Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’sMinistry of Education will seek cabinet approval for 21.6 billion THB (655million USD) to subsidise education costs at 2,000 THB per student to mitigatefinancial burdens for parents as a result of COVID-19, local media reported.
According to Minister ofEducation Treenuch Thienthong said the mitigation measures were proposed at ameeting chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, last week and is expected to be submitted to the cabinet for approval on July 27.
State-run schools hadreturned some maintenance fees and miscellaneous expenses to parents, while privateschools affiliated with the Office of the Private Education Commission (Opec)had also returned some education fees amounting to about 2.27 billion THB, shesaid.
As parents' daily expensesincreased substantially during COVID-19, the ministry came up with furthermeasures to help.
The government will be askedto subsidise the tuition fees at 2,000 THB per student in the elementary andvocational education systems with a budget of 21.6 billion THB based on adatabase of those involved in the free education scheme. The funds are to help parentstackle financial issues during COVID-19 and can be spent on educationnecessities such as tuition fees, maintenance, internet bills or electricbills.
Privately-run andinternational schools will be asked to consider reducing their educational feesfor parents, and set up coordination centres to help work on their expenses.
The ministry attempted tonarrow the learning gap and learning set-backs caused by the pandemic onstudents by allowing schools to spend subsidies allocated under the freeeducation scheme on fees, books, accessories, uniforms and developmentactivities.
In addition, the governmenthas also come up with measures to organise vocational training for parents wholost their jobs due to COVID-19, which will cover travel and food costs at 2,000 THB each person. It willsearch for initial funds to help parents start new jobs, Treenuch added./.
According to Minister ofEducation Treenuch Thienthong said the mitigation measures were proposed at ameeting chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, last week and is expected to be submitted to the cabinet for approval on July 27.
State-run schools hadreturned some maintenance fees and miscellaneous expenses to parents, while privateschools affiliated with the Office of the Private Education Commission (Opec)had also returned some education fees amounting to about 2.27 billion THB, shesaid.
As parents' daily expensesincreased substantially during COVID-19, the ministry came up with furthermeasures to help.
The government will be askedto subsidise the tuition fees at 2,000 THB per student in the elementary andvocational education systems with a budget of 21.6 billion THB based on adatabase of those involved in the free education scheme. The funds are to help parentstackle financial issues during COVID-19 and can be spent on educationnecessities such as tuition fees, maintenance, internet bills or electricbills.
Privately-run andinternational schools will be asked to consider reducing their educational feesfor parents, and set up coordination centres to help work on their expenses.
The ministry attempted tonarrow the learning gap and learning set-backs caused by the pandemic onstudents by allowing schools to spend subsidies allocated under the freeeducation scheme on fees, books, accessories, uniforms and developmentactivities.
In addition, the governmenthas also come up with measures to organise vocational training for parents wholost their jobs due to COVID-19, which will cover travel and food costs at 2,000 THB each person. It willsearch for initial funds to help parents start new jobs, Treenuch added./.
VNA
