Schools levy new charges

Free-education policy being undermined

Sirikul Bunnag

The free education promised by government policy is proving far from free, with schools hitting parents with a whole range of new charges.

The Ministry of Education plans a series of orders banning the charges, but the action is likely to come too late for the new term, which starts this week.

A 37-year-old mother who identified herself as Malee said she was in trouble as expenses for her child's junior secondary education has risen from 3,000 baht to 5,000 baht for the coming term.

``For admission day tomorrow, the school told parents to prepare about 5,000 baht for education expenses. I don't know why it is so expensive despite the government's subsidy for student education,'' Mrs Malee said, whose child is enrolled at Phrakhanong Pitayalai school.

Since the policy took effect in October, many state schools have come up with new charges.

They fall into two categories: one covers textbooks, educational instruments and uniforms costing students about 3,000 baht. The other, about 2,000 baht, is for education improvement including computer classes (1,000 baht), foreign language classes with native speakers (400 baht), music classes (50 baht), accident insurance (150 baht) and outdoor education (120 baht).

``How much does a mother of three children like me have to earn to pay for the education of her children? I understood that the free education policy would have parents pay only for educational instruments, uniforms, meals and textbooks,'' Mrs Malee said.

Mrs Lek, whose child studies at Wat Rangbua school, said the school imposed many ``strange'' charges amounting to 1,800-2,300 baht on secondary school students. They include 200 baht a year for sports groups, 300 baht for tuition improvement, 200 baht for public utilities, 300 baht a term for computer classes and 300 baht a year for accident insurance.

``The government has lied to parents. We understand the school has financial problems but we don't want it to force all parents to pay. The school should explain its financial status and raise funds from donations,'' Mrs Lek said.

Meanwhile, George Samurmit, director of the Phrakhanong Pitayalai school, denied the surcharges came to any more than parents had paid in the past.

His school made no profit from the surcharges, and parents who could not afford to pay were exempt, he said.

The fee for computer classes was high because the school must replace 30 computers a year to keep up with technological change. Accident insurance was also necessary and benefited students.

The government subsidises his school with 1,800 baht for each junior secondary school student and 2,400 baht for each senior student.

The school's public utility costs of about three million baht a year nearly wiped out the subsidy and the leftover amount was not enough to pay for technological and academic development, Mr George said.

Somkiart Chobpol, assistant permanent secretary of education, said the surcharges should be voluntary, or schools would have to pay refunds.

Many parents had complained about surcharges in different forms. For instance, students are required to pay for bags that bear school logos, to change their sports outfits to different colours every year, and to pay for school cleaning costs. Mr Somkiart said the ministry would announce an order in two weeks banning schools from charging accident insurance. Students were already covered by the 30-baht medical care scheme. Other bans will follow to combat surcharges on cleaning services and special outfits apart from student uniforms.