Obec extends probe into futsal scandal

Obec extends probe into futsal scandal

Teacher suspects to be offered legal help

Provincial educational service area offices will be asked to investigate the 727 rural teachers implicated in alleged irregularities in the construction of school futsal pitches.

The decision followed the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission's (PACC) revelation that 54 schools in Nakhon Ratchasima were suspected of alleged irregularities in the futsal projects and a total of 727 teachers were connected to the graft.

The list of teachers is expected to reach the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) this week, amid calls by the education minister that teachers innocently carrying out orders should not be made scapegoats.

Obec secretary-general Kamol Rodklai said the list of teachers suspected of colluding in the futsal scandal would eventually be forwarded to each provincial educational service area office for investigation.

Asked if executives of the provincial educational service area offices are among the 727 people suspected of the futsal graft, Mr Kamol said: "In that case Obec would launch a probe into them. If they hold the rank of C9, the case would be also forwarded to the National Anti-Corruption Commission."

Moreover, the Obec committee will extend its investigation to cover 37 educational service area offices in 17 provinces where the futsal pitches were built, rather than just Nakhon Ratchasima and Uttaradit.

Mr Kamol also asked all 37 educational service area offices to send a report explaining their futsal pitch projects to Obec next week.

Education Minister Narong Pipatanasai said legal assistance would be offered to the implicated teachers as many of them were assigned by their supervisors to participate in the auction and delivery of the futsal pitches.

"I am concerned teachers may bear all the responsibility or become the scapegoats for the futsal pitch scandal which stemmed from politics. So we should send officers to help provide legal counsel. They should not be left alone to face the problem," he said.

As the probe is expanded the PACC is also asking parliamentary officials to provide a list of politicians involved in the scandal since they had urged the lower House to grant the budget for construction of the pitches two years ago.

Adm Narong said this kind of problem must not be repeated in Obec's latest project to construct and renovate school infrastructure. The government has allocated eight billion baht to build and renovate about 1,000 schools in the 225 educational service area offices nationwide.

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