School head cleared over barred kids

The Supreme Administrative Court yesterday acquitted the director of Suankularb Wittayalai School of wrongdoing after the prestigious all-boys school was sued for rejecting five students who applied to study under area-based quotas last year.

The court ruled to dismiss the case because the lawsuit was filed by the parents before the school announced its 2019 list of applicants who qualified under area-based quotas, meaning the parents had not yet suffered any damages.

The Central Administrative Court earlier ordered the school to accept the five students for study at Matthayom 1 level (Grade 7) under area-based quotas, citing regulations of the Education Ministry’s Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec).

Under Obec’s rules, all state-run secondary schools, including Suankularb, are required to allow admission for those children who have lived within a specified radius of the school for at least two years.

Children who qualify for admission under the catchment area criteria must be able to study at their local schools. However, schools also have a right to check whether prospective students actually live nearby, to prevent children living in other areas from taking advantage of the quota.

The plaintiff-parents took the matter to the Central Administrative Court after being told their children were not eligible to apply under area-based quotas despite the fact they lived within the specified radius.

The Central Administrative Court ruled the school selection committee’s enrolment process was unlawful because it had failed to seek the school director’s final approval of its decisions.

The law says that the “school director is the only official authorised to make final decisions” on whether to admit students.

However, the court dismissed the parents’ accusations the school had been guilty of double standards or unlawful actions in refusing their children admission.

The judge also said that Suankularb Wittayalai School had a right to prevent students living in other areas from taking advantage of the admissions quota.