These are the second batch of schools due for a transfer.

However, Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn yesterday pointed out that most of them were secondary schools and their transfer to local administrative bodies could pose a problem.

"Many of the schools on the second-batch list are the only secondary schools in their district," he said.

His concern was that nearly 60 secondary schools in a single province have been registered to come under the management of local administrative organisations.

"The Education Ministry is responsible for providing 12 years of free education," he said.

Wijit said he now planned to express his concerns to the government's decentralisation panel on Monday, and asked that the plan be scrapped.

He added that many teachers were also unwilling to move under the local administrative organisations.

"The transfer should take place only on the court's orders," he said.

Wijit said six schools have lodged complaints with the Administrative Court asking to be transferred. 

However, he said there are many other ways in which the local administrative organisations can take part in offering educational services such as by opening new schools.

"That way will be better than waiting to take over schools from our ministry," he said.

Wijit said he would also inform the government's decentralisation panel that the industrial and community colleges, non-formal education centres and people's libraries should not be transferred from the Education Ministry to the local administrative organisations.