Surat Thani Provincial Education Office has clarified the closure of the Myinttar Yeink Learning Centre, saying the authorities had urged that its students be transferred to Thai education schools many times, but the centre did not cooperate.
The clarification came after the National Human Rights Commission expressed concern over the closure of an illegally-operated migrant children's learning centre in tambon Bang Kung of Muang district on Sept 4, which led to the shutdown of all Burmese language learning centres in the province.
As a result, over 2,000 migrant children in the area were forced to stop their schooling midway.
Chokdee Srathakan, head of the Surat Thani Provincial Education Office, told the media yesterday that the office and relevant agencies had discussed the matter with the centre several times before seeking legal action. The office has already recorded the details of all the centre's students, he said.
Mr Chokdee said that a total of 928 public and private schools offering Thai education in the province can accommodate these children.
He also cited an earlier case of the Wat Pho Wai Learning Centre, which was closed down and all of its students, more than 300 children, were later transferred to local primary schools.
However, the Myinttar Yeink Learning Centre refused to cooperate with the authorities and insisted on using the Myanmar curriculum which has complicated the resolution of the issue, Mr Chokdee said. He insisted that the office had been strictly adhering to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Mr Chokdee added that more than 50% of foreign children, particularly those from Myanmar, have already been enrolled in Thai schools across Surat Thani and receive the same rights as Thai children.
"Our bigger concern is children whose parents came to Thailand illegally, which will make it difficult for them to enter the Thai education system," he said.