Over 70% of parents do not want their children to go back to school yet, as  COVID-19 infections are still rising, while 39% suggest the new school term be postponed further, until the pandemic situation has improved, according to Bangkok Poll, conducted by the research centre of Bangkok University.

Bangkok Poll gauged the opinions of 1,043 parents across the country, who have children studying at kindergarten up to secondary educational level, about their views on the opening of the new semester.

The poll shows 71.1% of respondents said they don’t want their children to go to school yet, while 28.9% said they want their kids to attend on-site classes, despite the pandemic. 88.6% said they are afraid that some students, who may be infected, will transmit the disease at school. 49.1% said their children are too young to protect or care of themselves, while 45.4% said not all teachers have been vaccinated.

81.2% of parents said, however, that the educational quality of online studying is not as good as actual on-site learning, while 66.4% said their kids, especially the smaller children, do not have the concentration to stud online at home. 36.2% said they don’t have the time to look after their children at home all day.

39% said that the best option, under the present circumstances, is for the new school term to be further postponed, until the situation has improved. 26.3% said they prefer online learning toallowing them to go to schools and 17.9% want live broadcastsof online teaching.