15 Years Of Free Education Program Launched

[sriracha john]

15 years of free education program launched

By: BangkokPost.com

Published: 18/03/2009 at 04:33 PM

A program of 15-years free education was put into action on Wednesday, with the government distributing 18 billion baht among more than 40,000 local schools throughout the country.

Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit presided over transfer of a total of 18.257 billion baht to public and private schools nationwide in a ceremony at Bangkok's Sri Ayudhya school.

"The government and the Education Ministry are confident that our children and our youth will have better access to education through the launch of this program," he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/1378...ucation-for-all

[dave2]

Well done thailand !

lets hope the money gets to the children its intended for ..... but i have my doubts about that

Quote .... About 60,000 students would not be eligible for the money, he said. The ministry would divert this money to assist disadvantaged students in remote areas.

i dont undrestand why 60.000 students are not eligable for this ....... anyone care to offer an explanation why these 60.000 students get .... zilch , nothing , f### all ?

dave2

[JetsetBkk]

Well done thailand !

lets hope the money gets to the children its intended for ..... but i have my doubts about that ...

Head teachers in nice shiny new Benz's...

[PeaceBlondie]

Fine. Let's see if this is more than a publicity stunt. Let's see if it lasts more than a news cycle. This country is still decades behind war-wracked Vietnam and Cambodia and despotic Myanmar in its educational system. Let's see them reform the teachers and the administrators.

[sriracha john]

Well done thailand !

lets hope the money gets to the children its intended for ..... but i have my doubts about that

Quote .... About 60,000 students would not be eligible for the money, he said. The ministry would divert this money to assist disadvantaged students in remote areas.

i dont undrestand why 60.000 students are not eligable for this

That part of the article is rather muddily written. Clarification of that part will hopefully come to light soon.

[Beacher]

I think the money would have actually been better spent reforming the education system, as those in power have been promising to do for ages. What's the sense in putting more students through an education system that doesn't work?

[JRinger]

I think the money would have actually been better spent reforming the education system, as those in power have been promising to do for ages. What's the sense in putting more students through an education system that doesn't work?

EXACTLY AS INTENDED !!

[ajarnmark]

Fine. Let's see if this is more than a publicity stunt. Let's see if it lasts more than a news cycle. This country is still decades behind war-wracked Vietnam and Cambodia and despotic Myanmar in its educational system. Let's see them reform the teachers and the administrators.

.... and from where did you get your wisdom at least about Vietnam?

You must be kidding.....

Education system in Vietnam is not as good as you think. No doubt they are taking some serious steps in improving the quality of education.

As far as Cambodia is concerned, I have no idea. But Myanmar may have a better system because it was a UK colony before. So like any other country, like Pakistan, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar education system should be better, though I have never visited these countries.

Apart from this, what does schooling give to the students if it does not "educate" them. As far as I believe, you will face much less frustration in Thailand than you face in Vietnam and Myanmar....

If you dont believe then go n find a job in these countries and you will know.

[henryalleman]

This is money wisely spend, because nothing is more important for the future of a country than the education of his youth. BUT I'm afraid that the billions of Baht are wasted as long they still keep the devastating root learning system and don't re-educate the teachers to use modern teaching methods. Because its a fact that the standards of teachers in Thailand is far below par. Besides a few exceptions they act more like civil servants than genuine teachers.

Another remark, what's the reason that 60 000 children are left out, aren't all children equal.

[Journalist]

If you send your child to a small international school in central Bangkok, one has to pay VAT on the school fees !

Education should not be taxed for any kid.

[PeaceBlondie]

I have no clear statistics for the other countries that border Thailand, but have heard there are surveys that show Thailand ranking near the bottom of SEA for English language. Other subjects, I do not know. henry is right, that the rote system of learning holds them back. And, the idea that the teacher is always right even when she is wrong. And that the school director is God, even when he is corrupt.

[harrry]

For those who so not like the Thai education system I can only point to the changes that have occurred in the last 30 years. When I was here then many could not read or write, now most can. THe system may not be perfect but I would feel that the improvement in the system over the period is greater than the improvement that has occurred in the education systems of the UK US and Australia.

[harrry]

I have no clear statistics for the other countries that border Thailand, but have heard there are surveys that show Thailand ranking near the bottom of SEA for English language. Other subjects, I do not know. henry is right, that the rote system of learning holds them back. And, the idea that the teacher is always right even when she is wrong. And that the school director is God, even when he is corrupt.

I allways thought the language in thailand was thai. Could you let me know how the US rates in the level of thai speaking competance.

[TAWP]

I have no clear statistics for the other countries that border Thailand, but have heard there are surveys that show Thailand ranking near the bottom of SEA for English language. Other subjects, I do not know. henry is right, that the rote system of learning holds them back. And, the idea that the teacher is always right even when she is wrong. And that the school director is God, even when he is corrupt.

I allways thought the language in thailand was thai. Could you let me know how the US rates in the level of thai speaking competance.

Let us know how many tourists that would benefit to learn Thai when they are traveling the world.

[henryalleman]

For those who so not like the Thai education system I can only point to the changes that have occurred in the last 30 years. When I was here then many could not read or write, now most can. THe system may not be perfect but I would feel that the improvement in the system over the period is greater than the improvement that has occurred in the education systems of the UK US and Australia.

Of course you are correct that there was an improvement, and most of them can indeed read an write, but I'm afraid that was all the improvement there was made. But I know quite a lot of people who's reading and writing skills are still very poor. Not yet to mention their knowledge of basic mathematics. And in this modern world reading and writing is not enough.

THeTHe system may not be perfect,

Is an understatement, the system failed completely to produce students who can think for themselves. I have a quite a lot of family members old and young with an university degree and a few youngsters who still attend university. Some of them even have an very high career. But its very rare that one of them do some thinking for themselves, or step out of the way they do things the last 30 years.

The Thai educational and social system don't allow or encourage people to think for themselves.

And as long this don't change even 100 billion invested in education will change nothing.

BTW if you make tours around the countryside you never noticed that the fences and entrance gates of schools are most of the time in far better conditions and more beautiful than the class rooms, not seldom the name of the school is put in big golden letters, what a waste of good money.

And being afraid to be accused of bashing, I will not write about the UK and US educational system.

[jackr]

I allways thought the language in thailand was thai. Could you let me know how the US rates in the level of thai speaking competance.

PB's right; Thailand does just about have the most limited grasp of English and English sounds in the region. I'm sure your comment was tongue-in-cheek. If not, you do realise English is the business/world language, and Thai, although inherently important in Muang Thai, is pretty much useless anywhere else on this planet.

You could probably judge a nation by its level of competence in its English-speaking prowess... a bit like you can with the quality of its TV. Oh dear Australia and Holland

[animatic]

If you send your child to a small international school in central Bangkok, one has to pay VAT on the school fees !

Education should not be taxed for any kid.

Exactly.

[PeaceBlondie]

I will not rise to the bait of comparing the USA system to any other, and will leave that to my daughter who teaches chemistry and physics to geniuses in a highly acclaimed international public school...in...Texas

Yes, Thai schools have improved greatly in 30 years, until now even rice farmers and drunks can communicate in Thai language. The world has moved on during those 30 years, and let us hope the money announced in the news bulletin is prudently, wisely used to educate its citizens to become critically thinking, responsible members of the 21st century..

[Xangsamhua]

I have no clear statistics for the other countries that border Thailand, but have heard there are surveys that show Thailand ranking near the bottom of SEA for English language. Other subjects, I do not know. henry is right, that the rote system of learning holds them back. And, the idea that the teacher is always right even when she is wrong. And that the school director is God, even when he is corrupt.

Last data I saw was 2005 TOEFL results and, yes, there was LOS languishing on the bottom behind PRD Lao and Cambodia. This is not because of poor education infrastructure, though. Laos and Cambodia are decades behind Thailand in that regard. Nor has it anything to do with "rote learning" (easily confused with memorizing/repeating - perfectly legitimate learning techniques for some purposes), but because for many years only the elite were taught any foreign language, whereas in the colonial and post-colonial days (up to the 60s) even poor to average kids in Laos and Cambodia learnt French at school - and learning one foreign language is a good basis for learning another.

[animatic]

I think some of those 60,000 non covered student's are basically too rich.

So spend the money on those that need it most.

That's what I read into the article.

[Flatouthruthefog]

I think some of those 60,000 non covered student's are basically too rich.

So spend the money on those that need it most.

That's what I read into the article.

I agree in principle of course, but let's not be TOO hard and TOO cynical on well intentioned Thais, eh?

My wife and I watched this on Thai television last weekend, she (as a retired teacher) interpreting for me more enthusiastically than she has ever done before. Well, from TV anyway!

Among the first Thais to phone in were several parents who told the presenter, effectively, "This is an excellent scheme, but we CAN afford to pay. We want to pass on this new facility, granted to us, to other parents less well off than ourselves."

And those spontaneous remarks were made within MINUTES of the first announcement. So let's try to be as magnanimous ourselves, huh? Tell me I am nitpicking (and you will), but if we are discussing education, especially in English, let's be careful to distinguish between 'root' learning and the horrendous 'rote' learning.

Otherwise, we shoot ourselves in the foot, do we not?

'Eats, Shoots and Leaves'?

[nakachalet]

a thai school is just as good as its principal. a few months ago, i talked with a high school principal and offered to take an active part in its pta program and offered to renovate the english program classrooms which needed some new paint etc and also offered to host a dinner with all the english program teachers, about 10 in all. on the afternoon of the agreed dinner time, the head of the english program, a thai lady, called and said that the head master was called away to bangkok for an administrative meeting. i and a few others were very disappointed.

about two weeks thereafter, i ran into a lady ep teacher and told her how disappointed we were that her principal was on an emergency mission to bkk and that the dinner has to be cancelled.

the lady ep teacher retroted that on the contrary, all the ep teachers were informed by the adminstrator that my wife was seriously ill that day and the dinner was therefore cancelled.... so on and so forth....

any way she was kind enough to assure me that she would inform other ep teachers about what really happened.

all this could really be just a miscommunication.... but then i was communicating in thai with the principal and the head of the ep supervisor.... lol

perhaps, i need to enroll in this new free education program, so i could brush up my thai.... lol

[Journalist]

Is an understatement, the system failed completely to produce students who can think for themselves. I have a quite a lot of family members old and young with an university degree and a few youngsters who still attend university. Some of them even have an very high career. But its very rare that one of them do some thinking for themselves, or step out of the way they do things the last 30 years.

The Thai educational and social system don't allow or encourage people to think for themselves.

This is often said about Asian education. (In Hong Kong too!)

But is parrot-fashion learning so bad? You memorise the order of the planets, the capitals of Europe, the Chancellors of Weimar Germany.

There are things one can't do just think for oneself about. Anyway, what does the term mean in practical life...when you want to change a plug, you still have to know where each cable goes. There's no wiggle room or opportunity for self-expression.

Someone said to me about the inflexible Hong Kong schools. 'If you want your son to be doing exams all the time, thats what he'll be doing there'......doesn't sound bad to me....better than playing with toys or 'Bob the Builder' online games

[debcmai]

I allways thought the language in thailand was thai. Could you let me know how the US rates in the level of thai speaking competance.

PB's right; Thailand does just about have the most limited grasp of English and English sounds in the region. I'm sure your comment was tongue-in-cheek. If not, you do realise English is the business/world language, and Thai, although inherently important in Muang Thai, is pretty much useless anywhere else on this planet.

You could probably judge a nation by its level of competence in its English-speaking prowess... a bit like you can with the quality of its TV. Oh dear Australia and Holland

Right. And, not to mention, that as long as the Thai people are not functional in English, they are cut off from the rest of the world regarding information, history, world events...they only understand what the Thai news tells them. Pretty dangerous stuff. I was amazed to find Master's degree folks with no knowledge at all of the Holocaust, and very, very little about the Khmer Rouge Holocaust...so the knowlege is limited in regional issues, as well. And by the way, I read, write and speak Thai fluently...sound like a local, accordin to my Thai friends. But I STILL think that English should be encouraged for the future development of this country and its future leaders.

[TAWP]

a thai school is just as good as its principal. a few months ago, i talked with a high school principal and offered to take an active part in its pta program and offered to renovate the english program classrooms which needed some new paint etc and also offered to host a dinner with all the english program teachers, about 10 in all. on the afternoon of the agreed dinner time, the head of the english program, a thai lady, called and said that the head master was called away to bangkok for an administrative meeting. i and a few others were very disappointed.

about two weeks thereafter, i ran into a lady ep teacher and told her how disappointed we were that her principal was on an emergency mission to bkk and that the dinner has to be cancelled.

the lady ep teacher retroted that on the contrary, all the ep teachers were informed by the adminstrator that my wife was seriously ill that day and the dinner was therefore cancelled.... so on and so forth....

any way she was kind enough to assure me that she would inform other ep teachers about what really happened.

all this could really be just a miscommunication.... but then i was communicating in thai with the principal and the head of the ep supervisor.... lol

perhaps, i need to enroll in this new free education program, so i could brush up my thai.... lol

You did a mortal sin of trying to 'take control' on someones domain, even if it is improving it for others, and the gain of face you where about to get at the expense of the one in charge wasn't going to be accepted.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

I think this was really aimed at the north, where parents are forced to pay tuition fees, and pay for uniforms, books, materials and activities. This law is an attempt to give parents the right of 15 years of free education for their children. It probably would make more sense to send out auditors and investigators to the northern provinces and clamp down on corrupt directors and administrators who were extracting fees, rather than have the MOE dump more money into their pockets.

[henryalleman]

I allways thought the language in thailand was thai. Could you let me know how the US rates in the level of thai speaking competance.

PB's right; Thailand does just about have the most limited grasp of English and English sounds in the region. I'm sure your comment was tongue-in-cheek. If not, you do realise English is the business/world language, and Thai, although inherently important in Muang Thai, is pretty much useless anywhere else on this planet.

You could probably judge a nation by its level of competence in its English-speaking prowess... a bit like you can with the quality of its TV. Oh dear Australia and Holland

To be successful in export speaking English is really not enough at all. You must always speak the language of your export market , be it Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese or Chinese. Its also of the utmost importance have knowledge of the local social behaviuor rules.

Why otherwise Berlitz is so succesfull.

Can you explain what you mean when you wrote

a bit like you can with the quality of its TV. Oh dear Australia and Holland

Edited March 20, 2009 by henryalleman

[Oberkommando]

Regardless of its merits, sounds to me like a reinstatement of yet another TRT populist policy that the Junta put the kibosh on after their coup in 2006.

Edited March 20, 2009 by Oberkommando

[animatic]

Or they got the idea from the preponderance of western countries with the same system.

Gee didn't Abhisit go to a country that had a similar school system? Why yes he did.

Seems he wouldn't need Thaksin to tell him this is good.

And I remember nothing of this being in place under TRT,

nor it being canceled during the interim military government.

But you make it sound so 'authoritative' maybe a few will believe you.

Of course there is no corroboration mentioned,

so it can as easily be hyperbolic propaganda, as supportable fact.

Edited March 20, 2009 by animatic

[Oberkommando]

Or they got the idea from the preponderance of western countries with the same system.

Gee didn't Abhisit go to a country that had a similar school system? Why yes he did.

Seems he wouldn't need Thaksin to tell him this is good.

And I remember nothing of this being in place under TRT,

nor it being canceled during the interim military government.

But you make it sound so 'authoritative' maybe a few will believe you.

Of course there is no corroboration mentioned,

so it can as easily be hyperbolic propaganda, as supportable fact.

You don't really know what you are talking about do you?

The Education Ministry wants the new charter to avoid promising 12 years of "free" basic education

Rather than pontificating on here, some research into the topics at hand may be advised before further embarrassing yourself.