Admission Period: It's often rife with school bribery

[elef]

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Admission Period: It's often rife with school bribery

 

 

Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) is going to attentively watch out for an illegitimate practice in which parents offer tea money in exchange for school seats.

 

"I believe the teamoney practice may arise after March 27 when parents already know whether their children can get into their favourite schools," Obec secretary general Khunying Kasama Varavarn said Sunday.

 

The Mathayom 1 (Grade 7) and Mathayom 4 (Grade 10) levels would be open for application from March 16 to 20. The entrance exam date was March 24 for Mathayom 1 and March 25 for Mathayom 4 and the results would release on March 27, while April 1 was the date for the draw for students living in the schools' catchment areas.

 

From March and mid April is the time of chaotic period of parents scrambling to find their children a place to study especially Grade 6 graduates looking for Mathayom 1 classes.

 

Kasama Sunday said the Education Ministry already assigned its inspector generals to closely monitor how popular schools admit new students.

 

"Any parent or student can report any teamoney case to us via our call centre's hotline number 1579," she said.

 

 

[Bkkbound04]

Its a funny old business with this tea money, my curent gf is a teacher in a state school,evry so often she gets cash bonus's in a little envelope, its not much, a few hundred baht a time, but as there are 50 + teachers in her school it all adds up to a significant amount.

I never get a clear explanation as to where the money originates but I'm told its dished out by the director.

 

There's also the issue of fundraising and expections that parents contribute to whatever scheme the director has in mind. As with most public servants the world over, money is rarely the motivating factor in career choice but corruption is so endemic in LOS that its become an acceptable form of renumeration. How else would a teacher live on 7k a month in BKK?

 

JP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JP

 

 

[elef]

A policeman starts at 8k.

[The_Munchmaster]

..... How else would a teacher live on 7k a month in BKK?

By getting herself a farang boyfriend?

 

[shygye]

... selling grades.

[Steve]

freelancing?

[Flashermac]

Teachers' pay in govmt schools isn't as bad as it seems, since teachers almost always get either a full step (10%) or a half step (5%) pay hike every year. If they start out at 7 K/month, it doesn't take them that long to get up to 10,000 and more.

 

Teachers at private schools may start at 10 K, but tend to be frozen around that amount.

 

Still, remember that teachers get paid 12 months a year, but only work about 9 months.

 

Also, it is not the teachers who are corrupt. It is the owners or administrator. The "name" government schools tend to hold open places for the children of politicians and wealthy businessmen, who naturally show their gratitude!

 

 

[Bkkbound04]

Teachers' pay in govmt schools isn't as bad as it seems, since teachers almost always get either a full step (10%) or a half step (5%) pay hike every year. If they start out at 7 K/month, it doesn't take them that long to get up to 10,000 and more.

 

Teachers at private schools may start at 10 K, but tend to be frozen around that amount.

 

Still, remember that teachers get paid 12 months a year, but only work about 9 months.

 

Also, it is not the teachers who are corrupt. It is the owners or administrator. The "name" government schools tend to hold open places for the children of politicians and wealthy businessmen, who naturally show their gratitude!

 

 

Good points, its the directors of the district and individual schools who manage the income, but again, even in very poor areas where the no-one is competing to get in money has to be found to top up salaries, maintain repairs and feed the kids! There is an interesting insight into one of Thailands poorer areas in the the film 'The Innocents'.

 

Teachers also have healthcare provision and favourable loans available.

 

One point you make I would challenge is that they only work 9 months out of twelve, the weekend professional seminar training requirements,the class preparation,election duties, summer camp expeditions,field trips and endless other issues means they have far less time free and is nowhere near 3 months.On special religious/royal holidays the school often holds special events, attendance is mandatory.

 

Which is probably why so many of them don't have farang BFs, they have'nt the time. I'd planed a long stay in April thinking we'd have time to get out of BKK for a long trip but for a number of reasons its not quite working out.

 

JP

[Flashermac]

Years ago several of my female Thai colleagues at the U of Fine Arts admitted to me they would love to have a Farang BF, but didn't know how to meet them. It's not simply a lack of time. It's a lack of opportunity.

 

 

[Vintage_Kwai]

Many teachers also offer private tuition in a variety of subjects, their rates are reasonable and some even come over to teach the kids at your convenience. It supplements their income, and the kids benefit from a one-on-one approach to their difficult subjects.