Director ‘swiped’ students’ lunches
Empty plates at Surat Thani school stir fury
A former school director in Surat Thani could face disciplinary action and criminal charges for corruption related to the school lunch programme, which consisted of nothing but noodles and fish sauce on some days, according to critics.
A preliminary investigation found irregularities in the programme allegedly committed by Somchao Sitthichen, the former director of the school in Tha Chana district, said Boonrak Yodpetch, secretary-general of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) in Bangkok.
The probe was conducted by the Zone 2 Education Office in the southern province.
The 600-page report also found grounds for corruption charges in four other projects, including the construction of a concrete road in one compound, said Lt Gen Kosol Prathumchat, an adviser to the Education Ministry who visited the school yesterday.
The school lunch scandal was exposed after the parent of a pupil filed a complaint with the provincial Damrongtham centre.
It drew widespread public attention and anger after the Strong Club, a local anti-corruption group, posted a video clip on May 31 showing children with nearly-empty lunch plates. Mr Somchao was shunted to the education office a day later to pave the way for the investigation.
The provincial anti-corruption office has stepped in to investigate other suspected irregularities at the school.
An Education Ministry source in Surat Thani said the former school director had reported to the office and then taken leave, returning to his home in Nakhon Si Thammarat.
Ban Tha Mai School has 278 students and receives a budget of 20 baht for each student every day to cover their meals. The subsidy is allocated by the Interior Ministry through a local administrative organisation.
Mr Somchao and a number of teachers signed to receive the money but the former school director reportedly took sole charge of arrangements to buy food for cooks, leaving a loophole for him to pocket the money. The menu was fixed every day.
Kanokporn Saengsorn, the parent of a Prathom 6 student, said that on other days children received rice with curry but they complained there was hardly any pork in the curry.
Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin made it clear that if the former school director is found guilty, he would face severe disciplinary punishment and the ministry would file criminal and civil lawsuits against him, according to Lt Gen Kosol.
Four new teachers who signed documents related to the meal budget told Gen Kosol that Mr Somchao used threats to force them to sign. They claimed he told them they would receive negative performance evaluations if they did not cooperate.
Aree Khamkaew, the acting school director, said some teachers and parents did not feel safe after the lunch issue came to light, and police had been called in to help.
Phol Sattho, chief of the anti-graft agency in Surat Thani, said officials had spoken to 10 witnesses to collect evidence and seized items in the office of Mr Somchao. The agency is continuing with its preliminary investigation.