Thai education minister rejects call to shut down madrassas; increases funding & supportEducation Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng yesterday rejected a call by Thai Rak Thai MPs for a blanket closure of Islamic schools, saying these institutions had constitutional rights to give religious lessons. Mr Chaturon said not only would the government allow these religious schools to continue their operations, but it would also assist them in achieving sustainable development. Also, the government would not take any steps in this direction without first consulting local Muslim leaders on ways to proceed with development plans for Islamic schools, he said. ``The government will not stop but promote the development of Islamic schools. And it will do it with the help of local Muslim leaders,'' Mr Chaturon said. His comment came after a group of 25 Thai Rak Thai MPs urged the government to shut down all Islamic schools, claiming that they were the ``spawning grounds'' of the radicals behind the violence in the region. Mr Chaturon said budget allocations had already been made to ponohs for infrastructure development, and tadikas, weekend Islamic schools for small children, would enjoy the same benefits. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Pol Gen Chidchai Wannasathit called on the media not to report the calls for the closure of Islamic schools and for more troops to be deployed in the deep South.
Private schools struggling to survive
Continued southern violence and inadequate state assistance may force many private schools in the deep South to shut down. Decha Kasemsap, director of Kasemsap School in Narathiwat's Sungai Kolok district, said the government has never paid attention to the plight of local private schools affected by southern violence. The government, he said, focused mainly on problems of private Islamic schools and other state-run schools. He said many private schools in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat provinces faced a shortage of teachers as their staff had opted to apply for teaching jobs at public schools to fill slots left vacant by state teachers who had transferred out of the region due to ongoing violent attacks. ``Some private schools have suffered a reduction in enrolments by 50% after a string of violent attacks rocked the region,'' the principal said. ''Several families moved out of the areas and so did their children. Some families have had to stop sending their children to study at private schools as they have no money,'' he added. He called on the government to provide a full subsidy to private schools like that received by private Islamic schools. Private school teachers should also be entitled to a risk allowance.
``Teachers at private schools never get a single baht in risk allowance despite working in the same areas as state teachers. Little state assistance has reached the private schools in the three southern provinces. The Education Ministry should set up an agency to directly supervise local private schools,'' said Mr Decha. Executives of privately-run schools in the deep South are to meet tomorrow in Yala town to discuss their problems and draft a proposal to call for state assistance, including the subsidy. Private schools are popular among wealthy Thai Chinese and Muslims who send their children to study there.
Many private schools have been badly affected by the violence. Some plan to shut down due to low enrolments and a shortage of teaching personnel.