International School In Ubon Rachatani

[mca]

My niece studies M.2 at the International School in Saraburi. There are 14 students in her class.

[qwertyuiop]

I'm with Downtown on this. I don't live in Ubon but from the descriptions given the schools appear to me to be Thai schools with an English programme.

This will mean that they will follow the Thai curriculum for better or worse, will be more expensive (my local school charges 10 times the fee for it charges for it's regular programme), will have smaller class sizes and better facilities and will teach the curriculum in both Thai and English.

Schools like EP's as they are money spinners and schools are businesses, parents (Thais) like them as they think their kids will become fluent in English. Attendance at one is an advantage when applying for schools on the next rung of the education ladder

Like schools of all types there will be good and bad. Again much will depend upon the teachers involved in the programme.

For me a truly International school is one which teaches in English, follows an overseas curriculum and works towards internationally accepted qualifications and for this you will more than likely have to move to a major conurbation imo.

They will be expensive and the fact that the have "international" in their name will not make them such in reality.

[downtown]

^exactly. and as i said, the only one im aware of is in khao yai, nakorn ratchasima.

[jay-uk]

What are the monthly or term costs for international schools in Ubon?

[kdc1899]

What are the monthly or term costs for international schools in Ubon?

There is no international school in Ubon. Not one.

Read what QWERTY said -

"For me a truly International school is one which teaches in English, follows an overseas curriculum and works towards internationally accepted qualifications "

The Regent School in Pattaya and a few schools in BKK are real International Schools where our kids can transition seamlessly into any school on our planet.

America probably has 2,000 schools that can meet that challenge. England, Germany, Australia, Switzerland and Sweden probably have 10,000 schools that can meet that challenge. 3rd world and developing countries do not yet have homegrown schools that can meet that challenge. Ubon Ratchathani certainly does not.

[downtown]

St Stephens School, Khao Yai is the only true International School. Fees are over 6,000 GBP annually

[kdc1899]

St Stephens School, Khao Yai is the only true International School. Fees are over 6,000 GBP annually

Looks nice. Too many Thais though. Maybe the Bangkok campus has more falang kids.

[sirchai]

St Stephens School, Khao Yai is the only true International School. Fees are over 6,000 GBP annually

Looks nice. Too many Thais though. Maybe the Bangkok campus has more falang kids.

Thought it's in T H A I L A N D.............

[downtown]

indeed - who da thunk it?

[ubonjoe]

I have been searching for schools in Ubon for our two girls 7 and 9 years old.. We have been living in a small village in 80K from Ubon and have decided it is time to get them out of the village school.

Yes2 is one that I came acrooss (www.yes2.ac.th). Yezzo's post was good for me since it was positive.

Benchama Maharat school has an english lanquage program that appears on thier website and info is the only english on website. (http://online.benchama.ac.th/epben/site/index.php english program link). Tel. 045-240683-5

My preference is a private school. So input from anybody would be good concering private schools.

Assumption is on my list along with others.

I love Ubon compared to Pattaya or BKK. I don't need all the things to do mentione some in previous posts.. My family keeps me busy enough. Pattaya was better back in 95 when I first visited and lived there on and off till 2001 when we started getting set up here in Ubon.

[sezzo]

What are the monthly or term costs for international schools in Ubon?

YES2 school is about 35k per term. 2 terms per school year. I believe it is a bit more than Assumption but the reason we are going with YES is because the young bloke will be placed in year 5 (with extra thai script instruction). Assumption wanted to put him back to year 1. Hes 10 years old so I thought it was a bit unfair to be lobbed in with 5/6 year olds.

[ubonjoe]

What are the monthly or term costs for international schools in Ubon?

YES2 school is about 35k per term. 2 terms per school year. I believe it is a bit more than Assumption but the reason we are going with YES is because the young bloke will be placed in year 5 (with extra thai script instruction). Assumption wanted to put him back to year 1. Hes 10 years old so I thought it was a bit unfair to be lobbed in with 5/6 year olds.

Thats about 5 times higher than other private schools (there 0 international schools) in Ubon that we have contacted. Of course I may be comparing apples to oranges.

[blossombkk]

What are the monthly or term costs for international schools in Ubon?

YES2 school is about 35k per term. 2 terms per school year. I believe it is a bit more than Assumption but the reason we are going with YES is because the young bloke will be placed in year 5 (with extra thai script instruction). Assumption wanted to put him back to year 1. Hes 10 years old so I thought it was a bit unfair to be lobbed in with 5/6 year olds.

Thanks!!!

[ubonrthai]

A teacher told me 7th Day Adventists are planning a new international school. Anyone else heard anything about that? I believe their schools in BKK are supposed to be good.

Here is some info on the SDA school I picked up at Ubon Rak Hospital. Kindergarten 1-3 is ages 3-6 and there is also a pre-school for 2 year olds. 30,000b per semester starting in May. All foreign teachers teaching American curriculum with a teacher to student ratio of 1:15 not counting a teaching assistant. A Thai teacher will offer Thai language. If I understood correctly on the phone, they do plan to offer programs for older kids in subsequent years. Good deal, now my kids will learn the proper way to say "z" as opposed to "zed."

[sirchai]

Matt, I hope you aren't negative towards Ubon simply because no one has managed to explain where Saphasit Road is?

Guess because nobody had told him where Krung Thong hotel and other nice places are located? ( Turkish bath...) Lol---

[sezzo]

A teacher told me 7th Day Adventists are planning a new international school. Anyone else heard anything about that? I believe their schools in BKK are supposed to be good.

Here is some info on the SDA school I picked up at Ubon Rak Hospital. Kindergarten 1-3 is ages 3-6 and there is also a pre-school for 2 year olds. 30,000b per semester starting in May. All foreign teachers teaching American curriculum with a teacher to student ratio of 1:15 not counting a teaching assistant. A Thai teacher will offer Thai language. If I understood correctly on the phone, they do plan to offer programs for older kids in subsequent years. Good deal, now my kids will learn the proper way to say "z" as opposed to "zed."

I had a family member whos kid went to a SDA school in Oz and the word "brainwashing" comes to mind. Hopefully I wont cop some flak for saying this on the forum but it was one of the reasons I chose YES2 for my stepson. As he is a thai buddhist I didnt want him to attend a christian religious based school for them to try and "change" or "convert" him. I have seen this in other friends and family from the Ubon area who have sent their stepkids to either Assumption or Ave Maria.

Pardon me if I have offended anyone in my post

[ubonjoe]

My daughter and granddaughter are going to Mari Ni Ramon Catholic school (next to bus station) and there have been no attempts to convert them and we are very happy with school. They even go to a nearby temple on Buddhist holidays and most of the teachers are Buddhists.

It is also considerably less costly than YES. About 7000 baht each for the past semester and that includes 2000 baht for lunch.

[elwood]

My daughter and granddaughter are going to Mari Ni Ramon Catholic school (next to bus station) and there have been no attempts to convert them and we are very happy with school. They even go to a nearby temple on Buddhist holidays and most of the teachers are Buddhists.

It is also considerably less costly than YES. About 7000 baht each for the past semester and that includes 2000 baht for lunch.

I can confirm this, at least in my family's case.

My youngest granddaughter started school at Ave Maria then transferred to Marieniramon when we moved house; she certainly has learned some things about Christianity, but no way have any conversion attempts been made. As you said, almost all the teachers are Buddhist and all Buddhist festivals and ceremonies are observed.

[ubonrthai]

Parking lot security at Central say an international school is part of the development to the East of Central parking lots. Anyone know anything about this?

[ubonrthai]

[KunMatt]

Parking lot security at Central say an international school is part of the development to the East of Central parking lots. Anyone know anything about this?

Anyone??

[sezzo]

Just rehashing this thread as Im considering pulling my stepson from YES school in Ubon and find an alternative. Totally pissed off with YES as the English Program Class 6 seem to be sitting around unsupervised all day doing nothing while the teachers are taken away for so called meetings or other duties. The class size is only 6 students and they seem to be getting ignored for studies in favour of other duties to make the school more attractive for prospective students. My stepson has been always told to enter the English speech contest not because he learnt his English at the school but because he can speak, read and write English from his 4 years in Australia. They seem to be hell bent on showing how good or attractive they are but not actually teaching anything. Some of their so called native english speaking teachers leave a lot to be desired as I have already had to correct their mistakes as I review his workbooks. Ok, that rant is over with.

I was considering sending him to Assumption but after reading the report on Issanstyle blog above I am having second thoughts. I have posted before on TV about not wanting to send him to a catholic/religious based school as I want him to remain a Buddhist and not have Christianity shoved down his throat.

Has anyone out there got some up to date reviews or information about Assumption, Ave Maria or other school in Ubon which may suit. Please don't mention the Seventh Day Adventist school as I have ex-family in Australia involved in that crazy mob and will not send him there.

Thanks,

Carl

[Michael Hare]

Hello Carl.

Just this weekend my 27 year son was up here and we discussed the school situation in Ubon. He came to Ubon when he was 8, attended Unubaan Ubon for 5 years and then on to High school at Ben.

He says all the schools in Ubon are useless for a well-rounded and solid education. He thinks that they are all pretty much the same as far as teachers go. With Ben, it is not the teachers that get the results, but the students, as the brightest ones enroll there.

He wouldn't recommend any Ubon school at all. He did okay because he was bright and could study by himeself.

This information doesn't help you at all Carl.

Maybe send your son to Chulabhorn college in Mukdahan. They are hot on science. Lovely looking school in the hills above Mukdahan. A co-ed boarding school but one can be a weekly boarder from Monday to Friday. Collect your son on Friday night and send him back on Sunday night. I was at dinner on Friday night with a young couple whose son goes there. They think it is great and the son loves going there.

Another person I know has sent their daughter to Chulabhorn coolege in Burirum. There are 12 Chulabhorn colleges throughout Thailand.

Maybe worth having a look at the Mukdahan college.

[transam]

Just rehashing this thread as Im considering pulling my stepson from YES school in Ubon and find an alternative. Totally pissed off with YES as the English Program Class 6 seem to be sitting around unsupervised all day doing nothing while the teachers are taken away for so called meetings or other duties. The class size is only 6 students and they seem to be getting ignored for studies in favour of other duties to make the school more attractive for prospective students. My stepson has been always told to enter the English speech contest not because he learnt his English at the school but because he can speak, read and write English from his 4 years in Australia. They seem to be hell bent on showing how good or attractive they are but not actually teaching anything. Some of their so called native english speaking teachers leave a lot to be desired as I have already had to correct their mistakes as I review his workbooks. Ok, that rant is over with.

I was considering sending him to Assumption but after reading the report on Issanstyle blog above I am having second thoughts. I have posted before on TV about not wanting to send him to a catholic/religious based school as I want him to remain a Buddhist and not have Christianity shoved down his throat.

Has anyone out there got some up to date reviews or information about Assumption, Ave Maria or other school in Ubon which may suit. Please don't mention the Seventh Day Adventist school as I have ex-family in Australia involved in that crazy mob and will not send him there.

Thanks,

Carl

Mrs.Trans lad (18) has been attending Assumption for about 5 years and is soon to finish after finishing his three year military training at that school . He is not a Catholic and most of the kids that go there are also not Catholic. The school has a good name in the outside world when it comes to employment or uni, thats why the better off (not me) folk send their kids there.

The school is very strict too, no hoping the wag there, mum soon gets a phone call with threats of expulsion.

[mike123ca]

I heard Narinukul high school has future plans in that area.

[downtown]

ho ho ho i love this thread

pretty much why i cant move to ubon anytime soon, with my daughter starting school in september. the only "true" international school in issan is st stephens with the fees to boot

mind you, the irony is where i live in the uk you get three choices. given the massive number of children applicants, she probably wont get any of them. whereas as most of the pollacks are catholic, they get into the best school given its no coincidence that most of the best schools are christian/catholic

[ubonrthai]

I hoped YES would be better... When I met the school owner he only talked about the exchange program and that's all they advertise on posters. My son will be an "asset" to their competitions in the future. He's 3 and speaks better English than the teachers. I do think their 5yo and under classes are better than any other in Ubon. Good teacher/kid ratio and clean rooms. Short on toys and books but better than other schools. We looked at all options in Ubon I think.

I'm researching home school for grade school and beyond. I have family in the states that do it. 4 hours/day and my nieces and nephews are brilliant. Probably safer than Ubon schools and will work well with our frequent travel. I know MeMock does, or at least has done it. Sounds scary but the curriculum and lesson plans are all prepared.

[MeMock]

Hi ubonrthai,

I'm glad you bought up that option as last time I mentioned it, it got snickered at a little. Yes I am still doing it and still for me it is the best decision I have ever made. My kids are going gang busters and our family lifestyle is one I am very proud of.

I'm glad that you are considering it as I am sure you will not be disappointed. I had a conversation with an expat at Tung Sri Muang Park just last week about homeschooling. He also had a 3 year old and was worried about what to do. When I told him what I did he was genuinely interested but I could tell that he really didn;t have the heart or drive to go down that road. You need to be committed but surely your kids future should be commitment enough.

Before people start howling me down, what I have written above is what is working for my family and I and in our special circumstances. Everyone is different and what works for me might not work for the next person. However, don't knock it until you try it.