A Problem At School

[georgieboy]

B.E.S.T. IS NOT ALWAYS BEST

I am a parent of a student who was taught by the late Matt Hayes at BURAPHA ENGLISH-PROGRAMME SCHOOL OF THAILAND on Sukhumvit Road. I was very angry to find out that the school has appointed THE BANGKOK PATTAYA HOSPITAL to administer flu shots at the school .This is a total lack of thought, sensitivity and respect by the school owner, director and management towards the family and friends of Matt as this "hospital" who by their actions played a crucial part in his death. One can only imagine that the school owner is getting a kickback as the cost is not even good value. I for one will not allow my child to be treated by BPH for any ailment. It would

appear that both places are very similar as BPH is a business masqueradingas a hospital and BEST is a business masquerading as a school and both have many problems relating to basic human values. Most know all about the practices of the BPH but what about BEST "SCHOOL"?? My daughter studies in primary 2 and only one month into the new term (cost approx 25000 bt per term) I have observed the following: I pay for native speakers yet most of the recently appointed teachers are from the Philippines, i.e., non native

speakers. The management at the school is weak and lacks commitment to say the least. The whole place is dirty including the canteen and classrooms. Where are all the cleaners? Indeed the students are ordered to clean the school on a daily basis in morning assembly. I paid in advance for my daughters books (not cheap) yet still now these have not been given and in some cases the books are not in publication any more so old ones are photocopied (illegally I might add). I pay for my child to study in an aircon classroom. This is seldom turned on or works properly. Many students complain about the heat. Basically the place is a sham. I was promised so much more in the admin office as they took my money. Apparently the owner has not visited the school in months/years. That says it all really. I think MANY THINGS NEED URGENT ATTENTION BUT MY ADVICE TO ALL IS DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH.

Signed

ANGRY, FRUSTRATED PARENT.

[Weho]

Unfortunately, there are similar horror stories at other schools as well. If you are not comfortable having your kid treated by them, for any reason, you should NOT have to... To have peace of mind, and a clear conscience, just pay for her own flu shot somewhere else.

I agree that it is bad judgement for them to hire that hospital for that school.

[suiging]

Does the school have a PTA ?

Such serious breaches of contract may be better addressed collectively and ultimately legally. In all cases better to have a united voice from all parents, rather than just your own.

[sriracha john]

International School Eastern Seaboard.... not that much more tuition and a world of difference from your description of BEST.

[rambler]

International School Eastern Seaboard.... not that much more tuition and a world of difference from your description of BEST.

Firstly i would like to agree 100% with georgieboy the schools choice of hospital for the vaccinations is a disgrace.I feel i can voice my opinion on this whole topic accurately as Matt was my friend so i know how angry i feel about this issue plus i worked at BEST school for 4+ years and my child goes to the school now.Quite simply BEST is at this time the best of a very bad bunch of mid price range bilingual schools locally.What you say georgieboy is all true i know this place inside out and add to it the weak Thai director worried to upset the owner and the foreign head whos hands are constantly tied by those above so he is relatively powerless.The school has a disciplinary procedure which is seldom/never inforced as expulsion is seen as money(fees) lost,all the students pass exams failure is unknown as would lead to money(fees) being lost;are you getting my drift?.Sure the place desperately needs a tidyup,facilities are poor(especially for sports)for all its faults i see on a daily basis THE KIDS WHO GO THERE LOVE IT I KNOW MY SON DOES ITS GREAT WHEN YOUR CHILD WAKES UP HAPPY TO GO TO SCHOOL.On an accademic level the school offers a truly sound bilingual education for those students with a will to learn and who receive care and assistance at home.I find the present day native speaking teaching staff to be ok give or take one or two suspect individuals and my sons teacher Mr Mike from Canada is excellent.The school did have a PTA at one time this needs ressurecting and maybe things will improve with a collective voice would the owner listen - i think not.My advice to georgieboy and all other parents is to ask for a refund for the cost of the missing original books you have paid for (i have done so already) i presume this goes for all parents so collectively is a substancial amount and ref ;the flu shots get them done at another medical center you will save youself a few quid into the bargain as beleive me they are poor value....OOOPS there i go about money/business again. The above are my honest opinions NOT sourgrapes in any way before anyone asks i left the school to take up a management position more cash/benifits etc - as good salaries/conditions are not apart of this schools policy

[sriracha john]

After re-reading the OP, I have to apologize for misreading that BEST's fees are 25,000 baht. I misread that as 250,000.... and hence my recommendation for ISE for not much more. Actually, ISE is considerably more given the actual fees that BEST charges. ISE's fees are based on grade level of the student, but an example is that for Kindergarten to 5th grade, it's tuition is 340,000 per year.

It is, however, true about what I wrote that there is a world of difference in the caliber of school compared to the OP's description of BEST.

I apologize for my misstatement about the fees based on my misreading of the figures.

[steviekes]

I am appalled at the gross insensitivity of the administrators of BEST. Is it a case of don't know or is it don't care or both?

[EmCross]

I am appalled at the gross insensitivity of the administrators of BEST. Is it a case of don't know or is it don't care or both?

I would suggest DO Know but Don't care is their attitude!

My children also go to BEST school and I too was appalled at their lack of sensitivity when my children arrived home with a letter about the vaccinations from BHP last week, really unbelievable given the so recent tragic death of Matt Hayes one of their loyal and hard working English teachers and the part BHP played in this Bangkok Hospital Pattaya Where is the care? thread).

I agree also with the OP that BEST school is just a money making operation with little thought to the teaching and school activities or facilities which leave a lot to be desired. I am sure the teachers are doing their best but it is very difficult and disheartening for them with no support from the school owners or directors.

The school is very dirty including the classrooms and the toilets are a disgrace even in the new building, where are the cleaners? and what are they doing? Having the children collect rubbish each day is not really a solution to this, either they should employ more cleaners or find out why the current cleaners are not doing their job properly.

Another disgruntled parent looking for a viable alternative to BEST school!

[darkside]

i have been thinking for a while now about transferring my daughter from The Tantarak school to Best but after reading this thread, i think i will leave her where she is for now.

[JimmyTheMook]

Try Satit Udomsak , Off Sukumvit Road heading towards Sattahip past the Tesco Lotus , keep your eye out for their sign - just past the railroad crossing is the school.

Not an international school , but the kids are well looked after.

[rambler]

Try Satit Udomsak , Off Sukumvit Road heading towards Sattahip past the Tesco Lotus , keep your eye out for their sign - just past the railroad crossing is the school.

Not an international school , but the kids are well looked after.

my earlier post included the sentence:"BEST school is the best of a very bad bunch of mid price bilingual schools locally"this bunch included Satit and Wutichot.My impressions are Satit looks great but is not a true bilingual school (much less than 50%of thr ciriculum is actualy English including little or no Eng sci,maths geog etc)discipline is a problem ,i personally know one present day and one former teacher from Satit both live in my apartment block both have suspect qualifications indeed the current foreign head at BEST went to work at Satit but returned to BEST after a couple of months saying it was no good for many reasons one being it seemed the school was a money cleaning service for the owners other business in pattaya that is Alcazar show on 2nd road.My opinion of Wutichot is far more clear cut the owner is clearly a total nutter some of her antics are beyond belief hence the massive staff turnover stats.ON THE BRIGHT SIDE THERE IS A NEW OPTION THE RAYONG ENGLISH PROGRAMME SCHOOL (R.E.P.S.)AT BANG CHANG.Iworked there as a supply teacher for a couple of months part of the Garden International school great facilities,very good Thai director Mr Pakong and foreign headmaster Mr David,a sound choice and only a fraction more expensive than the above.I intend my son to go there from primary 3 up (they do cater for K1 TO P6 at the mo)only downside its an early start for the school bus pickup. ..... OH YES DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TREE PHASE PLAN SHOWN TO ALL PARENTS SHOWING THE VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WHOLE OF BEST SCHOOL MAYBE THEY LOST THE PLANS OR THE PROMISE TO DELIVER.

[steviekes]

In order for a school to be truly successful for those who attend it should have a student centered approach with experienced and enthusiastic teachers, both English language and Thai. Is that the case at BEST?

[JimmyTheMook]

my earlier post included the sentence:"BEST school is the best of a very bad bunch of mid price bilingual schools locally"this bunch included Satit and Wutichot.My impressions are Satit looks great but is not a true bilingual school (much less than 50%of thr ciriculum is actualy English including little or no Eng sci,maths geog etc)discipline is a problem ,i personally know one present day and one former teacher from Satit both live in my apartment block both have suspect qualifications indeed the current foreign head at BEST went to work at Satit but returned to BEST after a couple of months saying it was no good for many reasons one being it seemed the school was a money cleaning service for the owners other business in pattaya that is Alcazar show on 2nd road.

Appreciate your opinion, as picking a school here is more than an emotional issue for the parents.

I found BEST to be a joke with the kids running about. When we took a tour an English Guy ( teacher) was standing around and I asked how the school is run, he said he quit that day and was waiting for some paperwork to be sorted. I asked him how long he taught there and was told less than a month.

They have a very high turnover of teachers and a rumor is the place is owned by a former Mamasan who got very wealthy running beer bar complexes in Pattaya and got into the private school game because of the profits involved.

Satit seems clean and the kids are taken care of pretty well. I agree with the English aspect of the school and that is a concern of mine.

My kids speak English at home with both my wife and myself. They are still in the early primary grades so I still have my eye open for a better option.

[rambler]

In order for a school to be truly successful for those who attend it should have a student centered approach with experienced and enthusiastic teachers, both English language and Thai. Is that the case at BEST?

Afew short years ago BEST school had a very experienced and dedicated team of foreign teachers ages ranging from 30 thru to 60 yrs we cared about the students and the lessons we taught. It was not easy at times taking into consideration the massive ability range and one class could contain students of many nationalities this is where the experience came in.Nowadays from what i see very few of the "old school" remain teaching at BEST i can count 9 or 10 top quality members of staff who have left for various reasons and many more "wasters" who came and went (fired)i count myself in the first catagory by the way.The replacements more so recently appear to be mostly very young and inexperienced for what can be a difficult teaching environment .The subject of phillipino teachers came up in an earlier post in my opinion for to many are being employed in schools as native speakers when clearly they are not irrespective of their ability ,this is the general case thru out Thialand not only at BEST.....The owner of BEST is actually the largest supplier of alcohol on the Eastern Seaboard i did hear many moons ago she had involvement in the bar scene in some capacity.

[stevemiddie]

Hi.

I work at BEST as a new teacher having previously taught as a Homeroom Teacher for P3 rich kids in Bangkok.

I disagree with the comments about the aircons not being switched on. ( earlier post ).

All our air-con units work fine and they are always on when we have classes. It is true they are switched off at lunch break. Common sense really.

I,m a newbie there but i have good support from some experienced QUALIFIED teachers and i know they strive to improve the students knowledge to the best of abilities.

The foreign head ..............a great help with some sound advice.

I think the school does try hard and to be honest, the standard of teaching at BEST is a little better than my last school ( girls private school for rich families ). Incidentally, that school charged 250,000 a year.

I cannot comment on the owner, i,m too new. Nor can i comment on the director, i don,t know him.

There are many worse schools in Thailand.

[qualtrough]

There are many worse schools in Thailand.

Now there's a ringing endorsement!

Reminds me of the community college motto in Pauly Shore's movie Bio-dome, something like, "XXX College: Nothing to be ashamed of!"

Edited June 13, 2007 by qualtrough

[stevemiddie]

There are many worse schools in Thailand.

Now there's a ringing endorsement!

Its an observation........there is a difference.

[EmCross]

There are many worse schools in Thailand.

Now there's a ringing endorsement!

Its an observation........there is a difference.

I am sure there are many worse schools in Thailand and as already stated we are looking for a viable alternative within our price range. I am not sure that the ones in and around Pattaya that cost a small fortune to attend are really that much better teaching wise but I do think that with a small amount of effort and a little investment from the school management at BEST things could be improved a great deal, especially for the students. They only need to look around themselves to see the obvious issues with cleanliness (and after all cleanliness is next to godliness) and general maintenance; when my children first went back to school for the start of a new school year there was a whole pile of old desks, chairs and other debris outside my daughters classroom which was there for a week before it was moved after several complaints by the parents.

Also the air con in my daughter's classroom did not work for the first week they were back and again was only fixed after several complaints.

I also think that a revival of the PTA (as mentioned somewhere previously in this thread) at this school would be a good thing, at least we could voice our opinions and raise issues with them as a group rather that a few of the same parents approaching them individually and probably seen as troublemakers.

There are (and have been in the last few years) some very good English speaking teachers at this school who do their best but I feel they lack the support of the Thai management and conviction from the owner to make this a good school and not just a money making effort this must affect the moral of the teachers and almost certainly the turnover of staff.

[rambler]

Hi.

I work at BEST as a new teacher having previously taught as a Homeroom Teacher for P3 rich kids in Bangkok.

I disagree with the comments about the aircons not being switched on. ( earlier post ).

All our air-con units work fine and they are always on when we have classes. It is true they are switched off at lunch break. Common sense really.

I,m a newbie there but i have good support from some experienced QUALIFIED teachers and i know they strive to improve the students knowledge to the best of abilities.

The foreign head ..............a great help with some sound advice.

I think the school does try hard and to be honest, the standard of teaching at BEST is a little better than my last school ( girls private school for rich families ). Incidentally, that school charged 250,000 a year.

I cannot comment on the owner, i,m too new. Nor can i comment on the director, i don,t know him.

There are many worse schools in Thailand.

Said in an earlier post - BEST is the best of a very bad bunch of mid price bilingual school locally (not BKK).In your own words u r a newbie i worked at the school for a longtime and still have alot to do with the place as my son studies there.For the most part i enjoyed my time there met some great people and made new longstanding friendships and i beleive the students i taught appeared to learn progressively.My son loves going to school always a good thing.At the moment there doesnt seem to be a viable alternative in this particular sector (locally )i think thats the gist of this thread now.In reply to your other comments u must agree the old school building P1 AND P2 is in a delapidated state and forgotten when it comes to any sort of maintainance plans (see excellent post by emcross in this thread-spot on).There are afew "old school teachers" still at BEST qualified and very experienced i think they would all agree that school policies do de motivate staff most of the time.The foreign head ; very nice sincere man whose hands are constantly tied by the powers above him hence relatively powerless his favorite saying was "what can i do?"...The school owner;showed little interest in the day to day running of the school i saw her at the school once in the 5 yrs or so i worked there. The director;Again very nice man but lacked drive and enthusiam due to age maybe always appeared worried to upset the owner it was felt by many that lots of things got covered up so she didnt find out.im not suprised you dont know him hes hardly ever there.Regardless of what anyone thinks stevemiddie i wish you luck in your chosen profession and enjoy your time at BEST.

[EmCross]

Do any other parents have anything to say here? Good or bad; I know there are many parents of BEST school on TV because I have read threads with their comments about this school (and others in Pattaya) on many occasions previously.

[Artisan]

Do any other parents have anything to say here? Good or bad; I know there are many parents of BEST school on TV because I have read threads with their comments about this school (and others in Pattaya) on many occasions previously.

Yes, I have something to say. My daughter has attended B.E.S.T school for three years now and during those three years I have visited the school on many occasions.....normal class time, Summer school time and I have attended many functions put on by the staff and the pupils.

Despite the lack of sensitivity shown by the school Management over the 'flu injection programme, which I think was mainly a lack of judgement, I think that the people who arranged the programme had no idea of the outcry that followed the tragic and unnecessary death of Matt Hayes.

I have been impressed by the school and the staff, both Thai and non-Thai. I have never seen the school untidy, the outside areas are always being cleaned other than by the pupils....and the air-conditioning system is always on in my daughter's class. But, more importantly, my daughter is developing mentally and spiritually because of the commitment to her by the teaching staff. She is confident, respectful, bi-lingual and eager to learn about life. I put this down to the school.

I don't care if the owner was a Walking Street Mamasan or a chrome-pole dancer in a previous life. The school is the best in Pattaya for value for money and for a balanced and bilingual education.

[rambler]

Do any other parents have anything to say here? Good or bad; I know there are many parents of BEST school on TV because I have read threads with their comments about this school (and others in Pattaya) on many occasions previously.

Yes, I have something to say. My daughter has attended B.E.S.T school for three years now and during those three years I have visited the school on many occasions.....normal class time, Summer school time and I have attended many functions put on by the staff and the pupils.

Despite the lack of sensitivity shown by the school Management over the 'flu injection programme, which I think was mainly a lack of judgement, I think that the people who arranged the programme had no idea of the outcry that followed the tragic and unnecessary death of Matt Hayes.

I have been impressed by the school and the staff, both Thai and non-Thai. I have never seen the school untidy, the outside areas are always being cleaned other than by the pupils....and the air-conditioning system is always on in my daughter's class. But, more importantly, my daughter is developing mentally and spiritually because of the commitment to her by the teaching staff. She is confident, respectful, bi-lingual and eager to learn about life. I put this down to the school.

I don't care if the owner was a Walking Street Mamasan or a chrome-pole dancer in a previous life. The school is the best in Pattaya for value for money and for a balanced and bilingual education.

i do agree with you on some points artisan my son has been at the school K2 to P1 and is doing well ,my gripe is not really with the teaching staff but with the day to day policies of the school in the recent long hols nothing was checked ,painted or maintained the old school now P1and P2 is in abit of a state the cleaners probably are doing their best but when a student vomits on the floor near the entrance to a class in the morning assembly you dont expect it to still be there at home time and when my son comes home running to the toilet for a number 2 asked why didnt you go at school his reply hong nham sukkapruk then we have a problem.BEST wether for lack of competition or not is the best of its type at the mo.

[rambler]

Do any other parents have anything to say here? Good or bad; I know there are many parents of BEST school on TV because I have read threads with their comments about this school (and others in Pattaya) on many occasions previously.

Yes, I have something to say. My daughter has attended B.E.S.T school for three years now and during those three years I have visited the school on many occasions.....normal class time, Summer school time and I have attended many functions put on by the staff and the pupils.

Despite the lack of sensitivity shown by the school Management over the 'flu injection programme, which I think was mainly a lack of judgement, I think that the people who arranged the programme had no idea of the outcry that followed the tragic and unnecessary death of Matt Hayes.

I have been impressed by the school and the staff, both Thai and non-Thai. I have never seen the school untidy, the outside areas are always being cleaned other than by the pupils....and the air-conditioning system is always on in my daughter's class. But, more importantly, my daughter is developing mentally and spiritually because of the commitment to her by the teaching staff. She is confident, respectful, bi-lingual and eager to learn about life. I put this down to the school.

I don't care if the owner was a Walking Street Mamasan or a chrome-pole dancer in a previous life. The school is the best in Pattaya for value for money and for a balanced and bilingual education.

i do agree with you on some points artisan my son has been at the school K2 to P1 and is doing well ,my gripe is not really with the teaching staff but with the day to day policies of the school in the recent long hols nothing was checked ,painted or maintained the old school now P1and P2 is in abit of a state the cleaners probably are doing their best but when a student vomits on the floor near the entrance to a class in the morning assembly you dont expect it to still be there at home time and when my son comes home running to the toilet for a number 2 asked why didnt you go at school his reply hong nham sukkapruk then we have a problem.BEST wether for lack of competition or not is the best of its type at the mo.

oh by the way the thought of the school owner ever crome polling sent me over the edge im off for a few beers now(for all who worked at BEST B4 you know who u r-i didnt know toads could dance JOKE)

[TheAceFace]

My Son also attends BEST, he is only in class 1, however I am dissapointed with the teaching he has received so far and there is no feedback from the teaching staff, how are they to learn English if the teachers cannot speak properly themseleves...that is beyond me?

The sports facilities look non existant, the football pitch is the carpark out back...what a joke.

My wife was once told by another parent that my son was seen falling in the pool during a break (he cannot swim), you can imagine the worry, I hit the roof. How did he manage to get there under supposed supervision, when I questioned the teacher they denied all knowledge that this ever happened, it just makes me worry even more, are our kids being taken care of?

I will see this term out and then look at alternatives.

Respect to those parents who are happy with their children being at BEST...the above is only my experience.

Ace

[EmCross]

My Son also attends BEST, he is only in class 1, however I am dissapointed with the teaching he has received so far and there is no feedback from the teaching staff, how are they to learn English if the teachers cannot speak properly themseleves...that is beyond me?

The sports facilities look non existant, the football pitch is the carpark out back...what a joke.

I agree with you Ace, we have the same problem only with the Thai teaching; my daughter can not speak Thai but only seems to get punished for this instead of helped (or taught which why we send our kids to school after all and what we pay fees for). She is often left in the classroom when the other kids have gone to break or lunch to finish the work she has not completed, on her own. Obviously she gets upset by this; we have spoken to her Thai teacher about this and it has improved a bit but I do not think it is good teaching policy; OK if the teacher stayed and helped her finish the work but if she can not do it in the class then she can not do it on her own without assistance either, this would seem logical to me.

I also agree with Rambler about the general condition of the school and the state of the toilets which my children have also complained about and often hold themselves from using the toilet until they get home which is not good for them and gives them a complex about going to the toilet which should be a normal bodily function.

I have already mentioned before about the state of the school which seems mainly to be the old part of the school not the new building (although my son has complained about the state of the toilets there as well which we have mentioned to the teachers) but even if the school is old it does not mean that they should not maintain and clean it to a reasonable standard.

[TheAceFace]

My Son also attends BEST, he is only in class 1, however I am dissapointed with the teaching he has received so far and there is no feedback from the teaching staff, how are they to learn English if the teachers cannot speak properly themseleves...that is beyond me?

The sports facilities look non existant, the football pitch is the carpark out back...what a joke.

I agree with you Ace, we have the same problem only with the Thai teaching; my daughter can not speak Thai but only seems to get punished for this instead of helped (or taught which why we send our kids to school after all and what we pay fees for). She is often left in the classroom when the other kids have gone to break or lunch to finish the work she has not completed, on her own. Obviously she gets upset by this; we have spoken to her Thai teacher about this and it has improved a bit but I do not think it is good teaching policy; OK if the teacher stayed and helped her finish the work but if she can not do it in the class then she can not do it on her own without assistance either, this would seem logical to me.

I also agree with Rambler about the general condition of the school and the state of the toilets which my children have also complained about and often hold themselves from using the toilet until they get home which is not good for them and gives them a complex about going to the toilet which should be a normal bodily function.

I have already mentioned before about the state of the school which seems mainly to be the old part of the school not the new building (although my son has complained about the state of the toilets there as well which we have mentioned to the teachers) but even if the school is old it does not mean that they should not maintain and clean it to a reasonable standard.

Agree EM

Although I can not comment on the new building as I only see it in passing. The old one is a sh!thole.

Another gripe, the school meals...I would not feed my cat.

Sorry to hear your daughter is having a hard time, you would think Thai would be easier for the Thai teachers to teach (or bother teaching) If some of the teachers cared about our childs well being then they would put in that little extra effort. I am not painting them all with the same brush (and I can imagine it is hard to be a teacher) but our kids come first.

Has anybody thought of doing a petition and handing it to the powers that be?

Ace

[lannarebirth]

So here's my question. How come students call their teachers names like "Mr. Mike". Doesn't he have a surname? If you're going to use the first name, why not just call him Mike? TIA

[Jimmyd]

So here's my question. How come students call their teachers names like "Mr. Mike". Doesn't he have a surname? If you're going to use the first name, why not just call him Mike? TIA

It's Thainglish, and perhaps common in some other countries too. It bugged me the first couple years, but you get used to it.

[thainet]

My 2 cents worth...It seems as if many of us Farang parents have the same problem of where to send our 'little ones' to school.

Mine is just about 5 and at Satit. The reason I chose this school is because it's so clean and has big grounds and great facilities and every teacher we've had really does care about my daughters welfare and SAFETY. It is not a true bi-lingual school (probably BEST is better in this sense) but I feel with English at home with me and about 1 hour a day of English at school she is progressing well. When I went to look at BEST about 2-3 months ago I was actually shocked at the state of the old K1-3 building (office below) and decided because of it's tiny cramped classrooms, terrible bathrooms and the most important---only one small staircase to evacuate 3 floors of little kids in case of fire---then sending her to Satit was a no-brainer.

You know at only 5 years their 'overall' development is most important (not just the English) and I believe a nice,clean and safe environment helps them achieve this, plus (and maybe the most important), we as parents feel better when we know our kids are safe and sound. Thanks you.

[issanpaul]

So here's my question. How come students call their teachers names like "Mr. Mike". Doesn't he have a surname? If you're going to use the first name, why not just call him Mike? TIA

Its called respect, with many postings behind you i am surprised by your comments?