Private & Public Education

[Scott]

In another topic one of our posters, Loaded, said the following:

Many private schools have suffered since the Abhisit government made government school education free. They have lost students and class sizes are smaller. I know personally directors of large private schools in Chiang Mai who have admitted their schools are running at a loss.

I am curious as to how other posters see the current situation and how it will effect the overall situation for foreign teachers. Are government schools going to upgrade programs? Will more Foreign teachers be employed by them? Will salary and conditions at private schools drop because of fewer students?

Your thoughts and observations will be appreciated.

[ThaiRich]

Scott,

I can't answer for schools in Bangkok and other Major cities. But make no mistake that even parents who send their children to private schools benefit from the "free education scheme". I can only give you an example from my school out in a rural area, but many of the parents have money. At my school when the parents buy the school uniforms they are able to take the receipt over to the education department and receive a refund. The government does give X amount of baht per a student to the school to cover books, teachers salaries, etc. We even get the free milk to give to students that the government schools get and with that the school owner was able to cut the fee to attend my school nearly in half. In fact, attendance is up nearly 10% in my private school since the "free education scheme". I think it is important for all teachers to know that the only schools that are not benefiting from the scheme are the International Schools, even private schools are getting some of the pie. So if the owner of your private school is telling you they aren't getting any money from the government, they aren't being completely honest with you.

Edited December 19, 2010 by ThaiRich

[Scott]

Thanks for that comment. I know very little about the finances of the school and the growth level at our school is less than in previous years, but that might be due to a host of reasons, including a lot of competition in the same geographical area. The school is still growing, but not by the leaps and bounds it was before.

We had a room full of milk that was given to students. I had no idea where it came from, but I was pretty sure it wasn't a gift from our administration! I think you have given me a pretty good idea where it came from.

[ThaiRich]

Oooh. If you didn't know about the milk, then I'm sure you didn't know about this. Every month schools both government and private get 3,000 baht to give to each teacher as a bonus for working hard and teaching the children. It is up to the school who gets and doesn't get the money. Money that isn't given out is to be returned by the 7th of the month to the local education office. This has been going on for about 17 months now. At my school we get 2,500 and the school keeps 500 for expenses, such as air conditioning, coffee, sugar and creamer(which are always full) and small bottles of water. 500 baht a month is pretty steep for coffee, water and air con in the teachers room which I only use 3 hours a day. BUT, if it gets me 2,500 above my salary, then can have the 500. You may be asking yourself how a falang knows so much about the finances of a private school and what the government gives them. One of my private students father is the head of the local education office and I have tutored all 3 of his children over the years and he enjoys telling me everything. I don't know if he does it so I have all the information or so that he can show me how much he knows, it doesn't really matter why he tells me. In the end I know whats what.

[Scott]

Does it apply to all private schools under the MOE regardless of location?

I also wonder if teachers who are not listed on the rolls because they are less-than-legal are included.

(It wouldn't apply to me because my position is administrative and I get 4,000 baht extra already for various and sundry things).

[ThaiRich]

Does it apply to all private schools under the MOE regardless of location?

I also wonder if teachers who are not listed on the rolls because they are less-than-legal are included.

(It wouldn't apply to me because my position is administrative and I get 4,000 baht extra already for various and sundry things).

I know that I am on waivers and I get the bonus. There are several Thai teachers that don't yet have their teachers licenses and they are getting it. I can't answer for sure that it is all schools under the MOE, but it would only make sense(TIT I know).

[Scott]

You have piqued my curiosity, if the school (especially a private school) doesn't give it to the teacher, then do they not claim it or can they just pocket the money.

I ask because when this becomes widely known about, I foresee a lot of upset teachers.

[ThaiRich]

You have piqued my curiosity, if the school (especially a private school) doesn't give it to the teacher, then do they not claim it or can they just pocket the money.

I ask because when this becomes widely known about, I foresee a lot of upset teachers.

We have to pick the money up at the school office and sign for it before the 5th of each month, as on the 7th they should be returning all unused money to the local education office. Like I said before this has been going on here for the last 17 months. I'm sure you know the answer yourself as to they just pocketing the money. I know that when the anouncement was made about the free education scheme some 2 years ago. All of the teachers had to create a short term (1 year) and a long term (3-5 year) goal/lesson plan if you will. Even the school had to write a 5 year plan. So this makes me think that there was a lot of paper work envolved with getting the extra money for teachers salaries and bonuses, ect. Perhaps some schools didn't know how to do the paper work or didn't meet the deadline.?.?.

[Credo]

Well the planning aspect explains a lot.  At my school, a long range plan is one that extends from the morning all the way into the early afternoon.

They would have trouble planning a p*ss-up in a brewery.