Bt100M For Thai Teachers To Brush Up English Skills Abroad

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Bt100m for teachers to brush up English skills abroad

SUPINA NA MAHACHAI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- A Bt100-million budget has been set aside for about 1,100 teachers to take part in English language training in English-speaking countries during the upcoming summer vacation.

Deputy Education Minister Sakda Kongpet yesterday said 1,137 teachers across the country would be chosen to take part in the training in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

"This move is aimed at preparing them for the Asean Economic Community [AEC]," he said.

Sakda said 675 would be selected from teachers under the Office of Basic Education Commission's supervision, or three from each educational service area office; 231 would be chosen among teachers under the supervision of the Office of Vocational Education Commis-sion, also three from each pro-vince; and the remaining 231 would be selected under the Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education, again three per province. "They will have to travel abroad in April and will be trained for a month. The teachers will have to stay with host families in those countries. The Education Ministry will select the host families for them. Each of them will be given Bt100,000 to pay for expenses while staying in the foreign countries, but they have to pay for their air fares," he added.

Sakda said the project would also offer exchange opportunities for those countries to send their teachers to stay with host families in Thailand in order to enhance their language capability.

In a wider move, the ministry will provide 30-hour English language training to people in other occupations. It targets training more than 4 million people in total ahead of the AEC's implementation in 2015.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher.

The minister said schools should not wait for the ministry to search for foreign teachers, as he wanted them to make direct contact with "sister" schools in English-speaking countries.

After they find eligible foreign teachers, they have to report the number to the Office of Basic Education Commission, the Office of the Education Council and the Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education in order for the ministry to set the overall budget for hiring them.

Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers.

-- The Nation 2012-03-13

[David48]

This article is surprising at a number of levels.

1,137 teachers across the country would be chosen to take part in the training in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.

... meaning that the teachers have not yet been chosen?

Considering that we are half way though March and they are intending to travel in April, it's an incredibly short lead time. Thai planning?

Following on from the above comment

The Education Ministry will select the host families for them

implying that the host families in these selected countries have not even been contacted or selected yet?

Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher.

Surly that figure quoted can not be correct? Do the schools have a discretionary budget to add to the proposed monthly salary?

Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers.

Without knowing the details, is the concept a good proposal in general?

Any currently employed English teachers wish to comment on any of the above points?

.

[Scott]

The purpose is help them brush up on their English. How will this happen? Will they take classes? Will there be some structure to the program? Will they just stay with a family for a few weeks?

Based on what is written, very poor planning. Very little bang for the buck.

[sirchai]

Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher.

The minister said schools should not wait for the ministry to search for foreign teachers, as he wanted them to make direct contact with "sister" schools in English-speaking countries.

After they find eligible foreign teachers, they have to report the number to the Office of Basic Education Commission, the Office of the Education Council and the Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education in order for the ministry to set the overall budget for hiring them.

Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers.

Why can't they just make a new law like other countries for Indian computer programmers,or football players from Africa, to receive a high salary, plus a Thai id?

Seems like they understood that Thailand hasn't got "good cards" regarding the ASEAN community in 2015. And 15 Rai of land as a welcome present.....

Edited March 13, 2012 by sirchai

[sirchai]

The purpose is help them brush up on their English. How will this happen? Will they take classes? Will there be some structure to the program? Will they just stay with a family for a few weeks?

Based on what is written, very poor planning. Very little bang for the buck.

Their planning is like the last flood prevention. 1,000 boats pushing the water away. Sounds similar.....

Edited March 13, 2012 by sirchai

[David48]

The purpose is help them brush up on their English. How will this happen? Will they take classes? Will there be some structure to the program? Will they just stay with a family for a few weeks?

Based on what is written, very poor planning. Very little bang for the buck.

Based on what was written I venture to suggest nearly impossible to achieve their goal within their mentioned timeframe of April ... unless they were implying April 2013 ... and given Thai Planning, even that might be a stretch!

Edited March 13, 2012 by David48

[laurentbkk]

I think the idea is not bad , but it will take a long time to organised in a good way .Maybe for next year ......

[stewyk71]

"Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher."

My school would be happy with 10 000 baht extra every month to help pay for me.

"Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers."

Go for Suchart you have my vote!!!!!!!!

[scorecard]

The purpose is help them brush up on their English. How will this happen? Will they take classes? Will there be some structure to the program? Will they just stay with a family for a few weeks?

Based on what is written, very poor planning. Very little bang for the buck.

For those who go abroad, wonder how much time will be set aside for shopping?

[scorecard]

"Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher."

My school would be happy with 10 000 baht extra every month to help pay for me.

"Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers."

Go for Suchart you have my vote!!!!!!!!

I don't think that's what he meant. I think he means 'pay them 10,000Baht a month'.

So how many properly qualified foreigners are going to work for 10,000Baht a month ?

On the other hand he seems to be suggesting that proper qualifications and training to teach English can be side stepped?

So what results is he expecting?

[scorecard]

.

So the newly graduated teacher with no experience get's 15,000 min start salary and the English teacher (perhaps with experience gets 10,000Baht per month.

Everything Suchart says is lacking in any thought, structure, credibility focus or objectivity towards a realistic goal. Next he's be suggesting that farang can make a donation to the school (the head) to get a job for 10,000Baht a month.

Fool.

[Kilgore Trout]

Sakda said the project would also offer exchange opportunities for those countries to send their teachers to stay with host families in Thailand in order to enhance their language capability.

Enhance who's language skills; the teacher or the host family?

[ezzra]

I wonder which MP or influential politician is very busy now starting a tour company to cater,

you have guessed it, and overseas English learning packages for "Thai people"

[IAMHERE]

The Thai's could take Teaching English as a Second language course at Southen Illinois University and become some of the greatest English Teachers in the world. Would be inexpensive to do also because it is a lower cost area.

[belg]

1100 elite thai chinese children will have a free holliday, yeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

brilliant idea, much better than to bring 100 english teachers here for a free holliday + teaching course

[Rosco911]

"Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher."

My school would be happy with 10 000 baht extra every month to help pay for me.

"Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers."

Go for Suchart you have my vote!!!!!!!!

I don't think that's what he meant. I think he means 'pay them 10,000Baht a month'.

So how many properly qualified foreigners are going to work for 10,000Baht a month ?

On the other hand he seems to be suggesting that proper qualifications and training to teach English can be side stepped?

So what results is he expecting?

Agree, he says ''eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English'' no mention of qualified teachers.

[anterian]

This article is surprising at a number of levels.

Considering that we are half way though March and they are intending to travel in April, it's an incredibly short lead time. Thai planning?

.

Reminds me a a current example of Thai planning, My dentist's receptionist rang this morning, said they had made me an appointment for 11am. I looked at my watch it was 2 minutes to 11 .am! I had to explain that tomorrow would be more sensible.

[steveromagnino]

as it is a bribe using tax payer money to get a few people to love the government as much as possible for 'super may' it isn't a surprise that there is skant detail nor actual thought behind spending the money so effortlessly.

Naturally, we can expect those who will enjoy the travel the most to coincidentally be of certain political persuasion.

The paybacks and gratuities for burning stuff (7m) for supporting stuff (travel abroad) etc etc will continue from now until 'morale improves'.

After all...it's only the tax payers who suffer and they weren't going to vote for PT anyhow.

[attrayant]

Meanwhile, there is a nearby city that is just teaming with native English speakers. They could send the teachers there for a while. Might be a bit cheaper.

I think it's called Bangkok, or something like that.

[scorecard]

Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher.

The minister said schools should not wait for the ministry to search for foreign teachers, as he wanted them to make direct contact with "sister" schools in English-speaking countries.

After they find eligible foreign teachers, they have to report the number to the Office of Basic Education Commission, the Office of the Education Council and the Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education in order for the ministry to set the overall budget for hiring them.

Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers.

Why can't they just make a new law like other countries for Indian computer programmers,or football players from Africa, to receive a high salary, plus a Thai id?

Seems like they understood that Thailand hasn't got "good cards" regarding the ASEAN community in 2015. And 15 Rai of land as a welcome present.....

Part of what the minister is saying it to tell schools to work outside of the regulations and procedures. Recipe for confusion, burned fingers, and the auditor general never able to conduct proper audits on how taxpayers funds have been allocated and used.

Any country should expect that ministers of state should be the example for keeping such things within policy, procedures and controls.

What a fool.

[Unwisemonkey]

one month is hardly enough time for the Thai teachers to learn to actually speak. And again the quality of English teachers won't improve until salaries and working conditions improve. The 10,000 baht will be for administrative costs associated with H.R. I don't think it's tea money. It's for hiring of all foreign teachers, and is a paltry amount. Companies are required to pay foreigners a salary of ฿60,000 every month but you don't get anywhere near that unless you start talking to international schools. How they skirt around that I don't know, I'm sure it's just clever accounting. It is an encouraging sign though that they are at least making some sort of investment in their human capital.

[Boss]

A nice little paid holiday abroad for the chosen ones

[Markaew]

The purpose is help them brush up on their English. How will this happen? Will they take classes? Will there be some structure to the program? Will they just stay with a family for a few weeks?

Based on what is written, very poor planning. Very little bang for the buck.

I think just a vacation for them. They could brush up on their English with native speakers here but refuse to.

[mayday49]

These jokers got ta get outside and smell the DOOKEY ! Plan is in great peril as read....Summer Break? 5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555.....

[Markaew]

Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej is encouraging schools to seek eligible English-speaking foreigners to teach English, with the ministry giving them Bt10,000 per month to hire each teacher.

The minister said schools should not wait for the ministry to search for foreign teachers, as he wanted them to make direct contact with "sister" schools in English-speaking countries.

After they find eligible foreign teachers, they have to report the number to the Office of Basic Education Commission, the Office of the Education Council and the Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education in order for the ministry to set the overall budget for hiring them.

Suchart added that he would help ease the regulations concerning the need for licences for foreign teachers.

Why can't they just make a new law like other countries for Indian computer programmers,or football players from Africa, to receive a high salary, plus a Thai id?

Seems like they understood that Thailand hasn't got "good cards" regarding the ASEAN community in 2015. And 15 Rai of land as a welcome present.....

They must be getting the money from the savings of hiring non-native speakers to replace native speakers. I have heard in several schools the admin is running off native speakers for the cheaper type for 2012. So if you start to have problems where before you had none... take this as the writing on the wall.

[mikebell]

I taught for 38 years in England. Since I came to Thailand, six years ago, I've gone into schools by invitation. I have yet to meet a Thai teacher of English whose spoken English is COMPREHENSIBLE. 'Me number 1 angit teach in sacoon.'

For a consideration I would help Thai teachers to pronounce such difficult words as: 'ice/rice/nice.'

Headteachers, I live near Pattaya.

[sfbandung]

Meanwhile, there is a nearby city that is just teaming with native English speakers. They could send the teachers there for a while. Might be a bit cheaper.

I think it's called Bangkok, or something like that.

And let's hope they'd use the word "teeming" in your first sentence.

[Lifer]

What a joke. These teachers don't need to go abroad to brush up on their English. I know of casses where highly qualified academic native English teachers have been ired to teach University Thai instructors English. When the classes are held, the Thai instructors and teachers find every excuse in the book to keep from attending class or doing any work to help themselves.

There has to be a desire on their part to learn, and then use the language to gain proficiency. Sending them abroad is wasting money and giving them a holiday. Make it mandatory for their job and they will all of a sudden find the desire to learn.

[attrayant]

Meanwhile, there is a nearby city that is just teaming with native English speakers. They could send the teachers there for a while. Might be a bit cheaper.

I think it's called Bangkok, or something like that.

And let's hope they'd use the word "teeming" in your first sentence.

Yep I just hate that when I'm talking to somebody and they say teaming instead of teeming. Makes my ears bleed, it does.

Can I blame apple's auto-correct?

[richard10365]

I'm not sure who's doing the math at the Ministry of Education but they need to look at their numbers again.

1,100 teachers x 100,000 baht = 110,000,000. This means they will be 10 million baht short of paying for their plan.