Lowering Those Education Costs

[pedro01]

Hi All

I have a 4 year old child in an International School in Bangkok (UK curriculum) - which costs me about 300,00 Baht a year.

I haven't explored alternatives to International Schools - but it seems rather expensive to me, especiually for a 4 year old.

What are the alternatives here & how would the education compare to an international school ?

Could I put him in a different type of school & then move to a UK curriculum school later on - say at 8/9 years old ?

All input would be appreciated.

Cheers

Pedro

[Stephen Cleary]

Hi All

I have a 4 year old child in an International School in Bangkok (UK curriculum) - which costs me about 300,00 Baht a year.

I haven't explored alternatives to International Schools - but it seems rather expensive to me, especiually for a 4 year old.

What are the alternatives here & how would the education compare to an international school ?

Could I put him in a different type of school & then move to a UK curriculum school later on - say at 8/9 years old ?

All input would be appreciated.

Cheers

Pedro

Absolutely!

There are plenty of private schools in Thailand which are far cheaper than say... 300,000!

Most international school fees are for foreigners who can easily afford it, rich Thais wanting their kid to be fluent in English or if your international company pays for the education!

8/9 years.......well, in fact you could choose this cheaper option all the way up to Grade 6! (12 years...)

What's the difference between an expensive international and the usual private school? The international schools teach in English! So, if your child speaks and reads English through his father, its pointless to waste such an extortianate amount of money on 'learning with a native English speaker!)....BTW, thats just my opinion!

Edited March 13, 2006 by stevesuphan

[Axel]

Well, I am not really sure which alternatives are here.

Our son meanwhile studies in Europe, but before that visited the Swiss school in Minburi. I did not see any other choice, as neither parent speaks Thai nor would a Thai education help lateron.

Is there any alternative, schooling in Thailand and still to catch up with English or European education?

[Stephen Cleary]

Well, I am not really sure which alternatives are here.

Our son meanwhile studies in Europe, but before that visited the Swiss school in Minburi. I did not see any other choice, as neither parent speaks Thai nor would a Thai education help lateron.

Is there any alternative, schooling in Thailand and still to catch up with English or European education?

Still catch up with English or European schooling. Personally, as an educator, i disagree with this.

It very much depends on the standards of the school, but a decent school either state or private could offer the child an education equivalent or even better than a 'western one'.

In fact, any Bkk company which works in regards to sending Thais kids abroad to study for a year or so will confirm that the standards of 'Science & Math' taught in Thai curriculum are generally higher that that found in the west.

I have found that many of my private students have returned to Thailand and excitedly told me of their 'high grades' abroad!

I don't know how many kids of mine now who have secured near top grades in their classes in UK and US schools (math and science) while they only managed to scrape into the top ten at their 'Thai School'

Edited March 13, 2006 by stevesuphan

[barryofthailand]

The alternative is a good bi lingual school. These schools teach 60% in English and have native English teachers from the UK and the Philippines. If your child does not speak Thai when they teach the Thai classes they will send your child to another English class which they call ESL.

Our son speaks Thai and English and we send him to the school named Best in Pattaya. Cost for the year sec ond grade was about 50,000 baht plus about 3000 baht for books.

Barry

[BKK90210]

It very much depends on the standards of the school, but a decent school either state or private could offer the child an education equivalent or even better than a 'western one'.

As an alumni from BKK private school "St John", I agree!

In fact, any Bkk company which works in regards to sending Thais kids abroad to study for a year or so will confirm that the standards of 'Science & Math' taught in Thai curriculum are generally higher that that found in the west.

Yes, again I agree!..... my math and science classes from 10th grade in Thailand were equivalent to 11th grade in US high school

I have found that many of my private students have returned to Thailand and excitedly told me of their 'high grades' abroad!

Yes, it's all true!....all "A" in my math and science classes in american high school

I don't know how many kids of mine now who have secured near top grades in their classes in UK and US schools (math and science) while they only managed to scrape into the top ten at their 'Thai School'

I was an "Honor student" thoughout my high school years in US

[DanBlack]

The alternative is a good bi lingual school. These schools teach 60% in English and have native English teachers from the UK and the Philippines. If your child does not speak Thai when they teach the Thai classes they will send your child to another English class which they call ESL.

Our son speaks Thai and English and we send him to the school named Best in Pattaya. Cost for the year sec ond grade was about 50,000 baht plus about 3000 baht for books.

Barry

That sounds like the perfect school for my 10 yr. old daughter who is fluent in Thai and English. I assume it is in Pattaya Would you know of a similar school in Phuket

[phibunmike]

Hi All

I have a 4 year old child in an International School in Bangkok (UK curriculum) - which costs me about 300,00 Baht a year.

I haven't explored alternatives to International Schools - but it seems rather expensive to me, especiually for a 4 year old.

What are the alternatives here & how would the education compare to an international school ?

Could I put him in a different type of school & then move to a UK curriculum school later on - say at 8/9 years old ?

All input would be appreciated.

Cheers

Pedro

A little off topic, but a word of advanced warning... if your child ultimately goes to a UK university, but has been resident in UK for less than the preceeding 3 years, he will very likely end up classified as a "foreign student" with fees that make 300,000 seem like a drop in the ocean.

(Learnt from painful experience ).

[skylar]

If you still want to see the range of international schools on offer, just use this handy little search function on ISAT. There's lots of cheaper options. Patana is easily one of the most expensive (and students are forbidden from using any language other than English - especially Thai) and there are better deals to be had these days for primary education if you shop around.

[barryofthailand]

The alternative is a good bi lingual school. These schools teach 60% in English and have native English teachers from the UK and the Philippines. If your child does not speak Thai when they teach the Thai classes they will send your child to another English class which they call ESL.

Our son speaks Thai and English and we send him to the school named Best in Pattaya. Cost for the year sec ond grade was about 50,000 baht plus about 3000 baht for books.

Barry

That sounds like the perfect school for my 10 yr. old daughter who is fluent in Thai and English. I assume it is in Pattaya Would you know of a similar school in Phuket

Yes this school is in Pattaya. Do a google search for bilingual schools in Thailand.

Barry

[Axel]

Still catch up with English or European schooling. Personally, as an educator, i disagree with this.

It very much depends on the standards of the school, but a decent school either state or private could offer the child an education equivalent or even better than a 'western one'.

In fact, any Bkk company which works in regards to sending Thais kids abroad to study for a year or so will confirm that the standards of 'Science & Math' taught in Thai curriculum are generally higher that that found in the west.

I have found that many of my private students have returned to Thailand and excitedly told me of their 'high grades' abroad!

I don't know how many kids of mine now who have secured near top grades in their classes in UK and US schools (math and science) while they only managed to scrape into the top ten at their 'Thai School'

Perhaps so. Certainly, the biggest problem we had was a lack of Thai language knowledge or need and the planning to return to Switzerland or Germany where university - education is in German language. So finally, the decree obtained in Minburi (Matura) was a perfect entry to any Sweiss university and by an easy translation of the Swiss decree to all German and EU-places.