"Tea Money" donations to schools and admissions

[Spitfire]

This has been a bit of a hot topic recently with the Minister of Education attempting to relabel it a "donation" instead of "Tea Money".

It seems like a complete mess with parents fighting and going into debt to get their kids into certain schools with the school administrations taking advantage of it by harvesting the best "donations" to secure a seat. It really is a good example of the hopeless corruption here in many places and they can call "Tea money" or whatever they like.........but it's still corruption.

Are they trying to kid everyone that the school and it's interior administrators/officials are responsible and clean enough to spend the money on school infrastructure, or free books for less advantaged children etc, and not end up in the higher position people's bank accounts? Ridiculous!

What have they all been smoking?

Anyhow, this is a sample of the latest from The Nation with some good editorial comment and a few home truths thrown into it.

The quality of teaching is what really matters
EDITORIAL
The Nation February 19, 2012 1:00 am

The ongoing debate over "donations" to schools - otherwise known as "tea money" - has missed the fundamental issue that this custom causes disparity in the quality of schooling.

Parents will certainly strive to send their children to schools that they consider the best via whatever means. And money is an effective way to enable parents to get what they want for their children.

Of course, the question of "tea money" often comes up before the opening of the school season. The issue has got increasingly intense because the differences in the quality of schooling have widened over the recent years.

Pictures of parents and students waiting desperately to get accepted at recognised schools do not suggest an inadequate supply of schools. In fact, there are schools that have seats available. But parents don't want to send their children there because they are not confident about the quality of teaching at these schools.

The issue, however, has been framed as a reflection of the disparity between the "haves" and "have-nots". Parents who can offer better financial resources to support schools often have a better chance to get their children accepted. Parents with average children and little financial resources are likely to face fierce competition with only a few slots available. Failing that, they would have to settle and enter their kids in the second- or third-best schools.

Famous schools have naturally become a target for parents and their resources. But the educators and activists should instead look at what has gone wrong at schools that no parents want their kids to go to.

Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej recently tried to legalise this despicable, yet popular, custom, by calling payment from parents a "school donation", instead of "tea money."

Suchart's move, not surprisingly, drew quick condemnation from activists. Building Thailand Club president Amnuay Sunthornchote said Suchart's policy would encourage discrimination against people on the basis of financial status.

Let's face it: Thailand has now become a materialistic society. Money often gets people what they need or want. Regardless of what form of contribution is made, the tradition of tea money will continue.

For the full article......... http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion ... 76192.html

[HHTel]

I do have a bee in my bonnet with regards to teacher 'ethics' in this country. I have had many talks with the head of Salesian school regarding the smacking of pupils. To give him some credit he has managed to stop most of the teachers to resist from violence and use other accepted forms of punishment. However, there are still some bad apples in the barrel. But to bring this back to topic:-

A teacher has one of the most important roles in life being a major influence in the development of our children. If they use violence, then it's not surprising that the kids learn that big people can hit little people. When that very institution is corrupt in their dealings with their charges, it's to be expected that this will influence the attitudes of developing youth.

Why is Thailand so entrenched in lies and corruption? It starts at school and until the attitudes of teachers and schools change for the better, then nothing will change.

The schools have a huge responsibility to our future generations and they are in a strong position to change the face of Thailand.

Rant over!!!