New Thai education law will kill kids’ creativity, warn critics

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, Granet said:

The State educates for the growth of The State.

Isn't that normal?

A state that wants to evolve and remain competitive must educate students to the future needs of the nations industry.

What Thailand needs to do is drop the indoctrination model, allow students to explore and ask questions, seeks answers via experimentation.

Drop the "we must be subservient to all those above us" and instill  "we must challenge those above us" and become better !

Challenge old models by constant updating methods and material for teaching.

Award positive thinking and encourage industry to have a deeper connection to teaching facilities.

Industry must have a louder say in what is required for future development and education  ministers must listen and respond accordingly.

Not one education system churning out an annual "one model fits all"

Nothing wrong with kids at the age of 12 being steered towards an end career and having that in mind choosing the right subjects to get there.

 

[Reigntax]

50 minutes ago, Gsxrnz said:

Some posters may want to examine the current state of education in their home countries and not rely on their (our) memory of how we were educated back in the day.

 

Education critique is a big thing currently in most of the Western world.  Essentially our grandkids are now being taught to hate their country, gender is optional and gender fluidity is encouraged, parents are not permitted an opinion on school curriculum, CRT is the new religion, Europeans are the scurge of the earth and responsible for all the world's historical evil, Iconic people from Ghandi to Mother Therese were evil, and calculus (and I kid you not) was actually practiced by Australian Aborigines 50,000 years ago.

 

I'm not saying the Thai system is any better, but comparing it to what we had 40 years ago is a far cry from comparing it to today's western education systems.

All their calculations must have equaled zero. About the same amount of progress they made in their time of practicing.

[Clarkey611]

We do not want the children to think like those 'orrible dirty farangs and find out what is really going on in TIT

[starky]

1 hour ago, nobodysfriend said:

I think to talk about ' quality ' is greatly exaggerated .

Just think about how many Thais are able to speak another language ...

Same could be said for Aussies and Mericans most of whom to be honest even struggle with English

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, NanaSomchai said:

CCP style.

Industry needs to dictate what the education of students should be... not uneducated ministers churning out a one size fits all subservient robot.

[Chongalulu]

18 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Every encounter I had with UK education both as a student in the 1970s and a teacher in the 2000s involved gangs, bullying and beatings. From television shows, it appears to be the same in the USA.

 

This doesn't appear to be the case in Thailand, so I'll stick my neck out and say I prefer the Thai education system.

Look at Thailand’s dreadful ratings in the PISA educational tables (languishing near the bottom) to better inform your opinion. The results are visible in everyday life - shop /restaurant staff that can’t do the simplest of arithmetic without a calculator, poor foreign language skills and the country’s inability to produce properly functioning websites ( Thailand pass /90 day reports) .

https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1808509/poor-grades-for-thai-students-in-pisa-tests

[Bkk Brian]

Thailand has an education system that forces teachers to  pass students even when they have failed, lacks adequate teacher training, funding riddled with corruption, huge class sizes. Students who show little motivation as they are deprived of critical thinking asking questions.

 

While this continues Thailand will always fail its population from the very beginning.

 

 

[Walker88]

A country decides what the goal of education is (obviously).

 

In Thailand, the goal is not, and never has been, about fostering the kind of free thinking and creativity that leads to discovery and invention. While many nations have problems with their system and some odd goals, many do foster creativity, and that can be seen in what such nations produce and what their citizens add to the body of human knowledge.

 

Thailand has around the 25th largest population on the planet (of approximately 200 nations and states), and has likely always been at that level, yet has added no discoveries, inventions or additions to the body of human knowledge in its entire history. That suggests, at best, a system with another goal other than creativity.. Rote learning and many sacred cows, whether that is elders or authority figures, does seem geared toward societal control. Perhaps that choice and system works for what leadership hopes to construct for Thai society.

 

I'm not sure Western nations still follow the system under which I was schooled, but in the past educators accepted a kind of Pareto Principle re education, that most enduring value comes from the very few (Pareto is that 80% is achieved by 20% of any entity). Those with superior intellect, creativity and curiosity were given special treatment, grouped together, and allowed to run as far and fast as they could go. The results of nurturing and unleashing that intellect are clear, such as the instrument on which I'm now typing and the system that allows it to be posted instantly for anyone anywhere on the planet to see.

 

 

[bojo]

46 minutes ago, HappyExpat57 said:

If you read the article, they are suggesting some common sense approaches. Sure, having students consider career choices ages 6-12 won't change their life choices much, but it might just plant a seed or two in fertile soil. I didn't see much wrong at all in the article,

Personally, I see no harm in encouraging kids at an early age to explore  subjects and skills (and I'm not just talking about wood/metal work!) where they may have a proficiency in and/or enthusiasm for, especially in a country where academia plays second fiddle to 'who you know' and 'how beautiful one might be'..............................................................as long as less scholarly kids still leave school with decent maths and first language skills, there's absolutely no harm in fast tracking them with non academic skills for early apprentiship and so forth............................I find it hard to believe that Western curriculums haven't already really embraced this type of system.....................................perhaps someone can suggest to the contrary...........

[HAPPYNUFF]

I used to  teach conversation English, on a volunteer basis, to High School students here.The kids were great, especially if I managed to get their regular  Thai teacher to leave the classroom while I was  there.   The kids opened up  and    actually   started to think for themselves on  problems I set them,  pronunciation, the origin  and diversity (confusing) of the English language.  If  the Thai teacher returned, or hadnt left the classroom, I could see and sense the different attitude of the students, cowed, submissive,  actually scared to express an opinion or original thought, in case  the teacher disapproved.

As for the standard of spoken English by those teachers supposedly qualified to teach same, I  gave up  trying to understand their  incomprehensible gabble. Everything was regimented,  march up and down,salute the flag, sing the national anthem,  praise the Royal Family  and  the religion, with    far less time spent on  major subjects, such as  Mathematics, Geography, Science etc.I unfortunately, gave up in frustration eventually, it was  like pushing water uphill with a fork.

[Tonypandy]

Get ready for communism, the rest of the world are. 

[Chongalulu]

I sometimes shudder when I think of the ruination of so many children’s lives at the hands of the Thai educational system which was so personally illustrated to me when I brought my 9 year old Thai stepdaughter with no English to the UK. Placed in a good state school she flourished ,speaking English in a few short months going to include English and Maths in her A levels which opened the door to a good university achieving a first in Business Economics which included a free one year student exchange programme at a top Singapore university. Now mid 20s with a well paid graduate job gained at her first interview and an assured future I feel so privileged to have enabled that ,but sometimes my stomach churns thinking what would have been the alternative outcome if remaining in Thailand .

[Old Croc]

2 hours ago, Orinoco said:

2 hours ago, ThailandRyan said:

Boot camps and indoctrination centers. Kids will learn to march and sing in support of their country ...wait they already do this..  

Yeah, Dancing, Prancing and Saluting.

What a carry on.

Learning how to walk on their knees is also a skill needed for children to understand their role in society.

[AhFarangJa]

They have to keep the populace ignorant and subservient to stay in control. However, the advent of the internet, and social media is leading to a more informed youth. They need to stem this in any way they can.

[Andycoops]

These Muppets want to stop any free thinking and creativity because they don't have any and their intelligence levels are zero.

 

They just want robot citizens who obey the commands from a miserable bunch of cronies.

 

The Thai education system has been in free fall for a decade or more and the vested interests of the teachers keep it that way.

 

With kids missing a year or more of schooling thanks to the incompetent virus handling, there will be a huge loss to the nation in terms of qualified students ready to join the workforce, yet again.

[Mayhem11]

As per usual the arm chair experts knowledge of education is based on their experience when they went to school.

[JRG23]

Creativity, innovation, and aptitude are not the objective of the Thai education system.

There is only one goal: to train subservience.

 

Those who arise above this are rare.

[Speedhump]

6 hours ago, Granet said:

The State educates for the growth of The State.

I guess they feel they have enough trouble-making university students. Let's have a few more workers on the pineapple farms. 

[WingFat]

Chinese "education professional experts" may have influenced this legislation. It wouldn't surprise me in the least.

[WingFat]

Prime curriculum in the new Thai education system: "Anutin is a public health genius";...Chan Ocha is the most genius of PM's in Thai history. 

[wombat]

5 hours ago, Granet said:

They all espouse education which enables their power.

Sums it up in a nutshell

[seajae]

instead of teaching kids how to be independant thinkers and advance the country the govt is simply making sure they will always do as they are told and will not rock the boat, last thing a thai govt wants is well educated people that will not accept all the graft and corruption pushed by the govts/elites, they also need to know their place

[Speedhump]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Isn't that normal?

A state that wants to evolve and remain competitive must educate students to the future needs of the nations industry.

What Thailand needs to do is drop the indoctrination model, allow students to explore and ask questions, seeks answers via experimentation.

Drop the "we must be subservient to all those above us" and instill  "we must challenge those above us" and become better !

Challenge old models by constant updating methods and material for teaching.

Award positive thinking and encourage industry to have a deeper connection to teaching facilities.

Industry must have a louder say in what is required for future development and education  ministers must listen and respond accordingly.

Not one education system churning out an annual "one model fits all"

Nothing wrong with kids at the age of 12 being steered towards an end career and having that in mind choosing the right subjects to get there.

 

Um. "How, we gonna keep 'em down on the farm, now that they've seen Bangkok?'.... ????

[huangnon]

34 minutes ago, Andycoops said:

These Muppets want to stop any free thinking and creativity because they don't have any and their intelligence levels are zero.

 

They just want robot citizens who obey the commands from a miserable bunch of cronies.

 

The Thai education system has been in free fall for a decade or more and the vested interests of the teachers keep it that way.

 

 

Yep. I've been here nearly 30 years, and as far as I remember education has always been the last issue on any political priority or budget list..

[janetdoe]

7 hours ago, Granet said:

The State educates for the growth of The State.

Actually the state educates for the unity of the nation. This has been the primary purpose of education in Thailand for some time as stated in National education curriculum.

[casey1]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Realistically speaking, can education get any worse in Thailand? When students are not allowed to question their teachers, who are pathologically afraid of losing face, how will the kids learn and keep open minds and get the creative juices flowing?

 

Rather than so called reform, it would be better to admit total failure, and rebuild the system from scratch, using outside help, from the top rated nations in the world for education. 

 

Unless they are simply trying to avoid reform, and a creative and vibrant youth. That is more likely. The army is despised like never before, despite their attempts to oppress. 

have no problem with reform but this statement scares me

"using outside help, from the top rated nations in the world for education."

I fear that is out of the frying pan into the fire.....

 

When I look at fess charged by outside education providers here by "top" rated schools.... its obvious its a cash cow not an education system....

[SomchaiCNX]

3 hours ago, Asquith Production said:

From 6 to 12 years of age they are also expected to start exploring career choices!.  I was not sure what I wanted to do when I left school.

I still don't what I would if I had the chance the be young again, I'm close to retirement age right now.

[Cake Monster]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

“Today’s youngsters enjoy freedom, independence, democracy, diversity, and active citizenship. But these two draft laws appear to promote centralization, dictating what children must do at each stage of their lives,” said Sompong, an education lecturer at Chulalongkorn University.

 

And all the while these Muppets argue, and bicker, and shout their credentials around the whole Country, my Daughter  ( M 6 ) has been learning an absolutely essential life skill going forward into the 21 st Century.

You wont believe this 

She has been spending a massive amount of time in Term One learning ........ Dancing !

I mean the Foxtrot and Waltz Etc !!!!!!!!! - what place in the modern World does this Dung have ?

The poor Girl has been wasting Hours and Hours on with online Videos, Essays Etc on this, when she really sees her future within Computers and AI

If these 2 Draft Laws stop the nonsense that is the Thai Education System, and give the kids some kind of a chance within the modern World, then I am all for it

[BritManToo]

59 minutes ago, Mayhem11 said:

As per usual the arm chair experts knowledge of education is based on their experience when they went to school.

I was teaching in UK high schools up to 2009.

So not that long ago.

[soalbundy]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Realistically speaking, can education get any worse in Thailand? When students are not allowed to question their teachers, who are pathologically afraid of losing face, how will the kids learn and keep open minds and get the creative juices flowing?

 

Rather than so called reform, it would be better to admit total failure, and rebuild the system from scratch, using outside help, from the top rated nations in the world for education. 

 

Unless they are simply trying to avoid reform, and a creative and vibrant youth. That is more likely. The army is despised like never before, despite their attempts to oppress. 

You can't rebuild a system immediately because the teachers have also been taught 'the Thai way' one would have to start with a new influx of teacher training college students. The system is nothing without the people using it, a new system with the old guard is next to useless. This may have come about because of the demonstrations concerning 'you know who', the geriatrics in parliament consider that the status quo must be maintained.