2015, Kasama said.

[thenatio[/thenatitio2009-08-2-25

On the Thai Government "We need to make an announcement about something today" scale of stupidity and nonsense , this ranks a good 9 out of 10. Thai government schools are a laughing stock everywhere except inside the Thai ministry of education, and the so called education they provide to Thai people is (or should be) a national shame. Yet they presume to offer education to people from neighbouring countries!!!!!!!

Even inside ASEAN, what could Thai education offer? The Vietnamese are probably coughing over their breakfast.....

On the contrary what some people think there a few exceptions. Some government schools in the Bangkok area have the highest % of students who succeed in the entrance exam of Chulalonkorn university. Its for that reason my stepson took his daughter out of a privat school and let er study there, (and believe me, money is not the reason).

And the reachers their are realy motivated.

Prior to that my grand daughter was a complet unmotivated student,, now she follow extra classes and tutoring in the weekend, even on sunday. She realy is a studax now.

Her teacher even give her study books from her son who is at Chulalongkorn to prepare her the entrance exam.

And also outside Bangkok there are good government schools, my wiffinnished high school in nakhon Sawan, 52 years and she learned how to speak, read and write perfect English there. better than me anyhow LOL

But I agree that in general the Thai governments school are of a very very low standard.

But as always there are exceptions who confirm the rule

Dont you realise that Chulalongkorn is a bloody joke as well. Papers from here have no standing in the international community.

[seadoo]

Hello, the expats are in the other countries for many other reasons like they have a job there so this will not be attractive unless they can board the children as well. They should put a package together that would include jobs for the parents and a long term visa with a work permit, but this is only a pipe dream too.

You obviously don't live here, not all of us are here working as GM's of multinational companies, some of us come here for varied reasons and like a lot of us, we have to cover our own education expenses, especially if you are running your own business here.

If this can get off the ground and is done correctly it is very very interesting for a lot of people here, currently we have no choice but to send our expat children to an international school, this costs us around 400k each per year, so having an opportunity to cut this down to about a 3rd is very attractive.

[Briggsy]

Mods

The title of this thread is misleading. "Expats" is often taken to mean Westerners with well-salaried jobs working overseas. The government project specifies attracting schoolchildren from Cambodia, Laos, Burma and Malaysia.

Please change it.

[Moruya]

English courses - what a joke.

I visited the EP Program show at the Mall Ngamwongwan the other day, and found many signs to be

incorrect, words spelt wrong and grammar errors.

Each area of Thailand had a heading and list of schools on a big sign adjacent to their areas, the one I noticed was "Brillient South", just made me wanna laugh.

There are so many mistakes in your grammar and punctuation that you should not even consider making a post such as this.

[Xangsamhua]

Not wanting to bag the project without knowing the detail, I'd still want evidence that it'll be introduced systematically and without too much conflict of interest. The mistakes made in attempting to introduce CLIL (content language integrated learning), a form of English immersion, in Thailand will need to be avoided.

This from the report of the British Council CLIL project manager:

From the beginning, the pilot was hampered by misunderstandings and differing expectations on the part of MoE officials, the consultant and British Council project managers. Schools were 'chosen' by OBEC officials who wanted schools that would be used as display schools in the future and have the best chance of succeeding in the project from a political point of view. This was counter to the original project aims of either choosing the most appropriate educational context for success, or 'typical' schools within which to investigate how to enable a CLIL program to succeed on a national level. Teachers in the project, rather than being informed of the project and recruited as volunteers were 'assigned' to the project by school heads who had little understanding of the project aims. Heads also seemed to expect a high-status project with a lot of associated funding: something that was counter to the original aims of the project which was looking for low-resource solutions that would require little funding.

Another original aim, that of promoting whole school development through increased dialogue among teachers about teaching was hindered by strong communications barriers between departments and differing levels of support from different levels of school administration.

For a fuller report see http://www.onestopclil.com/section.asp?the...8&docid=927

It's good that OBEC is looking to take three years to introduce the new scheme. That's much better than everyone falling about to rush in a new project just because an influential person has recommended it. There's a lot to think about. What curriculum will they use (Thai national or an international one)? What class sizes, conditions for learning, quality of staff (presumably mainly foreign), quality of resources, entry requirements (for English), etc. And how are they going to provide a quality program that will attract people from neighbouring countries (citizens or the children of expats?) for only THB50,000 per semester? Presumably we're not talking about a low-scale English-medium school for people who are already in Thailand, but a quality program that will attract people from outside the country.

The cost of accommodation will have to be added, of course. They can use supervised hostels or homestay. I don't think this is a problem.

I'm all in favour of Thailand thinking outside the square and being a bit adventurous, but effective and sustained innovation needs clear objectives and careful planning. It also needs a critical perspective, without being negative (critical friends rather than just critics). I wonder what will be in place in three years' time?

[PeaceBlondie]

Briggsy, you're right but within Thailand, most of us retirees are expats on pensions or savings. What term fits better, if we can change the title to include whomever this doubtful suggested project aims for? It is an announcement by a govt. and agency renowned for mis-executing half-baked ideas. It may not happen at all. It's several ideas, not one.

[Briggsy]

How about "English school project aims to attract pupils from around S E Asia."

Edited August 26, 2009 by Briggsy