Reader question: Our Thai children have to go to another school, I have a number of questions about this
Dear people,
I live with my Thai girlfriend in a house in Bangkok. My girlfriend has two wonderful girls, ages 14 and 12, like daughters to me.
As so often with children, boasting at school about “their” farang, flying holidays, etc. and predictable jealousy from the other kids. A boy explodes, knocking the eldest into hospital. Coming to school with my girlfriend for a talk with the other parents, the conclusion is that our children have to go to another school. School proposal: St. John College, so on to this school.
We have made a budget:
- Costs 140.000 Baht per year per child = 280.000 Baht
- School bus costs 2x 4000 Baht (month) = 96.000 Baht
- Food at school 2x 40 Baht x 225 days = 18.000 Baht
- Miscellaneous such as school trip, telephone, notebook, etc. budgeted at 50.000 Baht
Total 444.000 Baht maybe 500.000 Baht. (lane kung). Let's hope, rounded 450.000 Baht per year. For me and many with me, a lot of money for other people's children, even though I see them as my own.
My question:
- Who knows St. John college?
- Is this amount normal for a private school?
- How many years do I have to pay this?
- Can they also earn a good salary with this diploma?
- Who knows an alternative?
Awaiting your response.
Greetings Nico
I pay about 15.000 baht per semester (half a school year) for my wife's daughter. There is also something for books, school uniform, etc. Total about 20.000 baht per semester, 40.000 baht (approx. 1000 euros) per year.
But you have private schools and private schools. The most expensive are the international schools. So our daughter goes to a somewhat cheaper private school. I think, given your budget, you're out way too much. For example, I can't place the price for the school bus at all.
Often it is also a status issue, an expensive or a somewhat less expensive school, and it does not even have much to do with the quality of education. I would say: inquire about a cheaper school.
Nico,
This is an "international school" and not just a private school, then this is a fairly normal amount, I looked for an international school in Phuket for my children, it was even more expensive, the costs remain the same as long as they stay in school there, usually, here too, there is a 5% discount for the 2nd child.
The amounts are quite clear on the website of the school, which can be found via google.
Of course there is no “good earning guarantee”, that is not the case anywhere.
For Thai standards this is a fairly reasonable school, according to an acquaintance of mine in Bangkok, the school is not known negatively but also not as excellent.
An alternative is a normal private school, at almost all international schools you have to count on these kinds of amounts and a good school education in Thailand simply costs a lot of money.
Good luck and regards
Lex K.
My girlfriend also pays that kind of money for her eldest daughter. He goes to an international private school near the airport. Lessons are given there in English. Networking in the milieu of wealthy and influential families can be helpful, but there is indeed no guarantee.
She has to do something for it because every morning at half past five the school bus is at the door….
.
What I don't understand is why your kids have to leave school and not the little boy who attacked them?
Maybe you can talk to the school again….the soup is never eaten as hot as it is served.
A one-off settlement is probably possible that is somewhat cheaper. Trying costs nothing. You have a no, you can get a yes.
If your daughters can handle the level, it may not be a waste of money, as Patrick says, networking with children of wealthy parents can be useful, if they can't handle the level I wouldn't put them there. There are also good and cheaper schools in Bangkok, it is often status that you pay for.
As Lex K and Patrick also report, these are fairly normal amounts for top schools. However, St John's does not appear on the list of the 50 best schools, which does not include several (highly renowned) international schools.
https://www.thailandblog.nl/onderwijs/top-50-beste-middelbare-scholen-thailand/
In any case, I would provide a school with solid English language instruction, as that is becoming an increasingly important factor for later success in & outside Thailand (eg due to the ASEAN Free Trade Zone as of January 2015). I attend state schools all over the country; the average teaching is of a pitiful quality. Main reasons are the Thai 'rote learning system' which does not encourage self-thinking, and many teachers who are below par (it is getting better very slowly). English is usually a drama in itself.
Private schools usually follow the heavy British curriculum (project/initiative-oriented; O and A levels), often with almost exclusively foreign teachers who, incidentally, first have to obtain a certificate from the Thai Teachers' Association (at designated universities, such as Srinakarinwirote) . These schools are always expensive, but there is also a reasonably good middle class. As Eric points out, "private" essentially means little if only the Thai curriculum is followed; in any case provide added value.
Incidentally, there are also very good Thai 'demonstration schools', usually associated with a university (there are several in the 50-best list). The not always cheap education there is at a considerably higher level. However, the admission is very difficult (say: corrupt, in the sense of paid or unpaid 'favorite politics'), the newspapers are full of it every year.
You have the disadvantage of living in Bangkok in a way. Very reasonable private schools are mainly 'in the province' where 'middle class' parents certainly cannot pay the amounts that are normal in Bangkok. But perhaps these are also in Bangkok. Be sure to ask (also) other foreigners what they do, especially British people. The embassy may also have information.
I've been looking into things further;
What kind of school in St. John College?
It turns out that this is not just a private school, but an annex of St John University in Cambridge UK (university number 1 in the world)
These have a number of international schools in the world, including one in Bangkok, where English and Thai are the languages of instruction.
After secondary school, one “can” move on to “high school” and then to university.
After obtaining a Bachelor's degree, a Master's degree can be obtained in Cambridge UK.
In other words, it will cost a lot of money.
Nico
There are also very good public schools. My granddaughter went to public school and is now in her second year of undergraduate studies at the prestigious Chulalongkorn University.
You see that you really don't have to go to a Private or International school to be admitted to a top Thai university
henry,
Did she go to a public primary school and then also a public secondary and high school or is the secondary and high school different from a public school?
We ourselves live in Laksi (near Don Muang) which public school did she attend?
gr. Nico