Thailand Ends Competitive Testing and Rankings for Children Under Six

Thailand Ends Competitive Testing and Rankings for Children Under Six

Thailand’s Education Ministry has instructed public and private schools to stop using competitive exams, pass-fail systems and rankings for children under six. Officials say early childhood education should instead concentrate on physical, mental, emotional, social and intellectual development in line with the Early Childhood Development Act. Teachers are being encouraged to assess progress through observation, including behaviour, communication, self-care skills, group participation and portfolios of children’s work. The government says intensive academics and compulsory testing at kindergarten age can place unnecessary pressure on young children and potentially harm long-term development. A new national curriculum framework is being developed with input from paediatric and mental-health specialists, while officials also expect the approach to reduce pressure on parents to pay for early tutoring.