GUARDIANS’ DECIDING FACTORS IN SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO THE ENGLISH PROGRAM SCHOOLS IN PRACHUAP KIRI KHAN PROVINCE

Abstract

This research article outlines the preliminary findings. Three main objectives of the study are: 1) To study guardian’s deciding factors in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province, 2) To compare the guardian’s deciding factors in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province, taking into account that guardians have different personal backgrounds, and 3) To study any problems, recommendations and guidelines to promote the guardian’s decision in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province.

The samples used in this study were: 1) 327 guardians with children attending English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province during the academic year 2014. The method used for sampling was Stratified random sampling by stratified population into 3 small groups: early childhood, primary and secondary education. Then sampled from each group proportionally using Simple random sampling in accurate random. 2) 10 English Program School administrators in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province were selected from 6 English Program Schools using Purposive Sampling. Tools used to collect data in this study were: A questionnaire regarding guardian’s deciding factors in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province and a structured interview form for school administrators. Statistics used for analysing the data were Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation and the Interferential Statistics (t-test, One-way ANOVA, significance level was 0.05) were used to test a research hypothesis.

The findings revealed that:

1. Guardians’ s decision making factors in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province on the first 3 factors are: 1) Values, 2) Buildings and environment, and 3) Teacher management

2. Guardians with different educational levels had no different levels of decision makings in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province. However, when classified by occupation and average monthly family income, the deciding factors are different.

3. Problems of guardian’s deciding factors in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province on the first 3 factors are: 1) Values: guardians and school administrators’ s opinions are inconsistent. School administrators stated that guardians send their children to English Program schools while waiting to compete for entering into famous schools, 2) Buildings and environment: guardians and school administrators do not specify any problem, and 3) Teacher management: opinions specified by guardians and school administrators’ s are consistent that schools need to improve teacher qualities.

4. Recommendations and guidelines to promote the guardian’s deciding factors in sending their children to the English Program Schools in Prachuap Kiri Khan Province on the first 3 factors are: 1) Values: guardians specified that language is a communication tool to benefit the education of their children, 2) Buildings and environment: guardians and school administrators specified that buildings and environment must be good in all aspects and guardians want to separate the English Program School resources from regular school resources, and 3) Teacher management: guardians want school to consider teacher qualities such as responsibility and attentiveness in care towards learners.