Decentralisation the answer to Thailand’s education woes: Sudarat

By Kornrawee Panyasuppakun 
The Nation

 

 

Major political parties provided a glimpse of their education policy platforms to help Thailand reform its failing education sector, as the country counts down to next year’s general election.
 

Political campaigning is prohibited for now and is likely to be permitted mid-December.

 

Pheu Thai Party’s key member Sudarat Keyuraphan voiced support to decentralising power from the Education Ministry to schools.

She explained that the Education Ministry should be responsible for “overseeing standards”, while state-run schools should be given the freedom to “use their budgets to hire their own teachers”, and “include parents and communities” in making decisions related to their children’s education. 

 

“Funds should also be provided for students before they enter university,” she added. 

 

Sudarat was speaking at a panel discussion on education reform held by Thailand Education Partnership and Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) on Sunday. 

 

Democrat Party’s former finance minister Korn Chatikavanij backed similar reforms where schools are run by a board comprised of school directors, teachers, communities, parents, and alumni. He also said that teachers should be chosen and hired by schools directly.

 

“These are my views concerning the decentralisation of power,” he said. 

 

Korn also said the Democrat Party might extend free school lunch programmes to include not just primary school, but also secondary and high school. 

 

Science and Technology Minister Suvit Maesincee, a deputy leader of the pro-junta Palang Pracharat Party, said he too supported the distribution of power from the Education Ministry, as well as spreading wealth from Bangkok to the provinces.

 

Educational academic-turned-politician Kulthida Rungruengkiat, meanwhile, said her Future Forward Party would focus on issues such as better teacher training, better equipment for vocational school, and “making the Education Ministry more efficient”. 

 

According to TDRI president Somkiat Tangkitvanich, Thailand has never been short of initiatives on education, but it is the nature of these policies that are problematic.

 

He said most policies are so-called quick-win ones that aim for quick fixes. This is because in the past 20 years, the Education Ministry has seen 21 ministers and policies that change when the new minister takes office, he added. 

 

“We want political parties to come together and vow to continue education reform from the very beginning of the new administration,” he said.

 

Thailand was ranked 54th in the 2015 PISA test for overall maths, reading and science competency –far behind many other Asian countries, like Vietnam, which was ranked 8.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30359724

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-12-03

 

I read this article while walking backwards or was it the article? Confused.

Thailand's political parties...

 

Boldly re-hashing and repeating buzzwords to disguise the lack of concrete policy ideas.

 

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

 

 

IMHO..STOP wasting hours of class time  brainwashing children with distorted forms of Bhudism plus the importance of Thainess and merit within the temples and at home ,let children think for themselves, question this broken country and system and make life choices..... spend more time on English and ''rocket science ''...( just kidding about the last one )..

Edited December 2, 20187 yr by mok199

14 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Thailand's political parties...

 

Boldly re-hashing and repeating buzzwords to disguise the lack of concrete policy ideas.

 

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

 

 

It's really all they do, across politics and industry. Even Thai 'intellectuals' are notorious for simply repeating buzzwords without contributing anything else. 

 

Thais are generally not interested in intellectual pursuits. Most are intersted in face. And using lots of foreign buzzwords, go them, gives them big face. 

I read a whole lot of repackaged ideas, and lots of things that to a seasoned graft monger are rife for some skimming, example free school meals (quality reduced and budget skimmed), funds provided for students pre uni (just don't give to them, the same as with the destitute), better equipment purchases (book scams, tablet scams, uniform scams).

Call me cynical, but the best thing I can think of is to actually have a merit based system of performance set up for both students and teachers that is less corruptible than now, but I doubt it'll even be mentioned in any meetings these lot have.

The most important component of the learning process is assessment/evaluation. Its the 'why' we learn. A national no-fail policy is the opposite, and should be addressed first.

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

IMHO..STOP wasting hours of class time  brainwashing children with distorted forms of Bhudism plus the importance of Thainess and merit within the temples and at home ,let children think for themselves, question this broken country and system and make life choices..... spend more time on English and ''rocket science ''...( just kidding about the last one )..

A Thai professor friend of mine who teaches at Chulalongkorn University told me a long time ago that Thais goto school not to be educated but to be socialized. School is where Thais learn to be Thai - the most important characteristic being where in Thai society they fit, their hierarchy. 

 

Until they change their culture, none of us have much to worry about as Thais will never be competitive. Our beer and women will stay cheap. 

 

 

A camel is a horse designed by various committees.

Sure, give individual schools ability to set own circiculum. That should work very well with 100000 different standards among 100000 schools. Sheesh!

There are merits for decentralization and also a revamp of the state of teachers in Thailand. Teachers are nation builders and has big impact on economic growth and prosperity but here they are underpaid, poorly trained and under appreciated by leaders. Government deal with teacher shortages by lowering standards required to get the job. There must be big investments for teacher colleges staffed with better training equipment and trained educators. If Thailand don't have them, change the laws to facilitate oversea recruitment. Teachers Day should be change to Teachers Appreciation Day and should not be a day whereby students lavish gifts to their favourite teachers but rather more on celebration, thanks and remembrance. 

4 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

It's really all they do, across politics and industry. Even Thai 'intellectuals' are notorious for simply repeating buzzwords without contributing anything else. 

 

Thais are generally not interested in intellectual pursuits. Most are intersted in face. And using lots of foreign buzzwords, go them, gives them big face. 

Thailand 4.0 with International standards and seamless connectivity blah blah blah.....

4 hours ago, mok199 said:

let children think for themselves

That's exactly what they DON'T want - critical thinking. They want obedient, submissive students who ask no questions and do as they're told. These will grow to obedient, submissive citizens who believe what their politicians tell them.

2 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

A Thai professor friend of mine who teaches at Chulalongkorn University told me a long time ago that Thais goto school not to be educated but to be socialized. School is where Thais learn to be Thai - the most important characteristic being where in Thai society they fit, their hierarchy. 

 

Until they change their culture, none of us have much to worry about as Thais will never be competitive. Our beer and women will stay cheap. 

 

 

Many of us here have children in this education system ,and some of  us actually CARE , and try and keep a healthy balance between thainess and brainwashing ,all the while pounding some western values and English into their little minds...but if your needs in Thailand center around cold beer and hot women then your ok...have a good one sir ....and your friend nailed it..

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by mok199

6 hours ago, webfact said:

decentralising power from the Education Ministry to schools.

In other words, have the schools not answerable to anyone. The primary problem in Thai Ed. is a lack of motivation and authoritative management between teachers and school directors and this can only come from inspired leadership from above, via regional authorities and ultimately a committed and charismatic Minister of Education. To say to the schools, "Just look after yourselves from now on," is a sure route to slipping further down the ratings tables, but this is Thailand and this is how the PT party is seeing things . . . "Heaven help Thai kids," is how I see things.

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by Ossy
clarity

IMHO..STOP wasting hours of class time  brainwashing children with distorted forms of Bhudism plus the importance of Thainess and merit within the temples and at home ,let children think for themselves, question this broken country and system and make life choices..... spend more time on English and ''rocket science ''...( just kidding about the last one )..

In your dreams! Brainwashing with no independent thought are the cornerstones of everything !


Sent from my iPhone using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

7 minutes ago, mok199 said:

Many of us here have children in this education system ,and some of  us actually CARE , and try and keep a healthy balance between thainess and brainwashing ,all the while pounding some western values and English into their little minds...but if your needs in Thailand center around cold beer and hot women then your ok...have a good one sir ....and your friend nailed it..

I have a child in the Thai education system, and I work in it. I care, very much, and worry not only about my beloved daughter (I can and do  do something about that,) but also try with the children I teach. I am am sure many of us do

 

I quite like a cold beer - prefer cider but it is hard to come by.

 

As for hot women; knew one once, soft and lumpy as I recall!

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Thailand's political parties...

 

Boldly re-hashing and repeating buzzwords to disguise the lack of concrete policy ideas.

 

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

 

 

Or become worse.

Decentralisation in the educational system sounds groovy.

But it isn't the answer, it just opens the gate for different standards, schooldirectors getting Ceasar complexis,misuse or wrong use of funds and so on.

A change in methods, curriculum, way of thinking might be the answer, but will take years to implement into this hierchical country and systems 

3 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

A Thai professor friend of mine who teaches at Chulalongkorn University told me a long time ago that Thais goto school not to be educated but to be socialized. School is where Thais learn to be Thai - the most important characteristic being where in Thai society they fit, their hierarchy. 

 

Until they change their culture, none of us have much to worry about as Thais will never be competitive. Our beer and women will stay cheap. 

 

 

You must have flunked Mathematics and Chemistry...#1: Beer is not cheap in Thailand...and #2 It's not beer. A chemical analysis of what they try to pass off as beer will always result in the conclusion that "Your horse has diabetes". 

As for the women being cheap...Many farangs will relate their experiences of Thai women being magicians. by making all their inhibitions and money disappear in one night.

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by jaltsc

4 hours ago, z42 said:

I read a whole lot of repackaged ideas, and lots of things that to a seasoned graft monger are rife for some skimming, example free school meals (quality reduced and budget skimmed), funds provided for students pre uni (just don't give to them, the same as with the destitute), better equipment purchases (book scams, tablet scams, uniform scams).

Call me cynical, but the best thing I can think of is to actually have a merit based system of performance set up for both students and teachers that is less corruptible than now, but I doubt it'll even be mentioned in any meetings these lot have.

 

And again the Dems totally disappointing, the best they can come up with is free lunch.

In 12+ years of living in Thailand I have heard many different "answers to Thailand’s education woes".

Never once did anyone suggest that the problems are rooted in the culture...

What about some systems in place,  accountability from teachers and students, just kidding !

Two words: eliminate corruption.

Although I wouldn't trust this woman with 1 Baht, and her hangers on, I do agree that education decentralization is critically needed.

 

IMHO opinion there should be some big picture boundaries but also strongly in the picture loud and continuous encouragement to try new ideas and to quickly and loudly reward success stories. At the same time by default shaming schools which remain locked in the past.

 

Also in the 'boundaries' allow kids to be enrolled at any school they choose.  

 

Also in the boundaries no mention of 'correct teaching methodology - pedagogy', deliberately leave it open for teachers to try different methods. 

 

And cancel school director positions.

 

 

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by scorecard

When the National Strategy Plan didn’t include education reform, it become evidently clear that the elites and the military see education as a threat. Prayut could have done more on education with his absolute power & he didnt intentionally. He can’t be trusted with another 4 years and the people must come out and vote his proxy parties out. 

Right, drive up the quality of Thai teachers by tinkering with the management.

 

That'll work.

 

Not.

2 hours ago, Eric Loh said:

When the National Strategy Plan didn’t include education reform, it become evidently clear that the elites and the military see education as a threat. Prayut could have done more on education with his absolute power & he didnt intentionally. He can’t be trusted with another 4 years and the people must come out and vote his proxy parties out. 

De ja vue for 12+ years el.

46 minutes ago, scorecard said:

De ja vue for 12+ years el.

Not so mate. None of the elected government had absolute power like the 44 and none had the power to re-write the constitution to suit the national strategy’s grand scheme of things. 

 

Not so mate. None of the elected government had absolute power like the 44 and none had the power to re-write the constitution to suit the national strategy’s grand scheme of things. 

Oh how's that el, your idol took the Minister of Education position with great fanfare of 'big change and improvements within 6 months'. Inside 6 months he had achieved nothing and quietly handed the ministry over to one of his gang. 

 

But let's be fair none of the other parties have achieved anything in ed. improvements and that includes the current lot.

 

Adjustments / improvements to the system including teaching methodology don't need changes to the constitution.  Regardless of all of that your post is not about education it's pure deflection of which you are undoubtedly a world champion. 

Edited December 3, 20187 yr by scorecard

 

In 12+ years of living in Thailand I have heard many different "answers to Thailand’s education woes".

Never once did anyone suggest that the problems are rooted in the culture..

It seems they generally have no ability to introspect