parents, did you know schools will be closed 6 months next year?

[oneday]

It is apparently happening with the Thai universities first - this year. The aim being, as noted earlier, to bring them in line with ASEAN (and most of the world for that matter). This should make it much better for Thai's wanting to attend university abroad, and for attracting university students into Thai university international (English language) programmes - some of which are very good, but most not considered too hot.

Supposedly, this means they are closed now for 6 months and will reopen in September. Being Thailand, the only way to know is to watch and see when they actually reopen!

If they go ahead as planned and follow this through into Thai schools, then dog help the poor kids and their teachers in the non-AC classrooms through April and May... Sweat it... Sleep on the desks?

Another well thought through plan...

Yes it is happening with universities. Both major universities in Maha Sarakham have been closed now for a few weeks and will not reopen for 6 months. My wife's sister's shop as well as many, many businesses in Maha Sarakham are very dependent on the students and right now it is killing small businesses in Maha Sarakham. We are actually trying to sell her business, but both my wife and her sister thought this was permanent, that students were only going to have a 6 month school year, which of course was crazy, but this is Thailand so I took it as fact. So it is very welcome news to hear a couple of posters confirm this is only a one-time delay to sync up with Asean schools.

Darn glad I read this thread.

[Tywais]

It is apparently happening with the Thai universities first - this year. The aim being, as noted earlier, to bring them in line with ASEAN (and most of the world for that matter). This should make it much better for Thai's wanting to attend university abroad, and for attracting university students into Thai university international (English language) programmes - some of which are very good, but most not considered too hot.

Supposedly, this means they are closed now for 6 months and will reopen in September. Being Thailand, the only way to know is to watch and see when they actually reopen!

If they go ahead as planned and follow this through into Thai schools, then dog help the poor kids and their teachers in the non-AC classrooms through April and May... Sweat it... Sleep on the desks?

Another well thought through plan...

My 2 girls both go to university, one to PSU in Kathu & the other in Hua Hin. Both have confirmed that when their term ends in June they will be on break until September whereas last year they went back much earlier.

I believe the June (mid) to September (early, or late August) session break is the Western schedule they want. Two teachers at PSU Hatyai say their school is closed from March to September.

The reason is to synchronize with ASEAN by 2015. From a Bangkok Post article in Oct. 2013, the Education Minister said the school terms will not change but 27 universities have made the switch already. Can't find current info about the rest of the school system though. The members of CUPT are the ones changing which includes Chiang Mai University which has been off term for a while now.

[how241]

There was talk about doing that this year already, has obviously been postponed.

+1...been postponed.

[Gillyflower]

To JimShortz

I hope that you are not teaching English.

[JimShortz]

To JimShortz

I hope that you are not teaching English.

No.

Why do you ask that?

[Gillyflower]

to Jim Shortz

As you don't teach English, it's irrelevant.

[BudRight]

It would make a bit more sense if they opened on Thai schedule for the first term, did a special 'Winter School' or something from October to December, then opened up in January for term 2.

[Jonmarleesco]

Don't think so. My son goes to an 'international' school, but not the likes of Pattana, etc. Holidays are Thai, not western, and he is back on the 16th May for some prep, back in class on the 19th.

[ronthai]

I hope not, looking forward for the 5 and 3 year LOUD olds go back to school

[jacko45k]

So 6 months of no school, no learning.....so business as usual then.

I normally have a little annoying guest during school holidays and you guys have me worried he will make an extended stay this year.

[stevenl]

Don't think so. My son goes to an 'international' school, but not the likes of Pattana, etc. Holidays are Thai, not western, and he is back on the 16th May for some prep, back in class on the 19th.

The OP is about next year.

[mrtoad]

My 2 girls both go to university, one to PSU in Kathu & the other in Hua Hin. Both have confirmed that when their term ends in June they will be on break until September whereas last year they went back much earlier.

June to September holiday is nothing bad when at University - I recall from my days in the UK pretty much being off from Mid June to Mid September. Happy Days

[virtualtraveller]

Whatever it is, it's unsurprisingly being managed in an unplanned chaotic manner, with no uniformity and obviously no guidance from MoE. Should have made it compulsory for Unis then schools follow later. Biggest problem is it creates a 6 month shortfall in revenue to pay school fees. Well, this a private sector concern, but a summer camp situation might not be a bad idea focusing on new teaching skills, take the time to upgrade all the teaching methodology.

[KarenBravo]

I thought Thai schools were already closed for 6 months a year(well it seems like they are)

I could not see an extra 6 months making any difference to their hopeless education.It would just mean another 6 months of them getting in the way at the supermarket

Seems to me that they never close. I live next door to a school and although officially the holidays at the moment there are still hundreds of them coming in, can't keep them away.

As for the hopeless education, I wonder if you are aware of some of the real facts?

Thailand has 9 Universities in the QS worlds top Uni rankings, which beats Indonesia's 8, Malaysia's 6, Philippines 4, and Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam's 0, so it could be argued that the education system in Thailand is the best in ASEAN. Judging by subject, Thailand has Universities in the top 50 in the world!

I just had a look at the top universities in Asia (only Asia) according to QS. The best Thai university comes in at #42.

I agree with Starkey Rich. Thai education is total pants and it's well known. Even the Thais send their children abroad for tertiary education if they can afford it.

Singapore comes in at #2. Of course Singapore does not need nine universities, so, your claim that Thailand has the best in ASEAN is disingenuous. It's not the quantity, it's the quality.

[LivinginKata]

Unnecessary off topic remark removed.

[kieran2698]

I thought Thai schools were already closed for 6 months a year(well it seems like they are)

I could not see an extra 6 months making any difference to their hopeless education.It would just mean another 6 months of them getting in the way at the supermarket

Seems to me that they never close. I live next door to a school and although officially the holidays at the moment there are still hundreds of them coming in, can't keep them away.

As for the hopeless education, I wonder if you are aware of some of the real facts?

Thailand has 9 Universities in the QS worlds top Uni rankings, which beats Indonesia's 8, Malaysia's 6, Philippines 4, and Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam's 0, so it could be argued that the education system in Thailand is the best in ASEAN. Judging by subject, Thailand has Universities in the top 50 in the world!

I just had a look at the top universities in Asia (only Asia) according to QS. The best Thai university comes in at #42.

I agree with Starkey Rich. Thai education is total pants and it's well known. Even the Thais send their children abroad for tertiary education if they can afford it.

Singapore comes in at #2. Of course Singapore does not need nine universities, so, your claim that Thailand has the best in ASEAN is disingenuous. It's not the quantity, it's the quality.

I didn't actually say it does have the best in ASEAN, I said it could be argued that it is so. Yes, of course with a population as small as they have, Singapore does does not need as many Universities but then as many Singaporeans do study in Thailand, what does that say?

Nothing I said was incorrect, if you look subject by subject you will see that Thailand does do rather well for Chemical Engineering and Pharmacology as well as some other subjects. As for looking at Asia as a whole, number 42 isn't too bad nor is number 48, considering that's out of 4400 universities, that is the top ten percent. Having subjects in the top 50 in the world is obviously very good considering that's out of 22,123, top 0.2%, unquestionably excellent. But yes, a lot is lacking in many schools but just to brand all of Thailand's education as 'pants' is daft.

What University did you go to?

[Greer]

OK so this will then screw up sync even further with regard to Uni's in Australia and New Zealand (I have to assume NZ follows the same timing as Oz - but correct me if I am wrong).

Australian university academic year starts in January, and for those joining mid-year, the second intake is usually July, so it would appear that Thailand has arbitrarily decided to sync with a country or countries on the other side of the world - brilliant...not...

[keestha]

Could it be right that every school decides for itself how to adjust to the new schedule? Yesterday a Bangkok teacher told me that his school will introduce the measure phased over a number of years, so not one super long break, but a number of longer than usual breaks. Uncertainty reigns.

[stevenl]

Could it be right that every school decides for itself how to adjust to the new schedule? Yesterday a Bangkok teacher told me that his school will introduce the measure phased over a number of years, so not one super long break, but a number of longer than usual breaks. Uncertainty reigns.

Yes, could be, would not surprise me here.

But I doubt a teacher would know what is going to happen, they are usually only informed when they show up for the new term.

[FritsSikkink]

OK so this will then screw up sync even further with regard to Uni's in Australia and New Zealand (I have to assume NZ follows the same timing as Oz - but correct me if I am wrong).

Australian university academic year starts in January, and for those joining mid-year, the second intake is usually July, so it would appear that Thailand has arbitrarily decided to sync with a country or countries on the other side of the world - brilliant...not...

You could argue that Australia is on the other side of the world compared to Thailand

Are there anymore country's who have the same schedule as Australia?

[dao16]

At the university, we are starting up again in the autumn. It seems like all universities are making the change this year. My daughter (high school) starts school on the 12th, I think it is. Apparently, they are making the change next year.

[belg]

no need for that, as ASEAN will be an a-la-carte choise of what thailand wants or can profit from only