BANGKOK – The Ministry of Education has instructed all vocational schools to adopt concrete measures to end student brawls while threatening to shut down any institute that fails to do so.
Education Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan convened a meeting with administrators of both public and private vocational schools within Bangkok and its vicinity in a bid to hear their approaches to preventing student violence. The minister called on the schools to arrange an attitude adjustment camp for students who are often involved in fights and conduct follow-up assessments.
In the meantime, the schools were also assigned to coordinate with security units in monitoring the movement of alumni who have records of violence in order to make sure they do not attempt to instill the same behavior in current students. Measures against gambling among students are also to be adopted by the schools.
If any vocational schools are found to be incapable of handling the problem of student violence, Gen Dapong said they might have to be closed down. As for the custom of initiating new students, he admitted there are no rules that prevent it from being practiced. However, he warned that action will be taken against the school’s executives if any violence occurs during the process.
