About 20 students of Navaminthrachinuthit Suankularb Wittayalai School in Samut Prakan yesterday handed an open letter to the Education Ministry, urging a change in school director and a probe into alleged corruption.
The move comes after more than 2,000 students on Tuesday gathered at the campus in protest against the possible return of their former director, Penpilailak Maneepak.
Ms Penpilailak was transferred to work at the Secondary Educational Service Area Office 6 in Samut Prakan late last year after students asked the area office to investigate her involvement in the purchase of 59 air-conditioners for the school.
The procurement cost up to 18 million baht or about 300,000 baht for each unit.
Student council head Apiphum Phet-rat said students learned the area office had recently finished its investigation and found the former school director was not guilty of alleged corruption and might be moved back to her old job at the school soon.
Mr Apiphum, a Mattayom 6 student, said he asked the secretary to Education Minister Ruengthip Tienthong, who received the letter, to block her return to the school, and take a look at the purchase again, as students were not convinced she is in the clear.
"The director failed to dispel all suspicions of corruption and in fact has left us in doubt. She also failed to run the school efficiently or provide proper care to the students," Mr Apiphum said.
Students had identified several problems during her two years in the job including a decline in academic results, lack of sanitary conditions, and restrooms in a poor state.
"We will see no improvement if Ms Penpilailak returns to the school, and in fact everything is likely to get worse. We want a new director,'' he said.
Yongyuth Supcharoen, director of Secondary Educational Service Area Office 6, said Ms Penpilailak would not make an immediate return to the school.