Assumption College Teachers In Protest Over Resignation Requirement: Bangkok

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AC teachers in protest over resignation requirement

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Teachers at Assumption College (AC) have been wearing black lately in protest against a move requiring them to sign resignation letters as part of the college's plan to merge its primary and secondary sections.

AC Parents & Teachers Association chairman Prof Dr Kua Wongboonsin, who is also a vice president at Chulalongkorn University, yesterday said teachers were aware that if they signed their names they would be facing huge risks.

"Some have been teaching at the school for a long time, well before the 1999 Education Act took effect. If they stop teaching now, they may not be able to work as teachers again because the Act requires teachers to have a teaching licence," Kua said. The Act is not retroactive.

He said AC did not issue any clear-cut policies towards teachers when it announced its merger plan.

The AC Secondary Section is located on Soi Charoenkrung 40. It is widely known as Assumption Bang Rak, a famous boys-only secondary school.

The AC Primary Section is located on Soi Saint Louis.

Kua said he would raise teachers' grievance at the association's next meeting on January 17. The AC's director will also attend.

"I also plan to ask for the help of the Office of Private Education Commission deputy secretary-general Chanwit Tapsuwan," Kua added.

On its website, AC announced it had no policy to force teachers to resign.

The announcement said AC would continue to conduct classes for primary and secondary education and thus would still need the current teachers.

"Teachers will be well taken care of. They will be entitled to the same benefits as before. Their years of service will be counted without any disruption, even after the merger takes place," the announcement said.

Kua said even with evidence in writing, teachers would still have concerns because the St Gabriel Foundation's written promise to raise their monthly pay to at least Bt15,000 had not materialised.

The adjustment was expected when the government enforced the policy to give civil servants with a bachelor's degree at least Bt15,000 per month.

"The foundation has issued a statement saying that educational personnel will receive at least Bt15,000 a month. Later, it explained that 'educational personnel' did not cover teachers," Kua said.

The foundation has 14 schools including AC under its supervision. On its website, AC called on parents, students and alumni to be wary about any negative information they receive about the school.

"Don't believe in false news that has been spread around to damage AC's reputation," the college' announcement said.

-- The Nation 2013-01-14

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"The foundation has issued a statement saying that educational personnel will receive at least Bt15,000 a month. Later, it explained that 'educational personnel' did not cover teachers," Kua said.

[lostinisaan]

"Don't believe in false news that has been spread around to damage AC's reputation," the college' announcement said.

But sign a document that makes you losing your job........

[caykay]

AC is a snip school that is just a swindle for the families that send their kids there

[Arkady]

Forcing staff to submit resignation letters like this is reprehensible. There is no need for it, even in a merger situation. I oversaw a merger in Thailand and we gave all staff from the merged entity letters from the new entity confirming their new employment and that their years of service in the old entity would be recognised by the new entity. What they are doing is clearly to get rid of long serving staff without paying their redundancy payments and/or to reduce their other benefits which cannot be done without their written consent.

[siampolee]

Superb business ethics from a religious set up is it not ?

[Nigel1500]

AC is a snip school that is just a swindle for the families that send their kids there

On what are you basing your opinion? My wife went to Assumption secondary school in the 90's and said she wouldn't have made it to Uni without that school. She now has her own dental practise. Neither of us share your opinion.

I'd like to hear from others who actually know what they're talking about.

[Stevenredd]

What makes me laugh is that everyone has glossed over the Bt15,000 a month figure like it was nothing. Reprehensible. After how many years of service? Is that even the minimum wage? (you know some of them work Saturdays, right?) When a country values education, it excels. Ask me I'm from the quickly sinking United States.

[culicine]

What makes me laugh is that everyone has glossed over the Bt15,000 a month figure like it was nothing. Reprehensible. After how many years of service? Is that even the minimum wage? (you know some of them work Saturdays, right?) When a country values education, it excels. Ask me I'm from the quickly sinking United States.

Even more disgusting when you consider that this and other schools like it make profits in the tens of millions per year. And they can't afford a lousy 15K for long standing Thai teachers? New nursing graduates get 15K now, and up to 30K a month with overtime.

[Locationthailand]

Teachers in Thailand are really underpaid for the job they do. I have taught in Uni's here who pay half that per day for casual teaching. If a dedicated teacher is prepared to swap their life for that sort of money they are truly heros and should not be scorned by the greed of Assumption. Look at Assumption Uni as a prime example of splurging money they obviously can afford, they certainly can afford way more than that paid to teachers.

[thunder30101]

What job do most teachers in thailand actually do ??? Look at the education scores and quality of graduates in this country and i think 15k is a stretch. When over 80% of the teachers a couple of years ago couldnt even pass tests in their own subject they taught I dont see it. And I have taught here for 3.5 years so I have seen the bs that goes on with the thai teaching system.. Its just another gov lifetime job with cheap loans and other perks available and plenty of cash in the trough to slop up but none for the students..

[WonnabeBiker]

Well, I'm not surprised at all! Now stop worrying and trust in the goodness of these fine folks. Go ahead, sign your letters of resignation.

Then prey that you will be allowed to continued working there...

One cannot make up these things!

[WonnabeBiker]

From another related thread:

The big boss doesn't deny that there will be firings: "This decision has nothing to do with teachers being laid off or the school being relocated," he said. But he doesn't deny that there will be teachers subjected to both.

No worries! Trust the man and hurry to sign those prepared letters of resignation!!

[Terry Newman]

Is the primary school down near Pattaya /Si Racha?