Parents hail patronage-free ballot

Besides scrapping the patrons' quota, which benefited as many as 5 per cent of primary school leavers from well-connected families, the government has increased the percentage of admissions based on the drawing of lots.

This now amounts to 50 per cent, the same amount as admissions based on exams. Under the government of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the figures were 40 per cent and 60 per cent respectively.

At yesterday's lot-drawing, parents expressed relief that school seats were no longer reserved for the children of patrons.

Many children took sought-after Jatukarm Ramathep amulets with them.

Nuchanart Anuvanich, 42, whose daughter joined the draw at Triamudomsuksa Pattanakarn school, said parents in general were very satisfied with the new policy, which bans school executives from demanding donations from parents in exchange for school seats.

''This school completely rejects donation offers. I think it is very fair for the many parents who are not well-off and have no connections,'' she said.

Somrudee Julayanont, 46, hoped the Education Ministry would keep the policy, which she said most parents welcomed. The policy opened up educational opportunities for children in general and relieved the pressure on parents, she said.

Wilawan Jaru-ariyanont, 42, said the ministry should also take to task parents who paid to be registered in the districts of famous schools, so they could take part in the ballot.

These parents paid genuine house owners for three years in advance in order to meet the criteria for the admission of local children. This practice of paying house owners as much as 20,000 baht a year so their children qualified infringed on the rights of children actually from those districts, she said.

Triamudomsuksa Pattanakarn school is admitting 250 students by ballot this year, said principal Ongjit Metayapraphas.

As many local students missed out, Mrs Ongjit is seeking approval to increase the number of seats in Mathayomsuksa 1 (grade 7) from 40 to 50 per class, so that more can be admitted.

She promised that if permission were given, the seats would not go to well-connected children but to those living closest to the school.

A total of 478 primary school leavers applied to take part in lot-drawing at the school, which has 13 classes for Mathayomsuksa 1 alone.

Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn said admission to public secondary schools this year was free of patronage as education inspectors supervised draws at famous schools yesterday. He expected all local students to be admitted in a few more rounds of the process.

To solve the problems of parents eyeing only famous schools, he planned to improve the quality of public schools in general.

This should bring concrete results in four years.

ensure to make certain that something is done or happens leavers young people who are about to leave or have just left school benefited helped by something well-connected having important or powerful friends deposed a ruler or leader that has been removed from their position of power relief the good feeling that you have when something unpleasant stops or does not happen sought-after wanted by lots of people, but difficult to get amulets objects worn because they are believed to protect against evil, disease or unhappiness, and bring good luck

bans officially says that someone must not do something donations when money or goods are given to help a person or organization rejects refuses to accept or agree with something well-off having a lot of money relieved took something away from someone (in this case pressure) task to criticize or speak angrily to someone for something that they have done wrong: genuine if something is genuine, it is really what it seems to be

criteria a fact or level of quality that you use when making a choice or decision infringed limited someone's rights or freedom approval when you think that something or someone is good or right permission when you allow someone to do something supervised watched a person or activity and made certain that everything is done correctly, safely, etc. eyeing looking at someone or something with interest concrete existing in a real form that can be seen or felt