Teacher Ben’s civil service exam victory vanishes amid corruption probe. A young teacher’s first-place result in Sa Kaeo disappears. As officials demand silence, investigations and media pressure mount. Can justice be served? Full report expected Friday.
A young teacher who came first in a local civil service examination in Sa Kaeo Province saw her name disappear three days afterwards. Later, she was ordered by officials to remove a social media post highlighting the anomaly. She was subsequently offered a contract teaching post in lieu of her position. However, she refused to cooperate. In turn, the matter has led to the dismissal of the Director of the Sa Kaeo Secondary Educational Service Area Office. At the same time, a National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) investigation is underway. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has urgently demanded a full report by Friday.
On Tuesday, a Deputy Minister of Education promised answers in a national controversy that has sprung up over a young teacher who took a civil service examination in Sa Kaeo Province.
The 24-year-old teacher, Ms. Benyapha Yen-udom, had been working as a contract science teacher in Ayutthaya Province.
However, she longed to move back to her home province. Furthermore, in Thailand, being a contract teacher means a monthly salary of ฿15,800. At the same time, contract periods are often for only 6 months.
Minister Surasak Phancharoenworakul has vowed that someone must be held accountable for what happened.
Contract teachers are underpaid and first to feel budget cuts while civil service jobs offer better pay and security
In a country with a limited education budget, contract teachers are often the first to feel the pinch. In contrast, a permanent teaching job comes with an entry salary of ฿18,000 per month and a civil service position for life.
Therefore, you can imagine Ben’s joy when, on September 9th, she was told by her aunt that she had passed the civil service examination in Sa Kaeo Province. Indeed, not only that, but the young teacher was listed in first place.
Furthermore, she was offered, as the winner of the examination, to present herself to school authorities in Sa Kaeo on September 17th.
On this basis, the young woman cancelled her graduation ceremony, which conflicted with the date of September 17th. After that, she joyfully informed her grandmother and grandfather in Sa Kaeo Province, who raised her. Significantly, Ben wanted to move back to her home province to care for her grandmother, who had become ill.
Despite passing the exam in first place, Teacher Ben’s name was mysteriously removed days later
Then she booked accommodation and cut her ties in Ayutthaya. It was a dream come true for the young woman, particularly because it was her third time taking this examination. However, it all turned sour.
On September 12th, she was told by an officer of the Sa Kaeo Secondary Educational Service Area Office to check the announcement from the agency. She did and could hardly believe her eyes. Her name had vanished from the list.
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Moreover, she was given no explanation or answers. She was left devastated, demoralised, and suspicious.
Certainly, Thailand’s education system has a reputation for inherent corruption. At length, it is considered part of the problems facing the country, where education standards are falling. Among the chronic issues are high levels of debt among teachers, with many shouldering debt repayments that leave them with as little as 10% of their income.
Corruption plagues Thailand’s education system, with some teachers required to pay for job transfers
In brief, one of the contributors to this state of affairs is a system of patronage. In other words, key civil service positions are often subject to payments within a network of personal or family connections. For example, a teacher moving from one area of the country to another often, based on promotion, is required to pay 3-6 months’ salary to facilitate the move.
Subsequently, Ms. Ben took to Facebook to complain about her situation. In addition, she published screenshots of the two different examination results.
Shortly afterwards, she received an urgent call from the Sa Kaeo Provincial Education Authority. This is a division of the Office of the Basic Education Commission. The young teacher was peremptorily ordered to take down her post. Subsequently, she was offered a 6-month teaching contract in science at her former school in the province. Indeed, this offer was simultaneously communicated to one of her relatives, who is also a teacher in Sa Kaeo Province.
At length, the media became involved. This included a prime-time TV appearance on Monday on national TV.
National media heat sparks multiple investigations as suspicions of corruption grow in Sa Kaeo exam scandal
By this time, a number of investigations into the situation emerged. For instance, the local office of Thailand’s National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) moved in. They seized examination papers and whatever video footage was available related to the examination.
At length, a spokesperson for the Sa Kaeo Province Education Authorities then came forward with an explanation. At length, the problem arose days after the examination. The media has been told that one question, in particular, could not be answered and had a misprint.
The examination itself was 50 questions in parts A and B, followed by an interview. Therefore, three sections in all. The public was told that there were also other errors. At length, Ms. Ben was deemed to have failed again. Furthermore, a local young man identified as Mr. Piya was reported to have secured first place.
Urgent representations between local education officials and representatives of Ms. Ben’s family have been taking place. The young woman still believes she did well in the examination. She explained that she had learned the format well and had studied previous answers. Nonetheless, she is still being offered temporary contract work, which she does not wish to accept.
Minister Surasak demands answers by September 20 as investigation points to negligence or possible corruption
In the meantime, Minister Surasak is deeply unhappy. He has demanded a full account and explanation by Friday, September 20th. Furthermore, it has now been revealed that the Director of the Sa Kaeo Secondary Educational Service Area has been dismissed. That order came from the Office of the Basic Education Commission.
In effect, whether the debacle was caused by corruption or not, certainly the alternative must be negligence.
“Those responsible will be subject to the process. If they are found to be corrupt, they will be subject to serious disciplinary action to set a precedent that whatever they do must be done carefully. Otherwise, they will be subject to good governance and ethics, which the ministry places importance on,” said Mr. Surasak on Tuesday.
In the meantime, the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) is already involved. Pichet Phimpha, Director of the NACC, Sa Kaeo Province, spoke to the nation on TV on Monday night. At length, he was confident that his agency would get to the bottom of the matter.
As for Teacher Ben, her life is temporarily in suspense as she awaits her fate. The young woman has vowed to pursue the matter as far as possible.
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