Many parents report increased costs for children's education

[elgordo38]

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And wasn't it just 2 weeks ago that there was a thread in here about the Ministry going out to make sure the costs of school supplies were reasonable? I guess that never panned out.

As well there was a story about how the state-run pawn shops were directed to keep the interest rates down so parents could afford to pawn their possessions to pay for their kids' education.

What I find most despicable about this is that Thailand is reported to spend more than most countries on education yet the money never seems to find its way to where it needs to go. Where the hell is it? THAT'S the kind of reform this "fresh" government should be pursuing!

My g/f's sister has 2 kids and she pays 10,000 bahts a year for them to go to a government school plus school bus plus part of their lunch money plus uniforms. Seems I read somewhere here that the government says there is no inflation guess all these parents must be wrong about increased costs. Oh forgot the government is borrowing the same mantra that North American governments are spouting. Its a world wide conspiracy to convince us there is no inflation but anyone that shops knows different. Guess the government will have to re-educate us all.

[FangFerang]

And let's not forget the quality of education. The recent global report had Thailand behind Cambodia and Myanmar. Were I a parent with kids in Thai school, this would be at the top of my rage list.

Sending your child to a Thai or bilingual school is condemning them. Even at the better ones, they have to follow the archaic Thai MOE curriculum and the foreigners employed are not much better than your average backpacker/sex tourist. Do all in your powers to send them to a reputable international school.

I completely agree. The public schools are populated with teachers that bought their positions, and only have an English Speaking class. The bilingual schools have a no-fail policy (really means no-lose-any-students so our income doesn't fail policy). The public schools encourage corruption, and the bilingual schools encourage only retention.

Some off this is an offshoot of the Asian mindset: if a student fails in a public school it is the student's fault; if a student fails in a private school, it is the school's fault. The rest of it is the standard battle for wealth and power....

[MaeJoMTB]

I am responsible for the education of an 18 yo girl ready to attend college in Pattaya. The fee is 80 kb pa, ie 7 kb per month approximately. I could easily pay this from my pensions on a monthly basis. But since they want the whole annual fee in advance and no credit at all, the girl cannot go to college.

I've got all kinds of claims and properties in Germany, but ever since I'm in Thailand I'm a nobody for them. And everybody in Germany is afraid to be beaten up or killed by nobody

Just choose a different Uni,

Plenty (Rat...) charging 15k/term, two terms a year.

She doesn't have to attend the expensive one.

[elgordo38]

Credit for those parents who have nothing to pawn anymore would be fine.

Maybe credit for Farangs that would help and could actually afford it.

Silly comments about "affording to bring children to the world" are not helpful at all.

Probably posted by one of those who complain about shortage in qualified labour.

No its not about shortage in qualified labor its about quality space on our little space ship called earth.

[MaeJoMTB]

My kid is 2.5 years old, in a pre-kindergarten class on Pattaya Nua. She just joined in this April.

Monthly fee is 8K, new student set is 3K, including uniforms with different color for each day.

In May they changed the school name, so another 2.3K is paid for new uniforms.

And special class is 2K per month, otherwise, you have to pick up the kid home very early.....

My 3yo starts (Amphur) kindergarten next week.

New student set 2k, then 2k a term. All I need to buy extra is shoes and socks.

Drop him off after 7:30am, collect him before 6:30pm.

[kannot]

Most cost would be on uniforms and shoes. Every kid grows bigger after a year.

One cost they could cut is the stupid need for a "uniform"

Its seems making them all look cute and pretty for school is more important than any learning.

Uniforms dont make you any better

Tell the teachers the same. Why do uniforms of teachers look so militaristic?

ego

[Baerboxer]

We are going through the hilarious circus called the 'Thai education system'. Tuition fees for our kids are alright but just a fraction of the real costs.

All the different uniforms, shoes, bags, books, mandatory English class, and extra curricular cash demands are raising it by another 200% at least.

We just paid 1,000 baht per child to get their names embroidered on the shirts. We can afford it, but I can imagine a lot of parents are struggling with this.

Yep. My daughter goes to a private school. Uniform changed this year as they've renamed to reflect their international status more clearly. The usual uniform, books, new shoes, etc plus extra sports this year so need tennis, badminton rackets. This year most kids in her class with do the after hours "homework clinic" classes. (Parents have twigged the teachers have a habit of making sure kids in these classes cover all the exam topics in extra depth!). Nice little earner for teachers and school.

For several years the payments have been split into 3 spread out through the terms. Last year they brought the payments dates forward. This year they've changed it to 2 payments, based on the earliest 2 dates of course! No discussion, communication or explanation. A lot of parents have struggled with suddenly having to find this extra amount on top of everything else with little warning.

Academically they are a good school, with some very good Thai and expat teachers, many who've been there sometime. But, they are also very profit focused. Although to be fair, there are 2 other international schools nearby which are more expensive, one of which is certainly of a lower standard and the other about on par.

[Sydebolle]

So much easier to run an uneducated electorate, isn't it? How sad that education is money-related. But then, what to expect in the country of Elephants which spends millions of dollars for renting Panda Bears from China while their National animal is being left to extinction - truly sad!

[Baerboxer]

Most cost would be on uniforms and shoes. Every kid grows bigger after a year.

One cost they could cut is the stupid need for a "uniform"

Its seems making them all look cute and pretty for school is more important than any learning.

Uniforms dont make you any better

There are pros and cons for having school uniforms. You should try reading them. You'll be surprised - looking cute and pretty isn't there.

[kannot]

And wasn't it just 2 weeks ago that there was a thread in here about the Ministry going out to make sure the costs of school supplies were reasonable? I guess that never panned out.

Every year for the past ten years we have helped the students of a rural school in Buriram province by helping to pay for uniforms, shoes and school supplies for children whose families could not afford them. I chose this school because the principal was a good friend of mine and he was a true educator who truly loved the children in his school. He died of cancer in 2010 but I promised him before he died that I would continue to help the children there as a legacy to our friendship. We started the first year with uniforms for 47 kids, then shoes for 110 kids. Now we have included sports uniforms and sports shoes, sporting equipment and put pressure on the local school district to release funds to improve the school facilities as well. Over time the number of children at this school has dropped from 117 children to the current enrollment of 85. Families here are having fewer children. A group of my friends, both foreign and local have gotten behind me on this and because of this we have been able to do a whole lot more.

We completely rebuilt the 9 classrooms, added a nursing station, a teacher's lounge, a library and computer room. added ceiling fans, created a kitchen so the kids could be fed twice a day, replaced all the desks for all the students and for the teachers as well. We added new doors to the classrooms, windows with bars and shutters, whiteboards, painted each room stem to stern, tiled the floors and redid the bathrooms, installed a new electrical system, constructed a drainage system that now prevents the classrooms from being flooded in rainy season and are currently building a dining hall and preparing sports fields. The total cost of these efforts for materials alone will have exceeded three million baht by the time we finish the major portion of the project. We started this program in 2005 with several foreigners but as a result a growing number of locals have been involved too. Even a Cobra Gold team of soldiers and marines participated as part of their community help program. I am not a rich man and I have a family of my own to support.

Try buying a couple of sets of uniforms for some child between 4 and 14 years of age and watch the smile on his or her face. Find a local school near where you live and do something positive.

I offered 45k to buy a new water pump for our village once, it regularly broke down and was old and not maintained water regularly off.

The head of the village said they could not accept the money to get the pump as they would have to have a meeting about it. At the meeting they decided not to spend the money on the pump they wanted to spend it on other things. I declined to do this.

[kannot]

Most cost would be on uniforms and shoes. Every kid grows bigger after a year.

One cost they could cut is the stupid need for a "uniform"

Its seems making them all look cute and pretty for school is more important than any learning.

Uniforms dont make you any better

There are pros and cons for having school uniforms. You should try reading them. You'll be surprised - looking cute and pretty isn't there.

I am aware of the pros and cons ( such as kids having expensive trainers etc) BUT in THAILAND im pretty sure cute and pretty is high up there if not right at the top. Appearance is EVERYTHING in Thailand

[quandow]

I grow SO weary of this topic. I taught for five years at the largest private bi-lingual school system in Southeast Asia. Since I included guitar in virtually all my classes, I was placed in every new school they shuffled out, so I got to see a good number of them. It's all true, the foreign teachers are generally horrible. They have good intentions but are not true teachers. The majority are retired alcoholics, younger people in a gap year, or people that can't get a job anywhere else. In five years I only saw one true backpacker, he was there for a week and split. Any time a new teacher came in, we gave them this rule of thumb - you are here to give the APPEARANCE of teaching, not actually teach. Over the last two years, I didn't even bother grading my mid term or final exams. I took them home and threw them away, then gave all my students a small bump up from their last grade. All my students got 85-100% except for the obvious drooling idiots who got 70-85%. If I graded the tests, the Thai administrative staff would go over them with a fine-tooth comb and find fault SOMEWHERE. Last year we had to adhere to some very crazy grading standards, so some of the questions were worth 4/5 of a point to maintain their insanity. I have MANY more stories, every bit as crazy and every bit another nail in the coffin of this educational system.

The solution? Get rid of hubris and face the TRUTH! School policies are put in place by blithering idiots who have climbed the corporate ladder by backstabbing and politicking. Until Thailand kills the "All Pass System," kids will wander through their days in overcrowded classrooms, doing nothing unless they are bludgeoned into doing so, and graduate with only one skill - marching. My school EXCELLED in marching! We had daily marching, marching competitions, marching awards, fat old female administrators bleating out marching orders . . . you get the picture.

Heavy sigh. Thailand, what possible positive outcome can your future hold if you continue down this most stupid path?

[thhMan]

I have 2 girls going to school...

The cost of the clothing shoes, gym wear is ridiculous.

The books they use are pathetic... I cant read Thai, but they look like puzzle books

I freaked out when I was told they need to use Gel Pens and nothing else...

My eldest is now using the web to learn English as what she learns in school is very inadequate. As for reading and writing in English.. its pathetic....

[Chao Lao Beach]

We are going through the hilarious circus called the 'Thai education system'. Tuition fees for our kids are alright but just a fraction of the real costs.

All the different uniforms, shoes, bags, books, mandatory English class, and extra curricular cash demands are raising it by another 200% at least.

We just paid 1,000 baht per child to get their names embroidered on the shirts. We can afford it, but I can imagine a lot of parents are struggling with this.

Why not just stamp with permanent ink?

Why no just have the school logo? Why should each shirt be completely unique and individualized? I did just fine as did my class mates with out my name sewn into my uniform.

The current policy ensures shirts etc can not be passed down to siblings or reused by others thus securing yet another income stream.

Correct it is all about the money.

[ToS2014]

Don't have enough money to purchase a kids educational requirements? I bet they sure do (have enough money) to have the latest smart phone...let alone the plan that includes unlimited anywhere anytime Facebook access.

[quandow]

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Don't have enough money to purchase a kids educational requirements? I bet they sure do (have enough money) to have the latest smart phone...let alone the plan that includes unlimited anywhere anytime Facebook access.

That used to just kill me! My students were ages 7 to 10, and when I would see one of my 7 year old's with the latest iPhone, I had to shake my head in wonder. Now, this school would collect the students' cell phones in the morning and return them after school with the exception of this one poor idiot. He had an iPhone and the school let him keep his to play games on during the day so he wouldn't bother the other students. Talk about quality education!

[thailand49]

Actually it is proven, the uniforms take pressure off the parents and the students, not sure about Thailand. in not having to keep up with the Jones, in the public schools in the States, When I was growing up others kids better off made fun of me because I wore hand me downs from my brothers. When I got older then you have more peer pressure and the judging. My friends as parents today have to deal with the expensive Nikes, etc.. brand names, keeping up with your friends including the phones.

Thailand, has a uniform standard some schools no phones, can't ride your motorbike to school. I think this is all good but the level of education is another topic but many families can not keep up with buying uniforms, I had no problem, my son had 5 of everything but I also see the other side, parents washing the one and only uniform each day. The when they scrape up enough for the tuition and uniform they change it.

[kannot]

Actually it is proven, the uniforms take pressure off the parents and the students, not sure about Thailand. in not having to keep up with the Jones, in the public schools in the States, When I was growing up others kids better off made fun of me because I wore hand me downs from my brothers. When I got older then you have more peer pressure and the judging. My friends as parents today have to deal with the expensive Nikes, etc.. brand names, keeping up with your friends including the phones.

Thailand, has a uniform standard some schools no phones, can't ride your motorbike to school. I think this is all good but the level of education is another topic but many families can not keep up with buying uniforms, I had no problem, my son had 5 of everything but I also see the other side, parents washing the one and only uniform each day. The when they scrape up enough for the tuition and uniform they change it.

No Its NOT proven at all, by letting the parents decide what their kids wear it will take out of the equation "we cant afford to buy uniforms" its then up to the parents if their stupidity lets them start buying Nike etc etc. although judging by what I see of "parental control" in Thailand it would probably make them even poorer.

As mentioned by another poster Ill bet they have a phone.

[micmichd]

Really don't understand why so many complain about mobiles here.

We live in a mobile society that needs communication, and some of the games on smartphones are of educational value (kids learn algorithms)

[hgma]

Just go along with the rules of engagement of the school.

No matter how idiotic sometimes situation and/or issues are for us.......the kids don't seem to mind, so whats the big deal.

What IS a big deal for parents AND kids is the dissappearence of many students shoes and other valuables in schools these days.

Pocket money, pens pencils, shoes, clothing etc its a plague in our childrens school.

Another big taboe to discuss and del with in an appropriate way it seems.

[harryfrompattaya]

It is amazing I love Thai women that is why I am in Pattaya

But for schooling America is the best free school free food free money from Govt yes even free medical

I had many children and made money

[kaorop]

We are going through the hilarious circus called the 'Thai education system'. Tuition fees for our kids are alright but just a fraction of the real costs.

All the different uniforms, shoes, bags, books, mandatory English class, and extra curricular cash demands are raising it by another 200% at least.

We just paid 1,000 baht per child to get their names embroidered on the shirts. We can afford it, but I can imagine a lot of parents are struggling with this.

really 1K per shirt?,

okay im starting an embroidery business next end of school year

tho im betting there is one shop for each school that handles them all, most possibly owned by the directors sister and staffed by khmer.

[wvavin]

No pun intended. The whole of the Thai educational system is a joke!

[micmichd]

OK, it's too expensive, at least for the poor.

Anything else?

At least Thais are able to read and write, which is not a matter of course in some countries (like Germany)

What about the quality of math and logical thinking in Thailand?

[Praematura]

I have friends that either brought their kids here or adopted their girlfriends kid and paid for a "decent" school. From what I've seen and been told I can't imagine a greater injustice to ones child than sending him/her to school here.

[trogers]

I have friends that either brought their kids here or adopted their girlfriends kid and paid for a "decent" school. From what I've seen and been told I can't imagine a greater injustice to ones child than sending him/her to school here.

When a kid can tell the difference between a buffalo and a pig, he gets a pass for grade 6.

[bruceybonus]

maybe they should learn in school

the costs of a child

and maybe even more, how to prevent having children in the first place ...

Thailand has a birth rate of 1.6, the lowest in the region, similar to China with their long term 1 child policy.

The low birth rate is a major economical threat for Thailand as there won't be enough working people to support the older part of the population and there won't be enough labor to make the inustry competitive in the region.

Birth control is the wrong measure for Thailand!

No way, there are a lot of individuals that need taking out of the gene pool

[Mr Somtam]

Just go along with the rules of engagement of the school.

No matter how idiotic sometimes situation and/or issues are for us.......the kids don't seem to mind, so whats the big deal.

What IS a big deal for parents AND kids is the dissappearence of many students shoes and other valuables in schools these days.

Pocket money, pens pencils, shoes, clothing etc its a plague in our childrens school.

Another big taboe to discuss and del with in an appropriate way it seems.

Ever heard of lockers?

[bernd1616]

forget this stupid uniforms and let the kids go to school dressed how they like. this will cut the costs. education and all learning materials should be free. and stopp the kids can get beaten by teachers.

[Neeranam]

It's called inflation and has been happening since I was a kid.