Circumstances and Subjectivities Influencing the Parents’ Decision on Sending their Children to the Public Schools of Multicultural Society in the Southern Provinces of Thailand: A Case Study of Nong Chik District, Pattani Province

Abstract

The present study aimed to 1) investigate circumstances and subjectivities influencing the parents’ decision on sending their children to the public schools of multicultural society in the Southern Provinces of Thailand; and 2) seek solutions to develop the public schools for the multicultural society. The survey was carried out with a total of 313 parents who sent their children to the public schools in Nong Chik District, Pattani Province in the academic year 1918, including a focus group with 8 academic experts in order to establish common guidelines for developing the public schools in response to the multicultural society. The research instrument was a questionnaire.  The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using Percentage, Mean and Standard Deviation while a content analysis was used with the qualitative data from the focus group. The results showed that the circumstances and conditions for the parents' decision on sending children in the public schools were found at the high level in all 6 aspects. In most case, the parents considered the factor of expenses most important ( = 5.10). Meanwhile, the government seemed to put a great emphasis on the factor of academic which the parents considered in the final order although found at a high level too ( =  4.78 ). When considering the guidelines for the development of public schools to respond to education management in the multicultural society, they were aware of the importance of academic knowledge and professional skills, but would rather want the government to promote the economy of the people in the area first, and then support the strong vocational knowledge together with religious knowledge.