A student steps over social distancing markers as they wait in line to undergo temperature checks as schools reopen due to the easing of restrictions after a temporary closure to combat the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in Bangkok on February 1, 2021.
Lillian SUWANRUMPHA / AFP
Several parents have complained about the costs of weekly antigen COVID-19 tests required by many private schools, even though it is not a requirement by the Education Ministry.
The ministry has clarified that it does not require students to be subject to antigen tests for COVID-19 on a weekly basis, and that such tests are required only when there are infections at school or nearby communities, following many parents’ demand to the ministry to cover the expenses for the antigen test kits (ATKs).
Education Permanent Secretary Supat Champathong said today (Tuesday) noted that many privately-owned schools have set their own standards, which are more than what is laid down by the ministry.
He also said that the private schools requiring the tests should be responsible for procuring the ATKs with their own fund and that the ATKs must meet the standard set by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) or are of the same brands approved by the TFDA.
Supat then recommended parents to negotiate with the schools to work out a solution on who should bear the cost of the ATKs or whether both parties should share the cost.
Some parents have complained that, since they have 2-3 children in schools, the spending on ATKs alone is several hundred baht per month which is quite a financial burden in light of economic difficulties.
Meanwhile, Professor Supaset Khanakul, president of the Association Board of Coordination and Promotion of the Private Education (APPE), said that private schools have imposed the strict regulation of COVID-19 tests because they have wanted to reduce the risk of their students attending on-site classes during the initial period of the reopening of schools since November 1st.
He explained that, during the initial period, schools are not yet able to categorise the students on the levels of risk both among the students and their parents such as whether the parents are fully inoculated.
Once the classification is done, he said that ATK tests would be confined to the “red”, or most at-risk group and, for the other groups, random tests would be conducted once a week or two weeks.