http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...ks-for-bribery

Schools face random checks for bribery

Ministry aims to stop admission 'tea money'

The Education Ministry is clamping down on bribery by conducting random checks of prestigious, highly competitive schools during the admissions season.

Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat said the committee on the audit, inspection and assessment of school admissions had been asked to make unannounced random inspections of big-name schools nationwide to make sure no "tea money" changed hands.



The committee would be assisted in the inspections by the ministry's inspector-general and staff from the educational service areas.

The ministry is trying to clamp down on parents offering money in exchange for seats for children who fail to pass school entrance examinations.

"A school's admissions have a direct effect on its educational standards," Mr Chinnaworn said yesterday.

"I beg parents, teachers and 'influential people' to be more careful about that issue. Or they could face both criminal and disciplinary charges."

The minister also emphasised that those who prepare examination papers were prohibited from tutoring students to prevent leaks of exam details.

The head of the audit panel, Sukhum Chaloeisap, said his committee would hold a meeting next week before sending out its members to inspect all 369 prestigious schools across the country.

"If a mischievous practice is found, we will take legal action," Mr Sukhum said.

Many people are concerned that schools may find a way to avoid the ministry's rules by placing children whose parents have paid tea money under the quota set aside for school donors.

Each school is given a different quota of seats for children of its patrons.

Mr Sukhum said schools had been asked to have clear and detailed admissions plans, especially regarding the proportion of students to be recruited from examinations and those to be accepted under the patrons' quota.

The student proportion has to be announced publicly before the application process begins.

The exam results also must be announced in a transparent manner, Mr Sukhum said.

He said Mr Chinnaworn had made it clear that the executives of any school found violating the rules would be removed.

Any official caught soliciting money in exchange for school seats would face legal action.