BANGKOK – The Ministry of Education has told the Association of Private Technological and Vocational Education Colleges of Thailand to revise its plan to ban applicants wearing earrings, saying the ban risks being denounced as double standards.
According to Education Permanent Secretary Dr. Kamjorn Tatiyakavee, the Private Education Commission has been assigned to discuss the issue with the chairman of the association, following the latter’s resolution prohibiting applicants wearing big plug earrings or having large tattoos, in a new bid to prevent trouble makers from entering vocational schools.
Dr. Kamjorn said he personally thought that ear piercings and tattoos were not always indications of unruliness or aggression. He suggested that institutes give all applicants an equal opportunity, adding that checking their background would be a better option.
The Education Permanent Secretary explained further that private schools in fact had the right to map out their own criteria for applicants. However, the Private Education Commission could issue a warning to those institutes if they imposed their resolution on others. Dr. Kamjorn said schools ignoring the Private Education Commission’s warning might risk facing financial aid cuts.
Meanwhile, the Vocational Education Commission confirmed it had no policy to ban students wearing big plug earrings, but would rather remind this group of students to pay attention to their attires.
