Many parents finding online lessons ‘far too expensive’

[snoop1130]

Many parents finding online lessons ‘far too expensive’

By The Nation

 

 

Parents in Chiang Mai are calling on the government to reopen schools soon because online classes can be unaffordable for some families.

 

Ploysai Saengsuwan, 43, said her two daughters are meant to attend online classes, but she does not have the funds to purchase a television, computer and iPad as instructed by the school. The school also requires that she have a broadband connection in her house to make online classes possible.

 

She said that since Covid-19 hit Thailand, her income as a masseur has completely dried up and now she is having to rely on the state-provided aid packages to feed her children.

 

Another parent, Nut Lummong, 45, said she had been forced to find more money so her son could attend classes online.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30388061

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-05-18

 

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[YetAnother]

3 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

but she does not have the funds to purchase a television, computer and iPad as instructed by the school. The school also requires that she have a broadband connection

is there any limit to the thoughtlessness of this government; do they know anything about the thai people ?!

[timendres]

5 minutes ago, YetAnother said:

is there any limit to the thoughtlessness of this government; do they know anything about the thai people ?!

The know how to buy their votes.

[Yorkshire Tea]

Malls are more important than schools ????

[billd766]

43 minutes ago, timendres said:

The know how to buy their votes.

This lot don't need to buy votes. They wear green suits and carry guns.

[connda]

Bring back the good old Thai feudal days.  Educate the rich and let the rug-rats of the poor work side-by-side with their indentured parents in neo-slavery.  Look at the Lakhon on TV.  What are wonderful period of time.  The rich were wealthy beyond belief and everyone else grovelled on the ground at their feet as things should be in a truly civilized Thai world.  Let's bring back the good old days, 'eh?  So take care of the rich Thai kids and forget about the rest.  They're not going to have any future after the economy is collapsed so why bother educating them?

[connda]

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

is there any limit to the thoughtlessness of this government; do they know anything about the thai people ?!

The government is cleaning up the immoral morass that was once Thailand.  Shut down the bars and clubs and massage shops where lewd and un-Buddhist behavior thrived.  Kick all those amoral Thais out of those jobs in order to save their souls and pave the path for better future rebirths.  Sure, they'll suffer today because they can't feed their children no less send them to school, but its all for their own benefit, and it's all just a reflection of their bad karma in previous lives.  And being such, its not up to the government to take care of these losers.  With the borders closed and probably not to open due to a 2nd wave and 3rd wave and 4th wave of the deadly Covid, these moral degenerates can find work in the rice field grubbing out an existance with the help of their now out-of-school youngesters who will have nothing better to do then to work the field with their low-life parent.  Back to feudalism thanks to Covid.  What a grand plan!!!

[Thunder26]

Online teaching has many issues. It is not only unaffordable for some, but it is also a nuisanse for many parents.

 

International schools teach online and throw all the burden towards parents in educating their children. An online lesson consists of a teacher explaining a topic for about 10 minutes and then giving an assignment that young learners cannot complete independently. The question arises "Why do parents have to pay astronomical fees to end up teaching their kids by themselves or hiring tutors?". Most parents don't have the skills to teach or time.  It sounds like a scam. That's what the schools are doing now.

 

This madness needs to stop and allow physical learning where students spend the whole day with the teacher. Not 10 minutes by an online mini lesson. 

 

I thought the government said the teaching resumes from the 1st of July with the new year schedule. Then why are many government schools starting teaching online now? It baffles me.

 

With the current numbers of cases being so low the government could've started the real teaching in person by June 1st. 

[colinneil]

Once again another crazy ill thought out scheme, causing chaos.

Many children at my wifes school have no home internet.

Teachers are having to go to childrens  homes with paperwork ( at teachers own expense )

Since this nonsense was brought into being, my wife has had to work everyday, saturday/ sunday included.

Not 1 teacher is happy with the situation, costing them  money.

[BritManToo]

12 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Parents in Chiang Mai are calling on the government to reopen schools soon because online classes can be unaffordable for some families.

I'm in Chiang Mai, just paid 300bht for 3 months online classes, starting yesterday.

Not sure they'll be any good, but can't complain that they're expensive.

Way cheaper than the normal 6,000bht they want for normal school extras ..... and no need to give him 30bht lunch money either.

 

No computer involved, phone app + worksheets.

Who doesn't have a smart phone?

Free internet time on the smart phone provided every month by all providers since the COVID lockdown.

 

Same for CMR University in Chiang Mai

My girl asked for 3,300bht for online lessons, normal price for the term would be 12,000bht

No need to give her 100bht lunch money either. 

 

Complete nonsense story!

COVID is saving me $$$$$s.

Edited May 18, 2020 by BritManToo

[colinneil]

3 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I'm in Chiang Mai, just paid 300bht for 3 months online classes, starting yesterday.

Not sure they'll be any good, but can't complain that they're expensive.

Way cheaper than the normal 6,000bht they want for normal school extras ..... and no need to give him 30bht lunch money either.

 

No computer involved, phone app + worksheets.

Who doesn't have a smart phone?

Free internet time on the smart phone provided every month by all providers since the COVID lockdown.

Yes 300 baht not expensive for you, but think about the poor  Thai people who were only earning 300 baht per day, and now are out of work.

Who doesnt have a smart phone, many poor families dont have smart phones.

[Colabamumbai]

Parents won't send their kids to me for free lessons in Ban Bung. Not interested in learning. 

[kwak250]

My wife's sister has 3 kids and they usually take turns borrowing there mums phone in the day to play games with a very cheap internet daily package that gets slower when the data plan has been used up.

Now she needs 3 smartphones and a good internet package.

They haven't asked me to help yet probably because I dont visit there with the C19 virus restrictions  ..

It has its benefits...

[fulhamster]

15 hours ago, YetAnother said:

is there any limit to the thoughtlessness of this government; do they know anything about the thai people ?!

Only those in Bangkok in their air-con villas

 

[fulhamster]

15 hours ago, timendres said:

The know how to buy their votes.

Pointless voting when the PM was unelected

[nahkit]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Free internet time on the smart phone provided every month by all providers since the COVID lockdown.

Can't understand why AIS have sent me a bill for my internet package.

[rebo]

17 hours ago, YetAnother said:

is there any limit to the thoughtlessness of this government; do they know anything about the thai people ?!

Of course they know, and it could hardly run smoother for them and their power structure at this time: Keep the uneducated uneducated.

[billd766]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

Yes 300 baht not expensive for you, but think about the poor  Thai people who were only earning 300 baht per day, and now are out of work.

Who doesnt have a smart phone, many poor families dont have smart phones.

The only reason that I have a smartphone is because the screen is bigger and I can view things a bit easier.

 

I should really get new glasses.

[BritManToo]

1 hour ago, nahkit said:

Can't understand why AIS have sent me a bill for my internet package.

I'm guessing here ..........

But probably because you can't read Thai, so haven't replied to the SMS you received (in Thai) offering free internet.

Or possibly because you're already on an internet package, and it's only for people without internet.

Edited May 19, 2020 by BritManToo

[ChaiyaTH]

Little bit confusing, it is mostly the school being the incompetent one here. 
You could get very proper Xiaomi style tablets and use a separate keyboard. This can function as TV, laptop and tablet in one.

Then for streaming and classes, you can use a SIM card with 4G. Currently promotions available for 4Mbps and unlimited Data at 150-200 baht a month with TrueMove.

If the school would arrange wholesale of these tablets, and maybe even sweet talk a deal with AIS or True, it would cost each parent 4K baht, perhaps instalments too.

 

Those tablets would be good enough for all things like Google Docs (Office), Google Classroom, etc etc etc.

[nahkit]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

3 hours ago, nahkit said:

Can't understand why AIS have sent me a bill for my internet package.

I'm guessing here ..........

But probably because you can't read Thai, so haven't replied to the SMS you received (in Thai) offering free internet.

Or possibly because you're already on an internet package, and it's only for people without internet.

No need to guess, I've already said in my post that I'm on an internet package.

[holy cow cm]

At least Shinawatra gave tablets. My kids are still waiting to go into full force online here. One is at CMU first year and the other Yupparaj last year. Unfortunately this is my daughters last year and she will not be able to enjoy it as she should. Darn shame. Thank you very much China! 

 

For us no problem but for other kids any cost will be hard to shoulder.

[Dap]

22 hours ago, billd766 said:

This lot don't need to buy votes. They wear green suits and carry guns.

And it don't get more ... than that 

[Andycoops]

I am only paying half this semester's fee as my son is doing his Uni course online.

[kwonitoy]

On 5/19/2020 at 6:32 AM, BritManToo said:

I'm in Chiang Mai, just paid 300bht for 3 months online classes, starting yesterday.

Not sure they'll be any good, but can't complain that they're expensive.

Way cheaper than the normal 6,000bht they want for normal school extras ..... and no need to give him 30bht lunch money either.

 

No computer involved, phone app + worksheets.

Who doesn't have a smart phone?

Free internet time on the smart phone provided every month by all providers since the COVID lockdown.

 

Same for CMR University in Chiang Mai

My girl asked for 3,300bht for online lessons, normal price for the term would be 12,000bht

No need to give her 100bht lunch money either. 

 

Complete nonsense story!

COVID is saving me $$$$$s.

Link?

I can't find any link for these online classes, I'd like to try for my son

[BritManToo]

22 minutes ago, kwonitoy said:

Link?

I can't find any link for these online classes, I'd like to try for my son

DLTV app on the play store, with TV channels on Thai freeview.

[Grumpy one]

23 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Little bit confusing, it is mostly the school being the incompetent one here. 
You could get very proper Xiaomi style tablets and use a separate keyboard. This can function as TV, laptop and tablet in one.

Then for streaming and classes, you can use a SIM card with 4G. Currently promotions available for 4Mbps and unlimited Data at 150-200 baht a month with TrueMove.

If the school would arrange wholesale of these tablets, and maybe even sweet talk a deal with AIS or True, it would cost each parent 4K baht, perhaps instalments too.

 

Those tablets would be good enough for all things like Google Docs (Office), Google Classroom, etc etc etc.

So out of minus 300 baht a day, you expect the poor to shell out 4 grand they don't have, then pay 200 baht a month

If you have a job or a pension this is ok, but for many its impossible

[kwonitoy]

5 hours ago, BritManToo said:

DLTV app on the play store, with TV channels on Thai freeview.

????

[Number 6]

Very simple to design inexpensive, effective distance learning program. Government would need to pick up the bulk of costs but there's no magic. Just takes creativity.

 

I'm sure many of the international schools with young learners are struggling. Teachers first aren't given time, resources. Second, many don't have a head for design and technology.

 

 

Revolution in Education coming driven by technology.

Edited May 20, 2020 by Number 6

[akampa]

Our school offers free lessons online ,out of 30 in the class only about 10 or 12 do the lessons they use Zoom, but of course you need good internet speed and computer /smartphone .this is a government school and no help from the ministry of education .

 

this is also not a good way to learn social skills being on line .

Back to school in July and lets see what brilliant ideas they have with social distancing with kids.????