Thai government responds to teacher shortage by offering minimum wage salaries

The minimum wage is actually 6,000 baht a month (USD 150). The current proposal is to pay new teachers about USD 175 a month, which is a very low wage, even for Thailand, and about what totally unskilled labor makes.

Another interesting fact is that if you crunch the numbers, there's some slack in the proposed budget to the tune of approx. 36 million baht, which is almost one million US dollars. Since that only comes out to about 4,500 per teacher, you could say that's earmarked for recruitment or overtime pay, but this being Thailand, I don't think so.

Also begs the question of why this new budget allocation is needed, simply to replace current teachers who are retiring.

Finally, I suppose the purpose of the scheme is to encourage senior teachers to retire, making way for new teachers who can be paid an embarassingly low wage.

Note no discussion of checking police records or qualifications, despite a recent pedophile scandal involving Thai teachers. I suppose that sort of thing is only directed at foreigners.

Cabinet approves Bt786 million for hiring teachers

The caretaker Cabinet Tuesday approved Bt786.4 million for hiring 8,180 temporary teachers for 12 months, Deputy Government Spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong said.

She said the 8,180 teaches would be hired on temporary basis at the salary of Bt7,630 per month for 12 months.

The teachers would be hired by the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

The temporary teachers will be hired to tackle the teacher shortage following early retirement programme.

and here's a good letter from today's The Nation, which just happens to address the same issue:

Education undermined by class sizes, low pay for teachers

Two fundamental factors that undermine education in Thai schools are student-teacher ratios and teacher compensation. Implementing the following two policies would improve the quality of education drastically and quickly. First, limit the student-teacher ratio to a maximum of 25 students per teacher per class, which would thus not require a teaching assistant. Increase starting salaries of teachers to at least Bt12,000 per month up to a maximum of Bt35,000, based on seniority and performance, plus health and retirement benefits and regular professional enrichment activities, such as seminars, training, observation visits, etc.

Of all the investments any government at any level can make that will yield the greatest possible return to society as a whole and increase tax revenues, education ranks first. "Free" public education should mean exactly that: all costs covered. The current government claims public education is free, but it is not. Parents must pay all kinds of charges and costs.

Teachers have huge classes, probably averaging nationwide - especially in cities - for both public and private Thai schools from 40-60 students per teacher per class. How can a teacher get to know each student, give each student an opportunity to ask and answer questions or permit students to engage in classroom exchanges among themselves? The only choice a teacher has with such huge classes is to lecture as fast as they can go, trying to cover all the material in the course syllabus. How fatigued and demoralised the teachers must be. A ratio of 25 students to one teacher, while still high, does dramatically change the educational experience for both the teacher and the student.

Many teachers must work outside the school to make enough money just to survive, because their salaries are so low. Paid properly, they could be available after class hours to help students and guide extracurricular activities. This would virtually eliminate the need for tutorial schools and give Thai children a chance for a real childhood.