Assumption college chief too pessimistic

Ref: "Director suspends classes for a week", National, January 26.

Assumption college director Anunt Prichavudhi allegedly ordered that all classes be closed until next Friday, saying some ill-intentioned people were preparing to cause havoc on campus and he could not guarantee students' safety.

If in some ill-intentioned people, the director means the teachers, parents and alumni who protested in front of the school, I think the director would be too pessimistic. No one has the ill will to use their students and descendants as a buffer in calling for raising teachers' salaries, objecting to the merger of the primary and secondary schools and moving it to a new location. Because it would affect students' learning in all classes. Especially on that day, there will be colourful sports activities of primary section students and formal final advice given to Matthayom 6 students before graduating - that they should get good things back besides classroom learning.

The dispute at Assumption college is not as bad as the unrest in the deep South where schools need to be shuttered if they are in terrible danger.

The director should try to listen to stakeholders so that a decision will jointly benefit stakeholders and make the organisation move forward better rather than cut the knot by suspending classes for a week.

Sutipunt Bongsununt

Kanchanaburi

Editor's note: the education minister has said classes at Assumption will resume today (Mon).