UN representative queries Education Ministry’s response to students’ complaints

By The Nation

 

United Nations resident coordinator in Thailand, Gita Sabharwal, left, and Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan .

 

United Nations resident coordinator in Thailand, Gita Sabharwal, visited Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan on Monday (September 21) to enquire how the ministry plans to respond to recent student protests. 

 

Students across the nation recently protested against many obsolete school regulations such as forced short haircuts, and these protests slowly escalated into rallies against the establishment. 

 

After the meeting, the minister said Sabharwal sympathised with the ministry and also suggested that the students’ move was “very bold” and “rarely seen in any other country”. 

 

She also asked how the ministry plans to respond to the flurry of opinions submitted to the ministry by students, Nataphol said. He added that he told the UN coordinator that the information collected via several platforms, including nataphol.com, will be used to improve his ministry’s moves to reform the education system and also ensure the students’ information is fully protected. 

 

Nataphol said teaching staff nationwide have petitioned for an improvement to the evaluation process for promotions, while the ministry is also seriously looking into revising the curriculum and elevating the standard of teaching. 

 

“I assured Gita that the information we are gathering is very beneficial to our reform process, and all the complaints revolve around the original reform plan that the Education Ministry had completed earlier this year,” the minister said. 

 

When asked if he is concerned about the ongoing protests, Nataphol said the Education Ministry has already acted upon several school policies in response to the students’ demands. However, he said, some demands are controversial and will take more time to evaluate. 

 

As for removing Grade 1 entrance exams, Nataphol said policies are already in place to remove these exams, but every school will have to adhere to this new rule to ensure that reform is in place. 

 

In relation to classroom sizes, he said new rules stipulate that classrooms have no more than 40 students at any given time, to ensure teaching standards are met and students have equal access to quality education. 

 

“I don’t want any classroom to have more than 40 students. This may be tough for some large schools that have 4,000 to 5,000 students as they may not have enough available classrooms. However, large classrooms do not offer an ideal learning environment for all students, which causes education inequality. We must work harder in finding alternatives and improved measures to ensure the students we produce in rural areas are as competitive as those produced in urban settings,” the minister added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/edandtech/30394900

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-09-22

 

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14 minutes ago, webfact said:

elevating the standard of teaching. 

Increase their knowledge significantly, and they might pass this test:

 

1. Did Germany win ww2? 
2. Is Argentina a country in Europe? 3. Was Elvis Presley a president in USA? 
4. Is Thailand the center of the universe? 

Wow, finally somebody from the UN talking shop puts a little pressure on those not helping to establish a middle class. 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

After the meeting, the minister said Sabharwal sympathised with the ministry and also suggested that the students’ move was “very bold” and “rarely seen in any other country”.

Students protesting rarely seen in any other country ??  ????

"Students across the nation recently protested against many obsolete school regulations such as forced short haircuts, and these protests slowly escalated into rallies against the establishment."

I wonder if it is time to intro students to this chestnut:

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Students across the nation recently protested against many obsolete school regulations such as forced short haircuts, and these protests slowly escalated into rallies against the establishment. 

Oddly enough, looking at kids haircuts in the UK now, I can partially agree with a uniform haircut !

58 minutes ago, johng said:

After the meeting, the minister said Sabharwal sympathised with the ministry and also suggested that the students’ move was “very bold” and “rarely seen in any other country”.

Other countries have a democratic government not a dictatorship so there is no need for students to take action .

We will only prosecute the students who attended the marches because we are a fully Military Government. 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

United Nations resident coordinator in Thailand, Gita Sabharwal

So, now people from one country with poor education is criticising another, with the good oversight of the UN. Great!

3 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Increase their knowledge significantly, and they might pass this test:

 

1. Did Germany win ww2? 
2. Is Argentina a country in Europe? 3. Was Elvis Presley a president in USA? 
4. Is Thailand the center of the universe? 

5. What is the capital of Helsinki?

6. Which city in Austria is the home base of the Vienna Boys Choir, Melbourne or Sydney?

7.  Is a hippopotamus a trendy person who likes to smoke weed?

8. Was Groucho Marx a sibling of Karl?

9. In how many countries is Thai the official language?

10. Is Denial a river in Egypt?

11. How many submarines fit into the Gulf of Thailand?

3 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Oddly enough, looking at kids haircuts in the UK now, I can partially agree with a uniform haircut !

It's true it's true.

A neat short haircut directly relates to your intelligence and knowledge.

It's true.

 

Edited September 22, 20205 yr by overherebc

6 hours ago, webfact said:

United Nations resident coordinator in Thailand, Gita Sabharwal, visited Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan on Monday (September 21) to enquire how the ministry plans to respond to recent student protests

Last thing I read concerning the students' demands and the minster's response was that he was questioning their legitimacy. Asking how they could be so organised, have a stage prepared and portaloos, etc. Asking who was behind the protest. Clearly not a man who took any part of their protest seriously. Just another paranoid and nervous politician in the coalition. 

10 hours ago, rkidlad said:

Asking how they could be so organised, have a stage prepared and portaloos, etc.

And why are they now building a gallows?

 

"After the meeting, the minister said Sabharwal sympathised with the ministry and also suggested that the students’ move was “very bold” and “rarely seen in any other country”.

 

The UN rep said that? I doubt it. In most other countries, students demonstrate and often and most of them without fear of little green and brown men. Surreal.