New QSI director denies closure rumors

KATHU: The new director of the QSI International School of Phuket, Dr Paul Finkbeiner, has emphatically denied rumors that the school is about to shut. “We are definitely not closing down. If that were true, then I wouldn’t be here,” he said, adding, “I plan on staying here for two years. But if things go well, they may have to throw me out in 10 years’ time.” The rumors have arisen partly because the school currently has only 27 students, aged between three and 15 years. “One of our goals is to increase our enrollment,” Dr Finkbeiner said. Dr Finkbeiner, who comes from Idaho in the USA, is replacing Dr Ron Brown, who has taken a college position in Brunei. When asked about criticism that tuition fees at QSI – formerly the Phuket International School – are too high, Dr Finkbeiner said, “We believe we provide quality education. We could minimize the costs – we could have larger class sizes and get rid of staff to save money – but that’s not our purpose. “We’re not in this business to make money. We’re in it to provide a quality education for students. Education is not a cheap process. But there’s a value to it, certainly in the long term. An educated person is going to be more successful than an uneducated one.” He added that QSI is planning to introduce a six-week summer camp at a reduced fee. “We can’t offer it free, but we would like to offer a community service and at the same time continue helping students with their English,” he explained.