Most parents trust public schools, survey finds
Most parents in Thailand trust public schools the most, despite concerns over education quality, a new nationwide survey reveals.
An opinion survey has found that most parents have concerns about the quality of education, yet the majority place more trust in public schools than in other types of schools.
The survey was conducted among 1,310 respondents nationwide between 12 and 14 May by the National Institute of Development Administration (Nida Poll) in collaboration with the Thailand Education Partnership. The results were released on Sunday.
When asked whether they were concerned about their children's future with regard to access to education, educational equality, quality of education, and government policy and support, parents responded as follows:
- 30.69%: Somewhat worried
- 25.19%: Slightly worried
- 22.21%: Very worried
- 21.91%: Not worried at all
When asked which type of school they believed would provide the best quality education for their children, parents responded:
- 46.26%: Public schools
- 26.18%: Private schools
- 7.18%: International schools
- 5.80%: Demonstration schools
- 5.04%: Bilingual schools
- 1.22%: Religious schools
- 1.22%: Alternative schools
- 0.23%: Homeschools
- 6.87%: No comment
When asked which factors were most important in selecting a school (multiple responses allowed), parents replied:
- 46.64%: Quality of teachers
- 44.70%: Modern curriculum
- 33.69%: Proximity to home
- 32.46%: Availability of modern teaching aids
- 31.31%: Reasonable school fees
- 26.48%: Positive social environment at school
- 26.23%: Safe environment for children
- 15.33%: Opportunity to learn a second language
- 11.23%: School reputation
- 8.03%: Moral education
Asked whether they were able to send all children under their care to school, respondents answered:
- 58.44%: All children
- 15.16%: None
- 12.60%: Some
- 11.23%: No children under their care
- 2.54%: Children under care are not yet of school age
Among the 339 respondents who were unable to send all or some of their children to school, the reasons given were:
- 56.05%: Schooling costs are too high
- 14.16%: Schools are too far from home
- 8.55%: Children failed the entrance exam
- 8.55%: Children refused to go to school
- 7.97%: Schools restricted student enrolment
- 4.72%: Previously, no suitable school types were available for their children
Finally, when asked which organisations they believed could help improve the quality of education, parents replied:
- 65.50%: The government
- 18.86%: None; parents must rely on themselves
- 9.54%: Local authorities
- 4.12%: Private sector
- 1.45%: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- 0.55%: No comment
