Thai Children Are Still Being Denied Decent Education

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Thai children are still being denied decent education

By The Nation

As other countries progress, our teachers remain disillusioned and our students lag behind their peers

US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has been touring several American states to raise public awareness about the importance of education. He has said on multiple occasions that education is a civil rights issue. His goal is to ensure that every American child is provided with the opportunity to obtain a quality education. He also notes that the quality of teachers is one of the most significant factors in this goal.

One of the challenges facing US public schools is how to attract qualified graduates to teaching, given the current low remunerative return compared to other professions. Good teachers are unsung heroes in any country, and unless the problems they face are not resolved, the education system will continue to suffer.

The statements by Duncan, a former chief executive officer of Chicago public schools, are true indeed, and should be noted here. Thai education ministers tend to focus on grand projects in their efforts to reform Thai education, with emphasis on infrastructure and procurement of equipment. However, they should really be concentrating on the quality of teachers and ensuring that good teachers are properly rewarded.

There are always good teachers who want to make a difference, but eventually they tend to be discouraged by a system where the majority - who resist change - accuse them of trying to rock the boat. Traditionally, the education departments in most colleges tend to require the lowest examination scores. The result is that students in most of our public schools are stuck in big classrooms with deadwood teachers who hardly receive any training to improve their teaching methods.

The lack of incentive for people to become teachers starts with the failure to instil a sense of desirability to enter the profession. Duncan rightly points out that good teachers should receive praise and commensurate compensation for their work. But this is not the case. Good teachers are barely even recognised.

Due to the low pay for teaching, suitable candidates tend to choose other areas of study such as finance. Those that do end up in schools cannot put all their effort into teaching students in class because they have to earn extra income from tutoring the same students in cram schools.

In fact, the Thai Education Ministry has a massive annual budget, but it is never spent wisely. The large class sizes in public schools are never reduced, and the quality of teachers hardly improves. Not many Thai schools have an effective system to evaluate teachers, and the government is failing to address the issue of making the system more attractive for the best graduates.

While well-off parents can send their children to expensive international schools that offer international-standard curricula, the public schools are still forcing rote learning on students. In short, we are denying our children equitable access to good education.

It's time the government understood that quality education is the most important factor in driving a country forward. A recent Newsweek survey to find the "Best Country in the World" ranked South Korea as the world's second best nation for education after Finland. Singapore ranked fourth after Canada, while Japan came fifth. The magazine said South Korea had made an amazing leap from the 1960s when its national wealth was on a par with Afghanistan. "Today, it's one of the world's richest nations, in large part thanks to its focus on education," the magazine reported.

Unfortunately, the Thai government has so far taken no leadership role in reforming our education system. While US Secretary Duncan gladly took his portfolio because of his passion for improving education standards for American children, the Thai Education Ministry is seen as a third-rate consolation job for politicians. No education minister has demonstrated any significant initiative or determination to prepare the younger generation for a changing world. Our children are not simply lagging behind in terms of academic achievement, but also in social awareness and responsibility. What we have seen so far is the education budget consumed by programmes for building infrastructure and information technology without addressing the issue of how these facilities can teach our children.

It's time for a sea change in the way we educate our children, otherwise this country will never reach its true potential.

-- The Nation 2010-08-31

[rfukata]

"in fact, the Thai Education Ministry has a massive annual budget"? Graft, not education is our department motto.

Edited August 31, 2010 by webfact
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[Robby nz]

I am not qualified to comment on Thai education as I am neither a teacher nor have I any children in the system.

However there are so many things in this country that need attention it is not possible to address them all in a short period of time.

I see todsy news stories on health , land reform and the above on education.

Education would have to be a priority as it can be a catalist towards understanding most other problems.

Unfortunatly there have been and still are certain disruptions that have no doubt set back many needed reforms.

[scorecard]

Focused allocation of available funds is a serious issue. I'm aware of one university where the classrooms are basically falling down, many classes are conducted in rooms where walls are missing, window sets have fallen out years ago, there are no doors, they collapsed years ago and never fixed, all the furniture is broken and piled in the back of the roonm, been there for decades, students sit on the floor.

But the same uni has just completed a massive new building for the president, about 8 stories tall, much much bigger than is needed or could be justified, beautiful expensive furniture and fittings throughout and to top it off there's a helicopter pad on the roof.

But at least the student body (in large numbers) has seriously complained to the appropriate authorities. They have been told it will take 4 years for their complaint to be processed.

[givenall]

I am not qualified to comment on Thai education as I am neither a teacher nor have I any children in the system.

However there are so many things in this country that need attention it is not possible to address them all in a short period of time.

I see todsy news stories on health , land reform and the above on education.

Education would have to be a priority as it can be a catalist towards understanding most other problems.

Unfortunatly there have been and still are certain disruptions that have no doubt set back many needed reforms.

Education in Thailand is a business and nothing to do with actual educating the Thai students

[doggie888888]

Most enlightened governments acknowledge the importance of education for a country's development. I am sure there are enough people who are in power in Thailand who also acknowledge this fact. So the question is why the people with the power do not act to improve the quality of and access to education? Perhaps it's to do with wanting to keep the general population ignorant so that they are more perceptive to propaganda and therefore easier to control. Better to have a steady stream of factory workers, farmers and serfs who merely accept what they are taught and do what they are told, without question. Otherwise, if the citizens get "too educated' they might start to demand more of the government and start to ask "inconvenient" questions and then heaven forbid, organise themselves to challenge the status quo.

[whybother]

Most enlightened governments acknowledge the importance of education for a country's development. I am sure there are enough people who are in power in Thailand who also acknowledge this fact. So the question is why the people with the power do not act to improve the quality of and access to education? Perhaps it's to do with wanting to keep the general population ignorant so that they are more perceptive to propaganda and therefore easier to control. Better to have a steady stream of factory workers, farmers and serfs who merely accept what they are taught and do what they are told, without question. Otherwise, if the citizens get "too educated' they might start to demand more of the government and start to ask "inconvenient" questions and then heaven forbid, organise themselves to challenge the status quo.

It's interesting that the party whose main support group is the uneducated poor didn't do anything to correct this while they were in power.

[Phuket Stan]

Most enlightened governments acknowledge the importance of education for a country's development. I am sure there are enough people who are in power in Thailand who also acknowledge this fact. So the question is why the people with the power do not act to improve the quality of and access to education? Perhaps it's to do with wanting to keep the general population ignorant so that they are more perceptive to propaganda and therefore easier to control. Better to have a steady stream of factory workers, farmers and serfs who merely accept what they are taught and do what they are told, without question. Otherwise, if the citizens get "too educated' they might start to demand more of the government and start to ask "inconvenient" questions and then heaven forbid, organise themselves to challenge the status quo.

It's interesting that the party whose main support group is the uneducated poor didn't do anything to correct this while they were in power.

They could not think that far ahead...they were far too busy counting their illgotten gains

[Thai at Heart]

Most enlightened governments acknowledge the importance of education for a country's development. I am sure there are enough people who are in power in Thailand who also acknowledge this fact. So the question is why the people with the power do not act to improve the quality of and access to education? Perhaps it's to do with wanting to keep the general population ignorant so that they are more perceptive to propaganda and therefore easier to control. Better to have a steady stream of factory workers, farmers and serfs who merely accept what they are taught and do what they are told, without question. Otherwise, if the citizens get "too educated' they might start to demand more of the government and start to ask "inconvenient" questions and then heaven forbid, organise themselves to challenge the status quo.

It's interesting that the party whose main support group is the uneducated poor didn't do anything to correct this while they were in power.

Maybe even they found it difficult to steal money from education so just ignored the whole thing since there were far more profitable ministries to plunder.

[lonewolf99]

Most enlightened governments acknowledge the importance of education for a country's development. I am sure there are enough people who are in power in Thailand who also acknowledge this fact. So the question is why the people with the power do not act to improve the quality of and access to education? Perhaps it's to do with wanting to keep the general population ignorant so that they are more perceptive to propaganda and therefore easier to control. Better to have a steady stream of factory workers, farmers and serfs who merely accept what they are taught and do what they are told, without question. Otherwise, if the citizens get "too educated' they might start to demand more of the government and start to ask "inconvenient" questions and then heaven forbid, organise themselves to challenge the status quo.

You have hit the nail right on the head....but look out for the defenders of the Custard coloured shirts tearing your post apart.....I have met many Thais that are so brainwashed by the education/culture system they will not question or confront the slightest thing.

Many people have no idea of the term "serf " and the whole of modern Thai society is based on a feudal serfdom that dates back hundreds of years.

But sadly no matter how much people talk about "change" - it aint going to happen fast round these parts.

[Scott]

I have been in Thailand for many years, and have been in education for the past 13+ years. Prior to teaching, I worked in another capacity, but I remember the endless articles in the news about the quality of education. Since I have been in education, I have seen precious few changes. Lack of computers, lack of internet access, lack of basic teaching tools and lack of other supplies is common.

We recently had an inspection by the headquarters of our school: Their complaints about the teachers included such things as they have 'ticked' the workbooks/notebooks on the wrong side--even though they were told to tick them that way last time. They don't sign their name neatly when signing in. They should make the students write more neatly etc. Absolutely nothing about the curriculum, methods of teaching, or accuracy of information.

The curriculum is boring, the books are atrocious, there are no overhead projectors or anything (oops, sorry, some classes have a CD player--but most of these are the personal property of the teacher). Photocopies are difficult to have made.

The teachers I supervise have my greatest sympathy (and support). There is virtually nothing good or nice said to them. If they do a particularly good job, then the question is "why don't you do that everyday?" If there is nothing else to complain about, then criticize what they are wearing. And, I might add, the Thai teachers have it worse.

Rant over. Best of luck to Thailand.

[hoaker]

education ministry spends alot of money in infrastructure and information technologies because the money that goes to contruction and equipment can't really be traced to the department. I once asked "Korn Chatikavanij" at a conference on education reform and he said that it is one of the hardest areas to improve because public teachers have very low wages making it difficult to improve and retain these qualified individuals, and not much said after that, always wondered why??..

[scorecard]

Corruption ranking.

Not sure what it is today but just one or two years back (from Chula research):

- Police agency - most corrupt agency in Thailand

- Education ministry - second most corrupt agency in Thailand.

[sangfroid]

"in fact, the Thai Education Ministry has a massive annual budget"? Graft, not education is our department motto.

Yes the Education Ministry does have a massive budget, but the facts are that of each 100฿ of that budget only 2 or 3 baht ever reach the classroom.

[doggie888888]

Most enlightened governments acknowledge the importance of education for a country's development. I am sure there are enough people who are in power in Thailand who also acknowledge this fact. So the question is why the people with the power do not act to improve the quality of and access to education? Perhaps it's to do with wanting to keep the general population ignorant so that they are more perceptive to propaganda and therefore easier to control. Better to have a steady stream of factory workers, farmers and serfs who merely accept what they are taught and do what they are told, without question. Otherwise, if the citizens get "too educated' they might start to demand more of the government and start to ask "inconvenient" questions and then heaven forbid, organise themselves to challenge the status quo.

It's interesting that the party whose main support group is the uneducated poor didn't do anything to correct this while they were in power.

It's interesting as well as very telling...does not matter who is or has been in power, they are all too busy with other "agendas". When it comes to real structural and substantive reforms that will lift education, in both quality and opportunity for the masses, there are perhaps too many vested interests and institutionalised problems that will deter most people who really want to make a difference. Is there a leader who has vision and integrity cou[pled with real power who can undertake much needed reforms? Perhaps when the stars (and planets) all line up in a very auspicious orbit...

[iko]

Education has little to do with internet, personal computer, cd-players etc. When I was a kid I had none of those things but I had an excellent education, because the teachers were skilled and very committed. It comes down to the teachers. If they are good and committed, the pupils will receive a good education. If not, not. Unfortunately, it looks like sometimes it's difficult to find those teachers. My girlfriend attended a school (near Buriram) where the teachers were never fully sober, or simply preferred reading the papers than giving the lessons. 

[warfie]

Most enlightened governments acknowledge the importance of education for a country's development. I am sure there are enough people who are in power in Thailand who also acknowledge this fact. So the question is why the people with the power do not act to improve the quality of and access to education? Perhaps it's to do with wanting to keep the general population ignorant so that they are more perceptive to propaganda and therefore easier to control. Better to have a steady stream of factory workers, farmers and serfs who merely accept what they are taught and do what they are told, without question. Otherwise, if the citizens get "too educated' they might start to demand more of the government and start to ask "inconvenient" questions and then heaven forbid, organise themselves to challenge the status quo.

It's interesting that the party whose main support group is the uneducated poor didn't do anything to correct this while they were in power.

... 'predictable' is the word you're looking for...

[Scott]

Education has a lot to do with internet, computers and other technologies--otherwise we would be chiseling notes in clay tablets.

In order for teachers to be 'good', they need resources to pass on the information. They also need continuous on-the-job training. That's something that isn't done.

[travelingmike]

I think the internet is a good source of information, but is not necessary for a good education, as well as other technologies. There are these things called books and they are found in libraries. We might do good to get back to the basics. I work with a generation that cant do math without a calculator-the latest group of pharmacy hires-these are PHD educated 20 somethings. You might say, but why go through the pain of using your mind and paper and pencil to calculate when you have a calculator-thats exactly it-you open your brain pathways to problem solving. Instead of reading a book to get answers, they google it to get the page/paragraph the answer is on, and miss the other things you learn when searching for an answer. Are people smarter because of technology then they were 50 years ago? I never had a computer as a youngster, and I dont remember chiseling notes in clay tablets either. An ipod can be a great source of information, but most students play games and facebook/email each other.

Education has a lot to do with internet, computers and other technologies--otherwise we would be chiseling notes in clay tablets.

In order for teachers to be 'good', they need resources to pass on the information. They also need continuous on-the-job training. That's something that isn't done.

[Scott]

Oh books. Yes, let me get started on the state of libraries in most schools. Next time your at a school take a look at the library and see what's available.

[hammered]

It is better than it was a few decades ago

[x5david]

What amazes me are the huge number of school age kids not even going to school for whatever reason. How can any education system claim to be succesful when so many are left out of the system altogether, for lack of money for uniforms, books, mandatory haircuts etc.

[Scott]

I would be interested in knowing where it is better. Many schools have basically discontinued the expansion of libraries. Books are very expensive.

I don't want to get it a peeing contest with anyone, but when I talk about technologies available in school, I am not talking about state of the art things--I am talking about access and at least access for the teachers.

If you don't want to or can't afford to spend several hundred thousand baht adding to the library every year, there is the internet which is a source of information and it's relatively cheap.

Overhead projectors--and these are considered rather archaic nowadays, can help a teacher to prepare a lesson and more time can be spent on actually learning--or you can have 20 minutes of class time spent with the teacher writing (and it must be neat) on the board, then a little time for discussion.

Chalk and talk is fine. Basics are great and every effort needs to be done to encourage reading (as well as writing). But at the end of the day we are preparing students to live and work in a world which is increasingly dependent on technology that they are not even exposed to in school.

Education needs to prepare students for the future.

I find it disheartening that people think it is acceptable for a Ministry with a huge budget and schools that charge exorbitant fees to not provide something beside 'chalk' for their teachers. And by the way, some schools don't provide chalk. I know of schools with whiteboards, but teachers have to buy their own markers. But when someone from the MOE shows up, there is a banquet, there are flowers, there is even gifts for them.

[Thaddeus]

What amazes me are the huge number of school age kids not even going to school for whatever reason. How can any education system claim to be succesful when so many are left out of the system altogether, for lack of money for uniforms, books, mandatory haircuts etc.

Another complaint around these parts is that a fair percentage (a high one) of the kids show no willingness to learn anything, especially the boys.

Now, is that down to poor teaching aids, or just a resignation that most of them know they are only going to end up cutting rice or laying bricks when they leave school anyway.

[zthyadat]

"in fact, the Thai Education Ministry has a massive annual budget"? Graft, not education is our department motto.

Yes the Education Ministry does have a massive budget, but the facts are that of each 100฿ of that budget only 2 or 3 baht ever reach the classroom.

Not that I doubt you, but where did you get this figure? Does the other 97-98% go to corruption?

[Scott]

What amazes me are the huge number of school age kids not even going to school for whatever reason. How can any education system claim to be succesful when so many are left out of the system altogether, for lack of money for uniforms, books, mandatory haircuts etc.

Another complaint around these parts is that a fair percentage (a high one) of the kids show no willingness to learn anything, especially the boys.

Now, is that down to poor teaching aids, or just a resignation that most of them know they are only going to end up cutting rice or laying bricks when they leave school anyway.

There is a problem with getting-keeping students in school. Part of this is money and attending school is expensive, even if it is supposedly free, especially for low-income families.

The problem of boys attending school is a real problem. First of all, boys are harder to handle and control in school than girls to begin with, but more importantly, they are less likely to respond to an environment in which you spend inordinate amounts of time sitting. Boys are much more action oriented and they become easily bored and start misbehaving. Girls are much more content to sit and listen, take notes or involve themselves in a somewhat mundane task. Most school systems have problems with boys, but in Thailand the long periods spent sitting are a bigger problem.

As I mentioned about libraries being poorly equipped, science laboratories are pretty much non-existent or if they have one it has nothing in it and certainly nothing that the students can use. Males begin to excel in school when there is more practical applications--such as science labs.

So the next time you wonder about science or scientific research and why it lags so far behind, just take a look at the science facilities in some of the schools.

[NanaFoods]

Education has a lot to do with internet, computers and other technologies--otherwise we would be chiseling notes in clay tablets.

In order for teachers to be 'good', they need resources to pass on the information. They also need continuous on-the-job training. That's something that isn't done.

I'd say the Internet is a great tool for skilled teachers to keep up to date on new techniques.

The Internet is also an excellent research tool for students at higher levels, who've already learned how to research.

However, the Library is the first place young students learn research skills and was my "internet" through high school and uni. That's where I learned how to research. The Internet is simply like a turbo-charged Library in that respect. Much more time efficient and unlimited resources. But for the money, I think Thailand needs to focus on Libraries for the younger classes first - perhaps through high school. Internet, if budget allows (or is not spent on perks), at the uni level.

Have you seen your local school's library?

The school nearest us has maybe 100 books in it.

I can see where the budget is NOT being spent.

Even the public library in our "city" is rather scant.

[Pawpcorn]

I think the internet is a good source of information, but is not necessary for a good education, as well as other technologies. There are these things called books and they are found in libraries. We might do good to get back to the basics. I work with a generation that cant do math without a calculator-the latest group of pharmacy hires-these are PHD educated 20 somethings. You might say, but why go through the pain of using your mind and paper and pencil to calculate when you have a calculator-thats exactly it-you open your brain pathways to problem solving. Instead of reading a book to get answers, they google it to get the page/paragraph the answer is on, and miss the other things you learn when searching for an answer. Are people smarter because of technology then they were 50 years ago? I never had a computer as a youngster, and I dont remember chiseling notes in clay tablets either. An ipod can be a great source of information, but most students play games and facebook/email each other.

Education has a lot to do with internet, computers and other technologies--otherwise we would be chiseling notes in clay tablets.

In order for teachers to be 'good', they need resources to pass on the information. They also need continuous on-the-job training. That's something that isn't done.

Well, the other reality (that I've seen countless times) is that the ONLY thing that Thai kids will EVER do on a computer is... play games.

I've even witnessed (in private schools) where the computer class (HAH!) consisted of all the kids sitting at computers... yes, just playing games!

The kids here, in their free time, are often heavily addicted to video games.

The kids at school are so intensely mind-numbed by the inane experience. Either no books, or outdated, irrelevant, inaccurate books or pamphlets. The classrooms often would hardly qualify as storage rooms, with chairs and desks (if there ARE any) that are uncomfortable, or falling apart. The so-called "learning experience" consists of ROTE repeating, COPYING everything either from book or other student's papers, as per direct instructions by the teachers. There is a virtually NO creative or analytical thought process encouraged or taught.

AND as a result of this total lack of mental stimulation, they are DRIVEN to escape, mentally ANY way they can (especially by the end of the sixth grade). This usually means holding dozens of simultaneous conversations amongst friends, really, involving the entire class, and essentially just completely ignoring the teacher 97% of the time.

As an interesting positive result, they are, and this culture is extremely well "socialized". I.E. Thais are highly skilled at socializing; I think it's what they do best. And, naturally, this includes playing games together. (In fact, (IMHO) Westerners can learn a LOT, from Thais, about the complex skill of effectively socializing, successfully, with other people. Western people have become quite isolated, IMHO, on an individual level, when compared with Thai society.)

But as a secondary result, their minds are usually virtually completely VOID of ANY skills of analytical thinking. I could go on about this forever, but let's just say that it's a revealing experience when you ask your 12 year old student (whose attended PRIVATE schools, and is preparing to go study abroad in New Zealand) "What's 500 Baht minus 320 Baht?" and you just get a blank stare. Then you write the problem on the board, and you still get this blank stare that goes on for an embarrassingly long time... as they try to shift, put gears into motion, mentally try to exercise that part of the brain that has NEVER been exercised, is still in infancy stage, or worse, permanently atrophied. And you end up giving them the answer, or helping them figure out the math problem, which won't really register, anyway.

OR Grade 10 (private school) students who will take an hour and a half trying to compose 6 sentences, true, about themselves, using the word "after"?

OR Adult "Intermediate level" students who take 20 minutes trying to grasp the meaning and usage of "after" "while" and "until", when used to express the time sequence of two events within the same sentence? And even then probably not really get it, or be able to use it in conversation.

What will their potential for employment when they're "adults"? What will their futures be like? If their parents are rich, no problem, they "work" for the family. If their family is poor, they'll drop out of school after the eighth or ninth grade, and kick around, hang out with friends, maybe drinking, maybe gambling, maybe get mixed up with Yaba, and occasionally picking up menial jobs for short times, while being fed and taken care of, by the family. And life goes on.

It kind of makes me sad, some days... SO MUCH (personal development) potential being utterly wasted.

But I have to keep reminding myself that this is just one of a multitude of cultural oddities that all goes together to make this the "Amazing Thailand" we love and live in. So in some odd, twisted way... Does this all become (dare I say) a "good" thing?

One thing's for certain. Progress (to make Thailand competitive on a Global level) will progress at a much slower rate here, over time, than in much of the rest of the world, including many other Asian countries.

I try to picture what this will mean, what Thailand will be like, in say... 30 years, when the progress "gap" (on a Global scale) has become more of a "gorge". Many possible outcomes....

The mind reels...

[dumpling]

I have been in Thailand for many years, and have been in education for the past 13+ years. Prior to teaching, I worked in another capacity, but I remember the endless articles in the news about the quality of education. Since I have been in education, I have seen precious few changes. Lack of computers, lack of internet access, lack of basic teaching tools and lack of other supplies is common.

We recently had an inspection by the headquarters of our school: Their complaints about the teachers included such things as they have 'ticked' the workbooks/notebooks on the wrong side--even though they were told to tick them that way last time. They don't sign their name neatly when signing in. They should make the students write more neatly etc. Absolutely nothing about the curriculum, methods of teaching, or accuracy of information.

The curriculum is boring, the books are atrocious, there are no overhead projectors or anything (oops, sorry, some classes have a CD player--but most of these are the personal property of the teacher). Photocopies are difficult to have made.

The teachers I supervise have my greatest sympathy (and support). There is virtually nothing good or nice said to them. If they do a particularly good job, then the question is "why don't you do that everyday?" If there is nothing else to complain about, then criticize what they are wearing. And, I might add, the Thai teachers have it worse.

Rant over. Best of luck to Thailand.

This situation sounds oh so familiar.

I think the word education and Thailand should not be in the same sentence that is unless they change the dictionary definition from :

ed·u·ca·tion n.1. The act or process of educating or being educated.2. The knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process.3. A program of instruction of a specified kind or level: driver education; a college education.4. The field of study that is concerned with the pedagogy of teaching and learning.5. An instructive or enlightening experience:

to

1. The act of entertaining.2. The art or field of entertaining.3. Something that amuses, pleases, or diverts, especially a performance or show.4. The pleasure afforded by being entertained; amusement: The comedian performed for our entertainment.5. Archaic Maintenance; support.6. Obsolete Employment.

[Pawpcorn]

I have been in Thailand for many years, and have been in education for the past 13+ years. Prior to teaching, I worked in another capacity, but I remember the endless articles in the news about the quality of education. Since I have been in education, I have seen precious few changes. Lack of computers, lack of internet access, lack of basic teaching tools and lack of other supplies is common.

We recently had an inspection by the headquarters of our school: Their complaints about the teachers included such things as they have 'ticked' the workbooks/notebooks on the wrong side--even though they were told to tick them that way last time. They don't sign their name neatly when signing in. They should make the students write more neatly etc. Absolutely nothing about the curriculum, methods of teaching, or accuracy of information.

The curriculum is boring, the books are atrocious, there are no overhead projectors or anything (oops, sorry, some classes have a CD player--but most of these are the personal property of the teacher). Photocopies are difficult to have made.

The teachers I supervise have my greatest sympathy (and support). There is virtually nothing good or nice said to them. If they do a particularly good job, then the question is "why don't you do that everyday?" If there is nothing else to complain about, then criticize what they are wearing. And, I might add, the Thai teachers have it worse.

Rant over. Best of luck to Thailand.

This situation sounds oh so familiar.

I think the word education and Thailand should not be in the same sentence that is unless they change the dictionary definition from :

ed·u·ca·tion n.1. The act or process of educating or being educated.2. The knowledge or skill obtained or developed by a learning process.3. A program of instruction of a specified kind or level: driver education; a college education.4. The field of study that is concerned with the pedagogy of teaching and learning.5. An instructive or enlightening experience:

to

1. The act of entertaining.2. The art or field of entertaining.3. Something that amuses, pleases, or diverts, especially a performance or show.4. The pleasure afforded by being entertained; amusement: The comedian performed for our entertainment.5. Archaic Maintenance; support.6. Obsolete Employment.

SPOT ON!! still chuckling! Nice one!!! Put us in Bozo suits, and we might have their attention for that 3% of the time not tied up in personal conversations!!