Problems at former state schools

The problems include a clash in working culture between adminis¬trators, teachers and local authorities, with administrators having limited decisionmaking power, and reduced assistance from the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec).

The research covered 59 schools transferred from Obec to local administrative organisations in 2006.

Of 354 respondents, 118 were school administrators, 118 were teachers and 118 were the school board's chair or deputy heads of the educational division at local admin¬istrative bodies.

"The management of transferred schools was good during the first year. But after that, a lot of problems emerged," Education Minister Somchai Wongsawat said yesterday, referring to the survey's findings.

He said the survey was conducted to determine what assistance the transferred schools needed.

"From the research, we find that the quality of education has some what dropped," he noted.

Somchai said his ministry did not plan to reclaim the schools from local bodies.

The research suggests the Education Ministry should provide humanresource development sup¬port to the schools on a regular basis.

Local administrative organisations, meanwhile, have been asked to involve administrators more in management issues.