Extra funds aimed at eradicating school fees
The Education Ministry is seeking an annual budget of Bt47 billion with which to pay flat-rate subsidies to schools in exchange for their agreeing not to collect tuition fees from students, marking an increase of Bt17 billion over previous years.
"We have already submitted the request to the Budget Bureau," Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an said yesterday. The increased budget was aimed at covering actual costs shouldered by schools, he said. Wijit did not disclose the new subsidy rates, saying he needed approval from the Budget Bureau first. He said the Budget Bureau and Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister MR Pridiyathorn Devakula agreed with the idea of raising the subsidy rate, but would need to review the proposed figures before giving the green light to the plan. An informed source said the Education Ministry was hoping to raise the annual subsidies from Bt600 per kindergarten student to Bt1,700, from Bt1,100 to Bt1,900 per primary student, from Bt1,800 to Bt3,500 per junior secondary student and from Bt2,700 to Bt3,800 per senior secondary student. Wijit said his ministry was hoping to obtain funds for the increased subsidies within two years because the incumbent administration would prepare two fiscal budgets only.
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