Parents pray kids will win top school spots
Parents were seen praying for good luck at shrines at prestigious schools in Bangkok yesterday morning as secondary schools across the country began accepting applicants for places in their Grade 7 and Grade 10 classes next semester.
The number of applicants at many prestigious schools has already exceeded the number of available places. Applications can be submitted till Monday. Suankularb Wittayalai School has only 400 places available in its Grade 7 classes, but as many as 2,000 application forms were taken yesterday. About 50 per cent of the available places have been earmarked for children living in the school's neighbourhood. A draw will be held on April 4 to select the neighbourhood children who get places. About 30 per cent of the places will be distributed according to the results of the entrance exam and 10 per cent will go to winners of a draw reserved for children living outside the school's district. Children with special talents in, for example, sports or music will compete for 5 per cent of the places and the remaining 5 per cent are reserved for children of the school's patrons. "I think the allocation of places and the selection criteria are fair enough," said Aranya Pornwannachia who took her son to school. Another parent, however, said she would sue the school if her son was not selected in the draw. She said her son "really lived" in the school's district while other applicants claimed to live in the district but actually resided outside of it, she said. At Satriwithaya School, more than 500 children applied for 400 places yesterday. "We will help find places in nearby schools for those who are unable to enrol with us," said the school's director Rangsima Charoensiri. One parent said she planned to offer a donation to the school if her daughter failed the entrance exam. "I have talked to many parents, and we are talking about donating between Bt70,000 and Bt300,000. We know the donation alone will not help our children much because the school considers other criteria," she said. Bu-nga Tanti-apaiwong, the head of public relations at Triamudomsuksnomklao School, said some parents tried to exchange donations for places for their children. She said this method would not work. Her school would help unsuccessful applicants find places in other schools at no cost, but it could not promise that all parents would be happy with the alternatives, she added.
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