MOE Officiates Tuition Fee Rate for Vocational EP

(24-04-2013)

The Secretary General of the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC), Dr. Chaipruek Serirak, recently reported that the Minister of Education, Mr. Phongthep Thepkanjana, had approved the tuition fee rate for the English Program of vocational education's lower level. The EP aims to promote and develop educational quality that exceeds that offered by public institutions. However, students and parents are allowed to choose whether to study in the EP or not. The tuition fee for the EP at lower vocational education level is a maximum of 25,000 baht per student per semester while the Mini EP is a maximum of 17,500 baht per student per semester. Other expenses incurred, such as theory teaching classes and professional training, can be paid according to the actual amount and local economic context, except expenses for special English classes which can cost no more than 50% of the tuition fee for MEP.

Dr. Chaipruek said that opening the EP at all vocational colleges had to be approved by OVEC and tuition fees should follow the official announcement of the MOE. Moreover, students and parents have to know about the tuition fees in advance and, at the same time, all colleges must help disadvantaged students by not depriving them of learning with foreign teachers. All vocational students should study with foreign teachers for at least two hours a week and have 40 hours per semester to access computers and the internet. The EP tuition fees can be collected in the upcoming academic year of 2013 while vocational colleges that offer normal courses are not allowed to collect more money from students because the government has already given them financial support.

"In the previous academic year, OVEC’s vocational colleges have launched EPs, MEPs and special classes without charging their students. However, conducting additional courses requires more expense, so  OVEC has to formulate rules and regulations on this matter to protect students' parents from any unfair additional expenses they might have to pay," concluded Dr. Chaipruek.