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Published on February 1, 2008

A ministry source said a ministerial regulation issued on Wednesday allows the ministry to withdraw support for schools that take any form of donations from parents and students during student admission in the coming academic year.

It would also prohibit the collection of extra-curricula educational fees and other expenses during the same period to avoid putting a burden on parents.

The ministry assigned educational area directors to check and follow through on school admissions before reporting to supervisors and the education minister within 15 days after the admission period.

Earlier this week, Wijit signed a regulation to cancel extra-curricula educational fees on grounds that it was believed to breach the Constitution which stipulates the government must provide Thai children with 12 years of free education.

Under a Basic Education Commission proposal, Wijit signed a ministerial regulation to cancel the fees until it was clear from the Council of State that the fees could be collected and how much.

Earlier last year, the Comptroller General's Department at the Finance Ministry issued a statement giving a list of educational expenses that the government would cover for the children of civil servants. The list included extra-curricula educational fees.

That encouraged the Education Ministry to conclude it was permissible for schools to collect extra-curricula fees. It issued a regulation on December 15 stating schools could collect fees but only with school board permission and student consent.

The Nation