Children of migrants losing out on education in Thailand

[webfact]

Children of migrants losing out on education
Chuleeporn Aramnet
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- SOME 250,000 children of foreign migrant workers have no access to education in Thailand, the Ramajitti Institute said.

"One main reason is that their parents are reluctant to send their children to school," Julaporn Masathienwong, the institute's director, said yesterday.

According to her, many of these people are working in Thailand illegally and are worried that they might get deported if their children attend classes.

Associate Professor Yongyuth Chalamwong, research director on labour development at the Thailand Development Research Institute, said many migrant workers also preferred to have their children working.

Both Yongyuth and Julaporn were speaking at a seminar held to address problems related to the education of migrant workers' children.

Julaporn said it was necessary to adjust these people's attitudes towards their children's education. "We also need to address language barriers," she pointed out.

Yongyuth added that the quality of teaching dropped when teachers did not understand the mother tongues of their students.

Kriangkrai Cheechuang of the Karen Network for Culture and Environment said many migrant workers' children in Ratchaburi had stopped going to school after completing primary or junior secondary school because they were not motivated.

"They are not sure what they can do if they study further. So relevant authorities should provide clearer policies," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Children-of-migrants-losing-out-on-education-30239293.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-24

[mcsam]

but, of course, it has nothing to do with the fact that, I believe but could be wrong, migrant children do not qualify for state education and many parents cannot afford the fees for private school.

Edited July 24, 2014 by mcsam

[EnzoRippo]

quintessence of Thai hypocrisy

NO the migrant do not want they 8 years old kid work

NO there is NO language barrier because migrant kids are far more clever than xxxx => they learn Thai in no time.

NO this is not easy at all for migrant parents to enroll their children in Thai schools (check previous post + illegality)

[chotthee]

These foreign workers children are just trying to get a free ride on the money of local tax payers. When Farang kids come, they go to international school. When these Cambodian kids come, why must they be educated for free? If Farang can set up their own school; if Chinese can set up their own school; why can't the Foreign workers set up their own Cambodian/Burmese/Islamic/etc schools?

Besides, IMHO, these Cambodian (and Burmese) produce as much children as quickly as possible, so they can be a source of income. You may disagree.

[BSJ]

These foreign workers children are just trying to get a free ride on the money of local tax payers. When Farang kids come, they go to international school. When these Cambodian kids come, why must they be educated for free? If Farang can set up their own school; if Chinese can set up their own school; why can't the Foreign workers set up their own Cambodian/Burmese/Islamic/etc schools?

Besides, IMHO, these Cambodian (and Burmese) produce as much children as quickly as possible, so they can be a source of income. You may disagree.

Or do as bargirl's often do, leave em up the village (in their home country) for the old folk to look after. Problem solved!

[maewang99]

How is this any different for Thai children? Please. A typical anecdote. A recently Thai-married farlang I met just a little while back thinks his nephew is 'retarded'. It was a very big topic with him. Just after meeting him the first time, he was already telling me how he had to armwrestle his nephew to the ground over things he had observed his nephew trying to do. His nephew is not retarded. In fact, I think he's above average. He is not retarded. The factoid that his nephew speaks a funny language had not made a connection with this particular farlang. His nephew is Thai. It's not surprising that farlang foreigners take a long time to get clued in, Asian foreigners are familiar with the score before they have ever set foot..... but please.....I'm gonna stick with this topic of 'education'.....particulary after being encouraged by someone named Sanitsuda Ekachai in the Bangkok Post yesterday... surprisingly....'Teaching Our Children How to Kowtow'... how is this any different for Thai children?

Edited July 24, 2014 by maewang99

[jaltsc]

"SOME 250,000 children of foreign migrant workers have no access to education in Thailand, the Ramajitti Institute said."

If they are home schooled and learn how to count accurately; question what the government promises them, understand that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is; and treat others with respect and how they would like to be treated themselves, they will be getting a better education than they could in most schools. Plus, by the time they reach the age of 5 they will still have both ears on their heads.

Edited July 24, 2014 by jaltsc

[Pib]

Or do as bargirl's often do, leave em up the village (in their home country) for the old folk to look after. Problem solved!

Unfortunately, I wish you were being sarcastic but that is the way it works.

[hanuman2543]

"Associate Professor Yongyuth Chalamwong, research director on labour development at the Thailand Development Research Institute, said many migrant workers also preferred to have their children working."

Utter <deleted>. Which parents do not want a better future for their children? And "even" the Cambodians know that the best way to achieve that is through education. But sometimes the time spent to aquire education can be wasted time. Just look at my quiote.

[SoFarAndNear]

Your parents worked in thailand as illegal workers your full childhood and you have never visited school...so what you do...? also working as illegal worker...probably what their parents also did...and maybe even their parents....

Actually I am glad to see news like this. To see that there are some people in this country who understand that this is a huge discrepancy in this country. You have so many people who are filling their stomachs in all you can eat buffet restaurants stroll through the shopping centers. And on the other hand there are hundred thousands families who help up building this country for decades and can't send their children to school.

[davehowden]

Not sure that they are missing much!!

[Deacon Bell]

How is this any different for Thai children? Please.

Thai children's parents have Thai ID cards.

If you don't understand the scope of that, don't bother responding.

[Deacon Bell]

At least they won't perish in a school van or have their ears sawed off.

Every cloud.

[Artisi]

At least they won't perish in a school van or have their ears sawed off.

Every cloud.

Or be brain washed with rote learning.

[Thai at Heart]

Well here is the law of unintended consequence of instead of pushing the minimum wage along with inflation for years, just allowing it to wallow and jobs being filled up on masse by imported labour.

If they had been a lot busier enforcing labour laws and protecting workers, Thais would be in these jobs. Instead now they have husbands and wives with kids that need schooling and mum and dad earn 150 baht a day with free accommodation and dinner at the canteen.

Well, the govt has to school the children and the companies should have to foot the bill. End of.

[fabianfred]

What annoys me is how many ignorant farangs here think the migrant workers from Burma are just here for the money. They have no idea that many left Burma to escape genocidal tactics employed against them by the Burma army for the last 60 years ... and despite becoming more of a tourist destination the attacks continue out of sight and mind of most of the World.

[Local Drunk]

"Julaporn said it was necessary to adjust these people's attitudes towards their children's education. "We also need to address language barriers," she pointed out.

Yongyuth added that the quality of teaching dropped when teachers did not understand the mother tongues of their students."

A ESL's teachers job is not to understand the Thai mother tongue... It's to make students understand our's.

[belg]

so sad in 2014 that thailand is acting like this for people who do their dirty works / jobs

those children have no other choice than to stay poor and uneducated..the next generation of cheap labour is guaranteed