MoE Ushers in New Era of Thai Education with Introduction of Quality Assurance Initiative

[webfact]

MoE Ushers in New Era of Thai Education with Introduction of Quality Assurance Initiative

 

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Educational reform is one of the country's most important national issues, one whose solution is continually thwarted by a number of intractable problems. Controversy has erupted over competing educational mechanisms over the past few decades, along with question and social pressure from society about a quality standard, plus the realisation the the future of Thai youth is the catalyst for history-making changes in Thai education.

 

This includes the repeal of the ministerial regulation Prescribing the System, Criteria and Methods for the Internal Quality Assurance for Formal Educational Establishment B.E. 2553, and the introduction of a new ministerial regulation, Quality Assurance for Education B.E. 2561. The changes are aimed at boosting the efficiency of the country's educational system and bringing it in line with international standards.

 

The Ministerial Regulation on Education Quality Assurance B.E. 2561 is now in effect for over 45,000 schools nationwide.

 

Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin explained the significance of this policy transition: "During the past decades, quality assurance was done in the form of external assessments. The system of inspecting and scoring education quality standards using some 500 criteria has been in place for decades, but this top-down method adversely affects the efficiency of educational mechanisms at all levels, both internally and externally. In addition, it has placed the burden of conducting the assessments onto teachers and other educational personnel. It was found that, even at schools receiving the highest scores, favourable evaluations did not reflect the actual level of teaching quality, resulting in a massive waste of budget resources spent on inspections and assessments.

 

The ultimate benefit of this innovative initiative is that it will provide equality of education for all Thai youth, and establish a sustainable foundation for the country's overall education development plan going forward.

 

"In my opinion, it is time for a change if we want to see a brighter future of Thai education. The top-down assessment system that causes problems and controversy has to be replaced with a self-assessment system, which will allow each school to evaluate their capacity and performance based on quality codes and criteria of the educational institute. Instead of performing as assessment based on more than 500 criteria, the new quality assessment system requires only a single comprehensive report which answers just three questions. This saves time and money, and streamlines the entire procedure."

 

The innovative self-assessment is based on a common template for all levels of educational institutions, and will be conducted by the head of each institution who will then issue a report covering three main areas:

 

1. Classification: Heads of educational institutions must rate their capacity based on five levels of quality and performance in compliance with general standards, including poor, fair, good, great, and excellent. Each level of capacity is based on the existing international standards applicable to educational institutions of varying types and levels.

 

2. Verification: heads of educational institutes must show proofs or others indications that support their self-classification. This criteria focuses on the efficiency of education management, educational infrastructure and technology that facilitates learning and teaching development, including a proper ratio of teachers and students, accessible library, students retention rate, student attendance rate, and leadership, among others.

 

3. Concrete development plan: Heads of educational institutions must create a development plan specifying measures for raising the level of quality and performance to a higher classification standard . Minister Teerakiat continued: "Self-assessment allows two-way communication between internal and external mechanism that will lead to more integrated operations and mutual understanding between all parties concerned."

 

Sceptics may argue self-assessment can lead to exaggerated or overestimated evaluations. This will not happen as long as we strictly comply with international standards and avoid the subjectivity of previous inspection system. The central agency will take part in reviewing the reports to ascertain whether the self-assessment matches the actual standards. Moreover, the international standards can be applied to all categories and levels of educational institutions, with results reflecting actual inputs assessed based on a common benchmark."

 

This innovative education quality assurance platform requires close cooperation between the three principal agencies involved. The Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA), which will assume a regulatory role that includes revising self-assessment reports and finalising the results." The commissions of three educational agencies-including the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), the Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC), and the Office of Vocational Education Commission-will take part in establishing  quality codes, criteria, and guidelines for each educational system, and will conduct preparatory workshops and mock assessment to foster understanding about self-assessment procedures among educational personnel. Individual schools, universities, and vocational colleges will become operations that conduct self-assessments and implement recommended quality assurance guidelines.

 

Annual self-assessment reports will be mandatory in order to encourage pro-active participation and consistent development. Outputs from the self-assessments will help central agencies to more efficiently and equitably allocate budgetary resources to schools with the most need. Additionally, an appeals system will be put in place to allow assessors to revise previously submitted results, thus fostering transparency and equality for all educational institutions.

 

"Self-assessment is proven to be one of the most effective ways to benchmark educational standard, and is backed by extensive research and statistical evaluation by McKinsey  and Company, a trusted advisor and counsellor to many of the world's leading businesses and institutions."

 

'I believe that this big change will help raise the country's educational standards to the international level. The ultimate benefit of this innovative initiative is that it will provide equality of education for all Thai youth, and establish a sustainable foundation for the country's overall education development plan going forward," concluded Minister Teerakiat.

 

www.moe.go.th

 

-- 2018-2018-09-14

[Rhys]

5555555= ZERO    Well isn't that special...  The system and ALL ...too far gone...

[CelticBhoy]

"Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin"

 

In my 25 years in Thailand this is about the 30th different EM that they've had.

Quality Assurance should begin with job assurance, methinks. 

[marko kok prong]

Yada,Yada,Yada,Yawn.

[SoilSpoil]

Self-assessment works in countries where people are critical of themselves and where people understand that taking responsibility and learning from mistakes will lead to better results. Don't see that happening here in the next million years.

[PatOngo]

Totally cheat and fool proof!

 

 

[trainman34014]

Bla Bla Bla and more Bla.  Nothing will change !

[Dave67]

 

"The innovative self-assessment is based on a common template...."

 

Both innovative and common

[Kasset Tak]

I was asked earlier today how we can make our students better at studying, coming to class and actually trying to learn something. So, I came with the bold idea that we should fail those students that don't study and don't come to class... I was immediately told that that is not an option!?
And that is NOT international standard!

 

[yellowboat]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

MoE Ushers in New Era of Thai Education with Introduction of Quality Assurance Initiative

Trying printing something when achievements are actually apparent.   This patting oneself on the back before achieving anything is part of a bigger problem. 

[Cake Monster]

ISO 9001 Educational Program ?

So who will do the Audits ?

[overherebc]

30 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

ISO 9001 Educational Program ?

So who will do the Audits ?

QA is the biggest money making con' ever invented in any industry in any country.

[Eligius]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah - on and on and on.

 

No need to read the whole article. Anyone with any functioning brain cells knows that it is the PURPOSE of Thai education to keep the masses stupid, obedient and ill-informed (and thus not a threat to the self-serving power structures that rule over them).

[TKDfella]

Many years ago I was deeply involved, with others, on the introduction of QA systems; a) job description; b) teams and team leaders (the old term foreman and supervisors were out); c) innovations & team evaluation; d) QC methods and regular QA checks on QC documentation; e) Statistical control limits...and more.  It's not a 'five minute' job and it takes dedicated and responsible people to persuade others of the need. I just wonder if........

[Kasset Tak]

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, TKDfella said:

Many years ago I was deeply involved, with others, on the introduction of QA systems; a) job description; b) teams and team leaders (the old term foreman and supervisors were out); c) innovations & team evaluation; d) QC methods and regular QA checks on QC documentation; e) Statistical control limits...and more.  It's not a 'five minute' job and it takes dedicated and responsible people to persuade others of the need. I just wonder if........

Nope.

What it really takes is getting a copy of a previous QA manual for a similar system and altering it to make it fit your companies requirements and then charging a fortune for the 

'new' QA manual. It has to take a while before it's presented to make it seem that a lot a hard work has gone into it so a lot of people make a lot of money to produce volumes that at the end of the day really say no more than the people we employ do the job we pay them to do and our suppliers do the same.

[Cadbury]

What hope is there when the PM himself sets the priories for education. Thailand is doomed.

"The military government under Prayut Chan-o-cha instituted a "land defender battalion" program to teach uniformed children aged four and five to do push-ups, crawl under netting, salute, and eat from metal trays on the floor. "Soldiers showed children military operations and taught them patriotic values to love the nation, religions, and the Thai monarchy through the...12 Thai Values". 

Prayut Chan-o-cha's twelve values of education:

1. Loyalty to the Nation, a Religion, and the Monarchy
2. Honesty, sacrifice, endurance, and noble ideology for the greater good
3. Gratitude for parents, guardians, and teachers
4. Diligence in acquiring knowledge, via school studies and other methods
5. Preserving the Thai customs and tradition
6. Morality and good will toward others
7. Correct understanding of democracy with the King as Head of State
8. Discipline, respect for law, and obedience to the older citizens
9. Constant consciousness to practice good deeds all the time, as taught by His Majesty the King
10. Practice of Self-Sufficient Economy in accordance with the teaching of His Majesty the King
11. Physical and mental strength. Refusal to surrender to religious sins.
12. Uphold the interest of the nation over oneself.

[Lunchbob]

A self assessment at many institutions would result in the firing of many incompetent teachers/lecturers and reveal the need, for example, to hire many many more instructors if things like student/teacher ratios are relevant. I wonder what the process for change could be? As far as I know lecturers are not replaceable under any circumstances short of major crimes.

[Sydebolle]

I heard this 30+ years ago and warned, that if nothing happened (then), the battle would be lost. 

Today, 2018, we know, that Thailand has already lost its advantage and will be losing competitiveness in the years to come. The Thai education system must be ranking among the worst; after 15 years of school and university most graduates know - nothing. 

This, combined with the arrogance of being supreme over the rest of Indochina, and salary costs second to none, a labour protection act allowing for lots of mischief and the impossibility of equality of law - a deadly mix for Thailand's economy. 

Those people entrusted with reforms were the very same people who directly profited from the fact, that the Thais were (and still are) a bunch of uneducated don't-know-anything. No separation of power = this country and its (uneducated) people are doomed in literacy, language skills and social competence. 

[Somtamnication]

Well, the old dinosaurs need to retire or die off before any changes can be made at the DOE. Fire all school directors, too.

[DavisH]

7 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

I was asked earlier today how we can make our students better at studying, coming to class and actually trying to learn something. So, I came with the bold idea that we should fail those students that don't study and don't come to class... I was immediately told that that is not an option!?
And that is NOT international standard!

 

A few of our students are so poor at their studies they re asked to repeat the year or leave. This is a rare occurrence though. The rest are just passed through the system. 

[DavisH]

When a country only wants to educate the wealthy, this is what you get. 

[Redline]

This requires honesty, integrity and caring about students.  It also requires hard work.  Again, without outside help, and foreigners working with expertise, the country will fall further and further behind.  But, it sounds good-good luck!

[TPI]

13 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

ISO 9001 Educational Program ?

So who will do the Audits ?

The directors will be the ones doing an audit on their own schools....let's see how that works out? 5555555555!

[TPI]

10 hours ago, overherebc said:

Nope.

What it really takes is getting a copy of a previous QA manual for a similar system and altering it to make it fit your companies requirements and then charging a fortune for the 

'new' QA manual. It has to take a while before it's presented to make it seem that a lot a hard work has gone into it so a lot of people make a lot of money to produce volumes that at the end of the day really say no more than the people we employ do the job we pay them to do and our suppliers do the same.

Cynic! 

[Ossy]

20 hours ago, webfact said:

has to be replaced with a self-assessment system, which will allow each school to evaluate their capacity and performance based on quality codes and criteria of the educational institute.

You don't have to be a cynic to know what this bag of hot air (BOHA) means. Self-assessment by teachers who've been most to blame for Thailand's disgraceful educ. performance means no perceivable improvement likely (NOPIL). And, as for this latest so-called initiative (QAI), if the averagely performing Thai teacher had just a half of the initiative of their 'better-world' counterparts, they might stand a chance of putting these mealy-mouthed assurances into fruition.

 

Why can't Thais accept that there has to be strict, ass-kicking inspection that might lead to many of them being transferred to non-educational duties? Too much smiley-smiley 'mai pen rai' attitude has led to this mess and that's where Teerakiat must start any improvement plan. Someone has to be big and brassy enough to tell teachers that they're crap and that they must improve, if they want to hold on to their well-paid jobs.

[TKDfella]

14 hours ago, overherebc said:

Nope.

What it really takes is getting a copy of a previous QA manual for a similar system and altering it to make it fit your companies requirements and then charging a fortune for the 

'new' QA manual. It has to take a while before it's presented to make it seem that a lot a hard work has gone into it so a lot of people make a lot of money to produce volumes that at the end of the day really say no more than the people we employ do the job we pay them to do and our suppliers do the same.

Think you missed my point which was basically what you've written. 'copy and paste', Ha!

[overherebc]

4 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

Think you missed my point which was basically what you've written. 'copy and paste', Ha!

Not really, actually agree with you, just explaining to the unaware how they get ripped off by QA Gurus.??

[TKDfella]

Just now, overherebc said:

Not really, actually agree with you, just explaining to the unaware how they get ripped off by QA Gurus.??

I helped  a couple of Thais who were acting on behalf of a couple of hospitals and they just didn't have a clue (or maybe just plain lazy), which as you say, then opens them up to all sorts of problems. Mind you, ISO and all that and all what I had to do seemed like a money making machine anyway at the time.?

[overherebc]

38 minutes ago, TKDfella said:

I helped  a couple of Thais who were acting on behalf of a couple of hospitals and they just didn't have a clue (or maybe just plain lazy), which as you say, then opens them up to all sorts of problems. Mind you, ISO and all that and all what I had to do seemed like a money making machine anyway at the time.?

? Years ago when BS, DIN, ASME, ANSI were the 'guides' it was mainly because of QC that quality left the factory door. 

QA was 'invented' to reduce QC costs mainly by the bean counters. Inspection %'s slowly reduced to the point of almost 0 in-house, because they have ISO xxxxxxxxxxx banners and cert's on the wall. ???.

A few years later when the bean counters realised that auditors were being appointed from QC ranks they introduced the 'must have a degree rule' to ensure the money stayed at the top and couldn't filter down to the shop floor and they could keep it to themselves. 

( jobs for the boys )

I knew one who believed DIN stood for Das ist Normal. ??