Phuket’s education authorities appear baffled over what to do with the Waldorf Phuket School, an unregistered kindergarten in Cherng Talay that continues to promote itself as a school despite not having been approved by the Phuket Provincial Education Area Office (PPEAO).
Despite weeks of questioning, the PPEAO has failed to provide clear answers on the legal status of the school, leaving many concerned about the oversight of education on the island.
The school, which has been operating without formal registration, is openly advertising itself as a school, yet according to the PPEAO’s Director, Panna Phromwichian, no legal action has been taken thus far.
“We encourage directors to submit the necessary documents and undergo the proper review process,” she explained, avoiding direct answers about the Waldorf Phuket School’s continued operation.
While Panna confirmed that the school was previously shut down for operating illegally at the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary site, it appears little has changed. The current location of the school, listed on its Facebook page, is at the end of Soi Cherngtalay 3, near Cherng Talay Police Station.
Although the PPEAO was made aware of the school operating at this location on May 13, the application for approval was only submitted on May 19. However, Panna did not clarify whether her office had instructed the school to formally apply for approval as required by law.
Further complicating the issue, the PPEAO admitted to identifying over 20 unauthorised schools, including Waldorf Phuket, but no closure or legal action has been taken. Despite repeated claims that closing illegal schools is a priority, Waldorf Phuket continues to advertise itself as “Open today” on social media.
“Our top priority is to stop these schools from operating without approval,” Panna insisted, without addressing why the school remains operational.
The application for Waldorf Phuket describes it as a “nursery caring for young children,” which, according to Panna, also requires approval from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) Phuket, reported The Phuket News.
The MSDHS office confirmed that a site inspection will be conducted soon, but when asked whether the school should be allowed to operate while awaiting approval, Sompit Srikhamhaeng, Chief of MSDHS Phuket, firmly stated, “No.”
Despite the ongoing issues with unregistered schools, Panna urged the public to report any suspicious, unlicensed educational institutions.
“If anyone suspects a school is operating without approval, they can report it to our office,” she said.
The PPEAO can be contacted at 076 211428-9 or by email at phuketpeo@sueksa.go.th.
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