Minister backtracks on 'tea money'

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Minister backtracks on 'tea money'

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- In the face of growing pressure, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej yesterday backtracked from his policy to legalise the acceptance of "tea money" by famous schools.

"I have never said donations can be used to secure school seats," Suchart said. "I only intended to encourage donations to schools, which is legal. They are even tax deductible."

The minister landed himself in hot water after he suggested on Monday that directors of famous schools should increase the number of available seats to accommodate children of donors whose grades was not too low.

However, this policy drew immediate criticism. Building Thailand Club president Amnuay Sunthornchote vowed to lodge complaints against him with the Administrative Court as well as the National Anti-Corruption Commission. Opposition MPs are also ready to fire impromptu questions at Suchart about his controversial policy in Parliament today.

"I am ready to answer their questions," Suchart said, adding that despite the donations, schools would still have the mandate to decide whether or not they would enrol children of the donors.

"Children's qualifications will still count," he argued.

National Human Rights Commis-sioner Visa Benjamano said the policy linking financial donations to children's chances of getting into school would violate human rights. "It also violates the Constitution," she said.

She said if this policy was implemented, it would encourage discrimination on the basis of financial status.

Dhurakij Pundit University president Dr Varakorn Samakoses said such a policy could encourage corruption and give schools the chance to favour the rich.

Dr Ammar Siamwalla, a member of the Thailand Development Research Institute, said state subsidies were already adequate. "More money [from donations] does not guarantee that the education will be better," he said.

The Nation 2012-02-16