Home schooling in Thailand

[bikerlou47]

Home schooling in Thailand

This country never seems to disappoint. A few months ago we decided to home school the daughter of my girlfriend of almost 9 years.

The requirements by a law that was passed in 2004 seem quite straight forward.

We met with the ministry of education and they provided us with the guidelines for a schedule and a sample application. Which required several typed pages of which "Mom" promptly completed and returned to the ministry the following week all completed.

On the second visit we were told that there was a new application that has to be completed because the "old " one from last week was no longer current. This application was completed on the same visit and turned over.

We were then told that in about a month a final decision should be made. Three weeks later we were told that there would be 3 dignitaries form the province to visit our home. A week later they came in a van with a driver and cameras. After two hours and at least 2 dozen pictures we were told that the schedule that we filled out from the sample that we were given was no longer valid and a new one would be required and we have 10 days to complete that and return it in person to the Ministry. Then it would take at least another month to get a final answer that would be from another group.

Keep in mind I do not understand Thai and this was 2 hours of one way conversation as my girl kept shaking her head up and down.

She was also told that if she was approved for homeschooling the daughter would be required to attend classes on Saturday and Sunday, from my understanding these are adult education classes.

Regardless of the above we have "unofficially" withdrawn the daughter from school and we are teaching her at home.

Some additional facts:

I am a professional educator certified K through 12, with over 40 years of teaching experience.

I have taught English to my girl and her daughter during our 9 year year relationship.

In the packet given to the Ministry were copies of my teaching certificates and my resume which includes the ISBN of 3 educational books I have written pertaining to computer education.

Finally the daughter's father was German and he passed away when the daughter was an infant, the daughter has obtained a German passport which for the time being is being kept under wraps.

All of this is so depressing and so foolish!

Edited July 6, 2013 by Lite Beer
Quotes from a source that does not allow it have been removed

[utalkin2me]

Why would you get the govt involved if you want to home school?

[Scott]

In order to earn a certification and eventually be admitted to a university, you will need to be teaching an approved curriculum. This requires government supervision, oversight and approval.

[aidenai]

Why would you get the govt involved if you want to home school?

Because it's law that everybody goes to school until 15 years old.

[TerryLH]

"All of this is so depressing and so foolish!"

Maybe someone thinks that people who aren't willing to follow through probably wouldn't make good teachers.

If 'they' had known about the German passport, it might actually have been easier.

Did anyone mention that you will have to have a work permit if you are going to be teaching? Just curious if it came up.

Terry

[utalkin2me]

I would just make sure my child got an actual good education at home. Youd have to be qualified of course. Then I'd worry about the rest later. College (or high school) in Thailand should not even be an option.

Edited July 8, 2013 by utalkin2me

[brucetefl]

FWIW I had all three of my kids homeschooled at one time or another. I would pull them out of the small local private school for a year at a time and then they would go back. The school allowed them to skip the year that they missed. We did NOT seek any special approval and many people in the MOE (whom I work with) knew what we were doing.

PM me if you want more info.

[brucetefl]

Also despite missing 2 years of normal schooling my son was accepted into a Thai university without any difficulty at all.

FWIW I had all three of my kids homeschooled at one time or another. I would pull them out of the small local private school for a year at a time and then they would go back. The school allowed them to skip the year that they missed. We did NOT seek any special approval and many people in the MOE (whom I work with) knew what we were doing.

PM me if you want more info.

[zeichen]

There are threads from a while ago about home-school groups and they have some support groups that help get through the ordeal with MOE.

"Did anyone mention that you will have to have a work permit if you are going to be teaching? Just curious if it came up.

Terry"

That is like saying I am breaking the law by cutting my own grass because as a foreigner you are not allowed to do labor work.

link to a government website that states this please.

I know for a fact that isn't true. I know of several families that home school here. One doesn't need a work permit to teach their own children at home. Homeschooling one's own children doesn't violate any laws. If you were homeschooling others then yes.

"Then I'd worry about the rest later. College (or high school) in Thailand should not even be an option."

Yes because only Western universities are worth anything and all people who get degrees in Thailand are uneducated buffoons who never amount to anything?

[TerryLH]

"One doesn't need a work permit to teach their own children at home.Homeschooling one's own children doesn't violate any laws. If you were homeschooling others then yes."

Please read the OP again.

"That is like saying I am breaking the law by cutting my own grass because as a foreigner you are not allowed to do labor work."

That's an absurd comparison - often made by people without a good argument.

FI, I was simply asking a question. I'm curious as to whether anyone mentioned that he'd need a work permit.

[brucetefl]

Yes, technically, according to the way the law is written, ANY kind of labor is illegal, including cutting your grass and teaching your own kids in Home School. But no one is going to make an issue over these things unless you have somehow made some powerful enemies.

[bikerlou47]

Home Schooling in Khorat

My experience getting a 12 year old girl enrolled in home schooling in the province of Khorat.

No one should ever assume that their experience will be the same if they are in another province, I have lived here 10 years and experiences can vary greatly from one province to another.

I am a trained, certified K-12 teacher from the U.S.A My Thai girlfriend and I are home schooling our daughter for the following reasons:

1. Schools here are terrible

2. International schools are expensive and the one that is local to me is not much better than a government school.

First we went to the local Minister of Education here in Khorat and made application for home schooling. We were given a deadline to complete the application which we did when we went back with the completed application we were told that they changed the application and we would need to go through the process again. I should tell you that during this time we pulled our girl out of school.

The only real requirement was the girls mother needs to have a high school diploma.

A few weeks later we went back with the application at this time we were told that they would need to make a home visit. A few weeks later a team of 3 arrived with a camera. They sat down at our table for about 90 minutes and in Thai told my girlfriend what subjects need to be taught and how long each subject will be taught each week. About 25 pictures were taken of our house and of our family.

My girlfriend was then required to prepare a document stating the information that she was just told.

When the document was completed we returned it to the Minister. A few weeks later we received an approval letter which allowed us to home school.

About 9 months later we received a call requiring us to send a picture of our girl so they could send us a check. That was about a month ago and that is the last we heard of them.

Bottom line is this. Home schooling is a legal process in Thailand, there are no fees...the parents will receive funds that would normally go to the school.

The process is a joke... paper work on top of paper work with no real purpose. We just went through the process with a smile shaking our heads in agreement the whole time.

We could not be happier having our now 13 year old home living in a totally American English environment...No Thai TV, No Thai subscripts, No Thai games. The only Thai she sees is the required Thai that her mother teaches her.

Next month she is supposed to take some required tests which they will schedule.

[iancnx]

To the poster who believes you need a WP to teach your own child. I do believe you are thoroughly mistaken old chap.

[iancnx]

Home Schooling in Khorat

My experience getting a 12 year old girl enrolled in home schooling in the province of Khorat.

No one should ever assume that their experience will be the same if they are in another province, I have lived here 10 years and experiences can vary greatly from one province to another.

I am a trained, certified K-12 teacher from the U.S.A My Thai girlfriend and I are home schooling our daughter for the following reasons:

• Schools here are terrible

• International schools are expensive and the one that is local to me is not much better than a government school.

First we went to the local Minister of Education here in Khorat and made application for home schooling. We were given a deadline to complete the application which we did when we went back with the completed application we were told that they changed the application and we would need to go through the process again. I should tell you that during this time we pulled our girl out of school.

The only real requirement was the girls mother needs to have a high school diploma.

A few weeks later we went back with the application at this time we were told that they would need to make a home visit. A few weeks later a team of 3 arrived with a camera. They sat down at our table for about 90 minutes and in Thai told my girlfriend what subjects need to be taught and how long each subject will be taught each week. About 25 pictures were taken of our house and of our family.

My girlfriend was then required to prepare a document stating the information that she was just told.

When the document was completed we returned it to the Minister. A few weeks later we received an approval letter which allowed us to home school.

About 9 months later we received a call requiring us to send a picture of our girl so they could send us a check. That was about a month ago and that is the last we heard of them.

Bottom line is this. Home schooling is a legal process in Thailand, there are no fees...the parents will receive funds that would normally go to the school.

The process is a joke... paper work on top of paper work with no real purpose. We just went through the process with a smile shaking our heads in agreement the whole time.

We could not be happier having our now 13 year old home living in a totally American English environment...No Thai TV, No Thai subscripts, No Thai games. The only Thai she sees is the required Thai that her mother teaches her.

Next month she is supposed to take some required tests which they will schedule.

This outlines what I have learnt here on other threads. We are lucky as my wife is a Thai teacher so the process will be that bit easier our son is old enough. I would be interested in hearing how your daughter gets socialising time with other 13 yo kids? This is my only real worry for my son growing up.

[bikerlou47]

Socializing is a problem but we had to consider education as the first and most important.

We will work on getting her out and about but it is a problem!

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