Universities furious over ‘substandard’ ratings

[webfact]

Universities furious over ‘substandard’ ratings

By The Nation

 

 

SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES have attacked the Office of the Higher Education Commission (Ohec) for publicly describing some of their programmes as “substandard”.

 

The reactions stemmed mainly from the fact that the description was reportedly based on outdated information and also that most the programmes failed just one Ohec criterion by not having enough permanent lecturers required for a programme. 

 

“Some of our lecturers were furthering their studies during the years Ohec evaluated us,” Khon Kaen University president Assoc Professor Dr Kittichai Triratanasirichai said yesterday. “But now they are back at work.”

 

He said Ohec should not have included his university in the list of institutes with substandard programmes because that status could cause misunderstandings.

 

 

Earlier this week, Ohec announced that as many as 182 higher education programmes had not met its standards for the 2015 and 2016 academic years. 

 

The list of the programmes together with the names of the institutes were also released on the Ohec website. 

 

Following the release, Ramkhamhaeng University rector Wutisak Lapcharoensap threatened to take legal action against Ohec. 

 

“Our university’s council has already passed a resolution to have university executives explore legal channels to take actions against or sue Ohec for damages,” he said. 

 

Wutisak said some lecturers had retired and his university had to wait about one year for the Budget Bureau to prepare a budget for new lecturers to fill the vacant positions. 

 

“Also it should be noted that the list just released by Ohec is not up to date,” he said. 

 

Of 40 Ramkhamhaeng University’s programmes described as substandard by Ohec, 23 no longer existed, he added. 

 

“Six others have already stopped recruiting students and we are going to close another programme,” Wutisak said.

 

Dhurakij Pundit University vice president Nit Petcharaks said yesterday that his institute had already either adjusted the number of lecturers in line with the Ohec criterion or closed the programmes that Ohec had voiced concerns about. 

 

“Ohec secretary-general Dr Supat Jampathong, meanwhile, admitted that the recently released list of substandard programmes was not based on up-to-date information.

 

“But we have also explained that the list is based on information from the 2015 and 2016 academic years,” he said. Supat added that the Ohec had issued a resolution to release the list in the hopes of inducing relevant universities to quickly improve their programmes and to enable students to monitor progress. 

 

Asked about legal threats from Ramkhamhaeng University, Supat said he was not angry about the reactions. He said he would be willing to quit his post if the release of information was seen as a disciplinary offence. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30336592

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-01-19

[Somtamnication]

Thais have no idea how good an introspection really is. Sad. 

[CelticBhoy]

Office of the Higher Education Commission (Ohec)

 

Oh, Heck  . . . . indeed!  

[PatOngo]

No doubt today a few will be searching for face they lost.

[SABloke]

Just now, webfact said:

The reactions stemmed mainly from the fact that the description was reportedly based on outdated information

It always is  "We sucked before but on the date you publish your report we suddenly became the best (insert Thai institution, fishing company or airline here) and you didn't bother updating your report." 

[darksidedog]

Most people and places when facing criticism, try to address the issues to improve their performance. Across the board in Thailand though, whatever office or department, you seem  to just get denials, and the inference that it is outdated and much better now. The truth is the Education system here is really not good at all. I have met many University graduates with the intellectual capacity of a goldfish. Perhaps a little more time addressing problems and a little less spent in denial and face saving, might actually help to improve things. That is the basis of criticism after all, to correct problems,

[Darcula]

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

40 Ramkhamhaeng University’s programmes described as substandard by Ohec

 

Political Science is not one of them, right?

Thai PM's son cleared of cheating

 

 

[Orton Rd]

Everything is sub standard here, why should education be any different?

[JonnyF]

“Some of our lecturers were furthering their studies during the years Ohec evaluated us,” Khon Kaen University president Assoc Professor Dr Kittichai Triratanasirichai said yesterday. “But now they are back at work.”

 

Well, you might do OK next time then - if you can keep your lecturers doing their jobs instead of "furthering their studies". However, for this evaluation you were correctly scored down so accept it and improve the situation in time for the next evaluation and you'll get a better rating.

[grumbleweed]

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

“Some of our lecturers were furthering their studies during the years Ohec evaluated us,”

 

42 minutes ago, webfact said:

Wutisak said some lecturers had retired and his university had to wait about one year for the Budget Bureau to prepare a budget for new lecturers to fill the vacant positions. 

 

One day, without any warning, a bunch of lecturers woke and decided to retire or further their studies, leading to a shortage of staff to deliver the goods they were selling. And that's their defense?

 

The sad thing is this inability to plan beyond the next meal break is endemic throughout the Thai education system

 

 

[Thian]

27 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

Everything is sub standard here, why should education be any different?

It's all caused by  bad education..but don't you dare to tell em cause they'll get angry...

[upena]

When accused of anything, threaten a lawsuit. Thainess 4.0

[mikebell]

Thailand - Higher (hire) Education.

[BEVUP]

1 hour ago, SABloke said:

It always is  "We sucked before but on the date you publish your report we suddenly became the best (insert Thai institution, fishing company or airline here) and you didn't bother updating your report." 

Have to agree

In my search of the schools web site  for the young lad they were always behind (especially in the fees ) , shocked to learn that the fees can/had risen by up to 20% (mainly the upper end ) 

So I can't see why he is complaining, as they should also be responsible of supplying any info that may affect their Curiculum 

[Cadbury]

One group of substandard education officials complaining about another group of substandard education officials.

I love Thailand for it's unintended humour.

They are both so incompetent that it doesn't seem to occur to them that collectively they are responsible for Thailand having such a seriously low level of skilled workers. 

 

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Some of our lecturers were furthering their studies

ahhh - relocated to inactive posts in the teaching trade !

Edited January 19, 2018 by RichardColeman

[Thian]

I want to go to the kasetsart university agriculture fair which is always the end of januari, my friends from Malaysia want to come as well.

 

But they even didn't publish the agenda for 2018 on their website so how can my friends book a ticket/hotel for that?

[BigBadGeordie]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

I have met many University graduates with the intellectual capacity of a goldfish.

As a keen aquarist I find your comment derogatory in the extreme.

Your views are clearly based on outdated information, research by the Technion Institute of Technology in Israel shows that fish have the ability to retain information for up to 5 months. Far superior than the average University graduate I would suggest.

[quandow]

My personal experience with an actual Thai-accredited university:  If I paid my money for a Bachelor's degree and NEVER showed up for classes, I could show up two years later and receive my degree.

[AlQaholic]

A University with 40 programmes is highly questionable and suspicious.

the program of horticulture?

the program of alternative horticulture? 

Besides, you cant measure the quality of a program by how many lecturers it has.

Edited January 19, 2018 by AlQaholic

[AlQaholic]

52 minutes ago, BigBadGeordie said:

As a keen aquarist I find your comment derogatory in the extreme.

Your views are clearly based on outdated information, research by the Technion Institute of Technology in Israel shows that fish have the ability to retain information for up to 5 months. Far superior than the average University graduate I would suggest.

Yes, I also take offense, clearly a misrepresentation of the intelligence of goldfish!

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Everything is sub standard here

...except denial, excuses, and the art of misunderstanding facts.

Edited January 19, 2018 by Lupatria

[FritsSikkink]

21 minutes ago, AlQaholic said:

A University with 40 programmes is highly questionable and suspicious.

the program of horticulture?

the program of alternative horticulture? 

Besides, you cant measure the quality of a program by how many lecturers it has.

you can by if there aren't enough to fill the program

[robertson468]

I was invited to become a Lecturer in English at one of the Thai Universities (which shall remain nameless), and they wanted me to do the Lectures in English on the subject of Psychology, which I know nothing about.  I also advised them I didn't have a work permit, but the Dean said "that's no problem, if anyone checks up we can say you are here only for the day!"  I made profound apologies that I was going back to the UK for a while and then touring Asia, but sadly they sussed me out and got my Thai Wife to do it, who speaks quite good English, but has no formal qualification in either subject.  They handed her a bundle of papers, written in Thai and said she should translate them in to English and use them for her lectures.  Because they could not find anyone else to do the lectures and there were about 20 Students who would be failed in their studies, she agreed.  At the end of the course I asked her how the Students had done.  She said fortunately they get a 50% mark just for attending classes and anything else is a bonus!  These Student's Parents were paying hundreds of thousands of baht for the course and were so proud that their off spring got a pass mark from the University.  I notice that this particular University does not feature on the chart..............T.I.T (This Is Thailand).

[lvr181]

Universities hoisted by their own petard. 

 

The whole Thai education system needs a shake up (and shake out)!

[1337markus]

Truth hurts?

[hansnl]

2 hours ago, grumbleweed said:

 

 

One day, without any warning, a bunch of lecturers woke and decided to retire or further their studies, leading to a shortage of staff to deliver the goods they were selling. And that's their defense?

 

The sad thing is this inability to plan beyond the next meal break is endemic throughout the Thai education system

 

 

The point is that the funds for a new lecturer or teacher take a year to be approved and can only be asked for when the situation is open, and not before.

[tingtongtourist]

3 minutes ago, robertson468 said:

I was invited to become a Lecturer in English at one of the Thai Universities (which shall remain nameless), and they wanted me to do the Lectures in English on the subject of Psychology, which I know nothing about.  I also advised them I didn't have a work permit, but the Dean said "that's no problem, if anyone checks up we can say you are here only for the day!"  I made profound apologies that I was going back to the UK for a while and then touring Asia, but sadly they sussed me out and got my Thai Wife to do it, who speaks quite good English, but has no formal qualification in either subject.  They handed her a bundle of papers, written in Thai and said she should translate them in to English and use them for her lectures.  Because they could not find anyone else to do the lectures and there were about 20 Students who would be failed in their studies, she agreed.  At the end of the course I asked her how the Students had done.  She said fortunately they get a 50% mark just for attending classes and anything else is a bonus!  These Student's Parents were paying hundreds of thousands of baht for the course and were so proud that their off spring got a pass mark from the University.  I notice that this particular University does not feature on the chart..............T.I.T (This Is Thailand).

Maybe those students got the 50% mark for knowing how to make a paragraph?

[lvr181]

1 minute ago, hansnl said:

The point is that the funds for a new lecturer or teacher take a year to be approved and can only be asked for when the situation is open, and not before.

That sort of 'smart' thinking from the authorities is in itself flawed. Approvals could be given but funds not distributed until a proven situation needs the use of the funds.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

Everything is sub standard here, why should education be any different?

Agree, if it wasn't for the girls, why would any sane person come here?