Thailand Ranks Low In Educational Performance And High In Social Problems

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

We need to give our kids a better start in life

By The Nation

Thailand ranks low in educational performance and high in social problems; the system is not doing enough to foster well-rounded citizens

As a developing country, Thailand places a great deal of hope on its future generations to help guide the country through this transitional period. Our leaders pay lip service to the idea of quality education, but as a recent report from the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has revealed, a significant number of young people and children are in a sorry condition.

The poor quality of education is often to blame for youngsters turning to crime and illicit drug use. But education, while essential, is not necessarily a cure-all remedy. Perhaps we should start to change our mindset regarding these social ills and treat people not as victims or criminals, but as patients. In doing so, we can explore ways to solve problems that are social in nature, not criminal.

It's easy to lock up drug offenders and antisocial youths and even throw away the key. But all that does is to take one "criminal" off the street. The sad fact is that the authorities do see these young people as - criminals.

Social scientists will tell you that social problems cannot be treated by legal means alone. In short, we have to build an environment that gives our future generation some hope, something to live and work for - or else we risk seeing them go astray.

Drug-related crimes last year were the highest number recorded in the past eight years, and most drug addicts were youths, the NESDB report revealed earlier this week.

"There were 266,010 drug-related arrests last year, up from the previous year by 11.6 per cent. Youths aged 20-24 years old were the largest group of offenders in terms of drug taking. Addiction impact is most acute among unskilled workers and unemployed people," the report said.

Moreover, in the fourth quarter alone, there were 77,839 of these arrests, a 7.2-per-cent increase from the third quarter, and a 36.8-per-cent increase from the fourth quarter of 2009.

Thailand also has a high rate of teenage mothers, as well as slow learning development and low intelligence and emotional quotients (IQ and EQ) among children when compared to international rankings.

The number of teenage mothers (aged under 20 years) comprised 18.6 per cent of all deliveries at hospitals last year, up from 17.6 per cent in 2009. The figure was higher than the average rate stated by the World Health Organisation, at 10 per cent. In addition, over 9,000 students underwent drug addiction treatment last year.

An NESDB survey found that 67 per cent of five-year-old children had normal development in 2007. A Public Health Ministry survey from 2008-2009 found that 40 per cent of Thai children aged 6 years had a 91.4 IQ score on average, in the 90-110 IQ range, which is considered normal or average intelligence, but another 25 per cent had scores lower than 90.

Poor educational achievement was reflected in the International Institute for Management 2010 report that ranked Thailand 47th out of 58 countries; and the Programme for International Student Assessment 2009 found that Thai students' average scores in every testing subject were lower than international averages.

To increase Thais' personal capability, we will have to improve them from birth and in their childhood, and the 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan will have to focus on child development.

Certainly this is easier said than done. Our educators and our strategy must be more focused toward creating well-rounded citizens. We must start with reforming not just the institutions, but our teachers and policy-makers as well. Teaching as a profession is no longer attractive. It has lost its status. Too many of our teachers are teaching because they are unable to get into other professions.

In order to change such attitudes, we must make the profession more attractive - both in terms of remunerative reward and respect - in order to attract better quality and qualified teachers. We cannot change this situation overnight; therefore, a sound, long-term strategy is needed. Unfortunately our education planners can't seem to think beyond the next election. And so they come up with fancy-sounding projects that sound good to the public but do nothing in terms of long-term improvement. A sorry state of affairs, indeed.

-- The Nation 2011-03-05

[geovalin]

Are you (The Nation and rich Bangkokians) really ready to teach the Thai children well? Thus, giving them access to Wikileaks and Facebook? We know where education takes: to democracy, freedom of speech, intelligence and eventually the end of the old order. Have a look at Tunisia. Ben Ali regrets to have taught the Tunisian kids so well...

[asiawatcher]

Education, even basic skills, are essential in any society. Where it goes off the rails is when children are not allowed to question - interactivity between teachers and class when it comes to 'understanding' is negated widely thus children sit and get bored if understanding is not allowed on the agenda. This has happened due to cultural (in)sensibilities, in a country where only Royals were allowed to be educated around 1887 and the first schools for public was only introduced in 1923. Elitists deliberately keep the populace under control by 'lack' of education and teaching 'their' system. This reduces competition later in life and woe betide those not born into families with money.

To educate is a start, to understand and question, expands minds. The "bus-ticket" procession of people getting a piece of paper at so called Universities is a disgrace. The degrees are barely comparable to any western degree and only a few universities in Thailand have an international standing and education qualification. It is all about 'belief' and giving families more 'face' over their educated progeny.

The standard of the teaching and ability of students is measured by the wealth of parents able to afford high (over) priced education and 'branding'. As education, like everything else in Thailand, is geared to making money, quality suffers. But at least the Government has allowed international education now, albeit horrifically expensive, but for those who believe education is the answer, it is "caveat emptor" - let the buyer beware. At least those that can afford it may have a chance in life but look at the list of the worlds billionaires. Less that 10% have a university education and that 'spells' it out very clearly.

Education and internet will work cohesively and will cost very little - with minimal supervision and soon most likely becoming the breakaway group of the future, allowing students to learn at their own pace and not get caught by the slow kid in the class putting up his hand saying "khortort na khrup, mai loo, mai cal jai!" at which time the whole class stops waiting on catch up. But until Thailand changes its cultural/social attitude towards education and raises the standard for all, not just the wealthy, they will be a long time coming out of the dark ages.

[DoctorG]

Education, even basic skills, are essential in any society. Where it goes off the rails is when children are not allowed to question - interactivity between teachers and class when it comes to 'understanding' is negated widely thus children sit and get bored if understanding is not allowed on the agenda. This has happened due to cultural (in)sensibilities, in a country where only Royals were allowed to be educated around 1887 and the first schools for public was only introduced in 1923. Elitists deliberately keep the populace under control by 'lack' of education and teaching 'their' system. This reduces competition later in life and woe betide those not born into families with money.

To educate is a start, to understand and question, expands minds. The "bus-ticket" procession of people getting a piece of paper at so called Universities is a disgrace. The degrees are barely comparable to any western degree and only a few universities in Thailand have an international standing and education qualification. It is all about 'belief' and giving families more 'face' over their educated progeny.

The standard of the teaching and ability of students is measured by the wealth of parents able to afford high (over) priced education and 'branding'. As education, like everything else in Thailand, is geared to making money, quality suffers. But at least the Government has allowed international education now, albeit horrifically expensive, but for those who believe education is the answer, it is "caveat emptor" - let the buyer beware. At least those that can afford it may have a chance in life but look at the list of the worlds billionaires. Less that 10% have a university education and that 'spells' it out very clearly.

Education and internet will work cohesively and will cost very little - with minimal supervision and soon most likely becoming the breakaway group of the future, allowing students to learn at their own pace and not get caught by the slow kid in the class putting up his hand saying "khortort na khrup, mai loo, mai cal jai!" at which time the whole class stops waiting on catch up. But until Thailand changes its cultural/social attitude towards education and raises the standard for all, not just the wealthy, they will be a long time coming out of the dark ages.

Thank you. Saved me the trouble of writing something similar. :jap:

[lingyaiyai]

From the OP (my italics): "...the Programme for International Student Assessment 2009 found that Thai students' average scores in every testing subject were lower than international averages."

Tragic.

No wonder I've seen a calculator being used to add 7 Baht to 100 Baht (in a Seven Eleven store, of course).

Edited March 5, 2011 by lingyaiyai

[Thaddeus]

A Public Health Ministry survey from 2008-2009 found that 40 per cent of Thai children aged 6 years had a 91.4 IQ score on average, in the 90-110 IQ range, which is considered normal or average intelligence, but another 25 per cent had scores lower than 90.

If those numbers are correct then the person pointing them out has absolutely no idea what those numbers mean.

[stepenwolf1958]

I do not wish to comment this shocking news through the prism of politics.

These percentages of the overall deterioration of social life of Thailand are terribly sad.

It is extremely sad to love this country as much as most of us do but to watch as it destroys itself. Willingly, i could say.

It is very sad to watch how a country with so much potential, with so many nice things, with so many good people perish.

In all this, the saddest thing is that neighboring countries have shown slow or fast but definitely progress.

Thailand has but absolutely all the requirements to be in advantage upon all of these countries.

Thailand, thanks to all resources, should be far ahead of countries in the region.

Thailand could easily be the most important and most progressive of all countries in South-East Asia region.

Thailand is not and it seems a long time will not to be.

Thailand does not focus on the key things in advancing.

Thailand is struggling with the remnants of the past.

Thailand is hardly giving up the old way.

Thailand has been slow in transforming.

Me personally, can't watch the people I love, whole country, knowingly fail.

Many of us have loved this country and moved to Thailand.

One of the things that this country leads to destruction is the inability of teachers, school system in practice.

Theoretically, the school system is set up properly, but in practice gives negative results.

In any country world, where it is shown that 88% of teachers are unable to transmit knowledge to the youth, all powers in systems and especially governments, need to be focus exclusively on this issue.

Since the catastrophic 88% of those incompetent teachers is case of Thailand, it is not surprising that the results are such shocking as OP said.

[Macmundi]

The education minister is not doing his job. He doesn't attend to the quality of education. He only attends to teachers' funerals and anything that will get him in the news. There are no strategic plans on which field of study Thailand has to promote to get ready for the future. In fact there are no plans at all even to promote education. Students go to school just to have friends and show off their new mobile phone or their new hairstyle, new car, etc. Those girls who can't compare will eventually go into prostitution, Boys who cannot compare will eventually start to sell drugs. Advertisements are replacing education. Students concentrate on media more than the materials in their textbooks.

[mtc]

Look at this ongoing story in Pattaya involving corruption on pattaya beach it involves police corruption and a few hundred participants all the way along the beach.

http://thailandlandofsmiles.com/2011/03/04/followup-pattaya-jet-ski-scam/

education is a must at the earliest age to avoid these problems.

[jonclark]

Whilst the issue of education often comes up in Thailand. I think the OP does a good job of painting a wider picture of the issue, namely that most of the youth feel they have no future and are very disaffected. Is education to blame, in part yes, but it is just a symptom of the deeper malaise that this country finds itself in. Poverty, corruption, a legal and administrative system which seeks to make life as difficult as possible as opposed to empowering its citizens; a society where individual civil rights play second fiddle to money. Is it any surprise that our youth feel the way they do. After all, whats the point of trying as eventually they'll get kicked in the teeth and overlooked.

Blaming the kids for turning to crime and drugs and then locking them up for doing so is wrong, as they are simply responding to the society which we have created. The fact they are responding differently to older, wiser heads, indicates that the society we have created is in fact a sad reflection on our perceived wisdom. The country we have created is actually pretty shit.

[Steely Dan]

The problem is nothing to do with the remuneration of teachers. You could double their pay overnight and it would not make one iota of difference because unless you have teachers who are culturally prepared to teach children how to think and not what to think there can be no real progress, and teachers whose experience is limited to Thailand alone will suffer from cultural constraints which prevent this. Sadly, education also happens in the home and the same mindset is reinforced with obedience and rote learning trumping individuality and critical thinking.

[dumball]

My simple explanation as to a way of improving quality of education in Thailand is this : As it appears , a lot of the blame falls on the teaching staff , if they have no desire or drive to improve the standards that they apply , nothing will change , would it not then be of advantage to change the overall cause of poor education of the masses .

The ruling bodies need to instigate a ' logical ' system to bring teaching staff mentality to a level where all would gain in the long run , this would be to pay staff according to student achievement on yearly testing , when the level has made improvement over and above that which has become the norm as of this present date , the teacher is given a pay raise . This would ( should) encourage teaching staff to improve their own level of education and the methodology of application in the classroom , because they themselves would gain much face to the public at large and , most importantly , amongst their students .

Not so difficult or mind boggling , it has been done with great success in other nations educational systems .

[blazes]

The problem is nothing to do with the remuneration of teachers. You could double their pay overnight and it would not make one iota of difference because unless you have teachers who are culturally prepared to teach children how to think and not what to think there can be no real progress, and teachers whose experience is limited to Thailand alone will suffer from cultural constraints which prevent this. Sadly, education also happens in the home and the same mindset is reinforced with obedience and rote learning trumping individuality and critical thinking.

This is absolutely spot on. Students simply need to be encouraged to ask questions, any questions. This whole society exists without questions being asked.

If you give a Thai person a CHOICE of a course of actions, the answer invariably is UP TO YOU.

The "up to you" mentality sums up where everything has gone wrong. Leave decision-making to someone, anyone, else, which usually means, in Thailand as a whole, the Bangkok elite.

The one glimmer of light in all this is the "democratising" possibility of the internet. Even so, when you take a random look at what is offered on Thai TV every night, you have to despair at the abysmal saccharine garbage being force-fed into the passive gaping minds sitting there taking it all in.

[Bagwan]

In the few instances that I have come into contact with schoolteachers I have come away shaking my head at what I perceive to be their lack of intelligence. Whatever is the point of teaching a young girl how to find the cubed root of a number and yet percentages are ignored? My 11 year old niece, who has been coached by me on my infrequent visits up country, now acts as a support to the feeble minded individual tasking with teaching her. She has taught the teacher the tricks that I taught her, such as to multiply by 50 move the decimal point one place to the right and multiply by five. Alternatively move the decimal point two places to the right, inserting zeros if this operation produces spaces, and then divide by two. Hardly rocker science.

Why these headline catching stories of computers in classrooms? By the time I was 15 I had mastered arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry. All the tools my teachers employed were textbooks, a blackboard and a piece of chalk. I am all for access to the Internet but please can we put the horse before the cart?

Can the 'fruit salad' that civil servants sport be dispensed with? It just makes them look ridiculous. Medals should be for meritorious service (US Armed Forces and others please note) and I've yet to see anything produced, created or performed by any Thai Civil Service department that approaches that. In similar vein dispense with giving a selection of answers in examination papers. It would help in assessment if it could be ascertained what a scholar knows rather than whether they are good guessers. I've never in any activity seen the carrot and stick method of inducing achievement being put into action. Kids that are awarded high marks should be publicly praised and those that don't enjoined to try harder - and longer. Introduce the spirit of competition, it will help them to get on in real life. Those who are not strong enough to counter and make a positive response to any failure on their part will never come to much any way and factory fodder will all that they are capable of becoming.

[tragickingdom]

When I switched on the TV yesterday I thought that the Yacuzza had their yearly meeting in Thailand. it worked out that it was a political meeting from Bhumjaithai. Everybody who has seen those criminals in one shot know why there are so much problems in Thailand. Education and health funds are plundered and used for the army. The army generals are lying their asses off and ducking responsibility and children are under the impression that criminals as Chai Chidchob and Prayuth are setting the bar from them. Yes good education would be great, an execution squad that took care of all of Thailand's politicians, Military and police would be better. We could start out with a clean sheet.

[dressedingreen]

The problem is nothing to do with the remuneration of teachers. You could double their pay overnight and it would not make one iota of difference because unless you have teachers who are culturally prepared to teach children how to think and not what to think there can be no real progress, and teachers whose experience is limited to Thailand alone will suffer from cultural constraints which prevent this. Sadly, education also happens in the home and the same mindset is reinforced with obedience and rote learning trumping individuality and critical thinking.

This is absolutely spot on. Students simply need to be encouraged to ask questions, any questions. This whole society exists without questions being asked.

If you give a Thai person a CHOICE of a course of actions, the answer invariably is UP TO YOU.

The "up to you" mentality sums up where everything has gone wrong. Leave decision-making to someone, anyone, else, which usually means, in Thailand as a whole, the Bangkok elite.

The one glimmer of light in all this is the "democratising" possibility of the internet. Even so, when you take a random look at what is offered on Thai TV every night, you have to despair at the abysmal saccharine garbage being force-fed into the passive gaping minds sitting there taking it all in.

This hits the nail on the head.

My wife is a teacher. Of course, I'm biased, but I think she is a good teacher within the constraints of the Thai education system. She is conscientious, hard working and loves her job. She also believes she has the best interests of her students in mind when she teaches. But the fact is her university degree doesn't come close to western standards in preparing her for the difficult job of enabling students to get the most from a society that, as others have said here, wants them to remain 'in their place'. The education system here rewards teachers for staying in the job for many years. Not for their performance in turning out well balanced and thoughtful individuals.

You know the saddest point in all of this? Ultimately, it is fear that prevents those with power in Thailand from allowing equality of access to good education. Fear that they will no longer be able to command respect and use their influence to get what they want. It is a reflection of that which has happened in almost every country in the western hemisphere, in the past. It is a transitional phase. And it is coming to a head as we write. All the countries in this part of the world (and others in the Middle East, as is happening now) are in the process of a seismic shift in popular consciousness. The effects of international media and especially internet are propagating ideas across continents. Thailand is not immune. The old guard will kick and scream, as others have in other places. But the writing is on the wall.

It isn't comfortable, but all children should be taught to question everything.

DIG

[jimbeam1]

My simple explanation as to a way of improving quality of education in Thailand is this : As it appears , a lot of the blame falls on the teaching staff , if they have no desire or drive to improve the standards that they apply , nothing will change , would it not then be of advantage to change the overall cause of poor education of the masses .

The ruling bodies need to instigate a ' logical ' system to bring teaching staff mentality to a level where all would gain in the long run , this would be to pay staff according to student achievement on yearly testing , when the level has made improvement over and above that which has become the norm as of this present date , the teacher is given a pay raise . This would ( should) encourage teaching staff to improve their own level of education and the methodology of application in the classroom , because they themselves would gain much face to the public at large and , most importantly , amongst their students .

Not so difficult or mind boggling , it has been done with great success in other nations educational systems .

I agree with you. Well said.

The overall level of education in Thailand is low at any level. Let alone the teaching level. I also think It would certainly help if the children were taught some social skills. First at school + hopefully at home. If people can inter react with others more on a social level, I am sure it would encourage them more to accept education.

jb1

[pooket]

There are two problems with education here. One is a lack of competent teachers and administrators, the other is the society. Both are intertwined and overlap.

I taught English here for 3 years and was appalled by the lack of modern teaching methods used here. It was like being transported back to the 1930's or further. Teachers pontificate, the knowledge flies through the air, and goes into the ears and brains of the students where it is lodged forever and never forgotten. Nice fantasy, but this just isn't true. The students need to take this knowledge and do something with it, use it, create something with it. Basically, they need to use their right hemispheres. I think if you did a brain scan of Thai people, the left brain would be nice and healthy and normal, but the right side would look like a shriveled up little pea that rolled under your refrigerator 6 months ago and you just found it while cleaning the kitchen. Thai people don't want to think. Until Thais are challenged to think and do something with knowledge, they will just languish in mediocrity.

Laziness and stubbornness are parts of the culture that need to be addressed. I have no idea how to tackle laziness, maybe shame them into getting it into a higher gear? The stubbornness really used to bother me. If you try to get Thai people or teachers out of the dark ages, they get an attitude like you don't know what the heck you're talking about. How does one nicely tell somebody that they are completely clueless and that teaching methods have progressed? It's like they just want to bury their heads in the sand and not grow or progress, or take advice from people that come from developed, successful countries. Why do they hire us, if they don't want us to share our knowledge and success with them? They have to do it the Thai way, but the Thai way has failed miserably. Everything's OK, just slide by, mai pen rai, mai pen rai...

The only Thai people I can stomach dealing with now are ones that have lived out of Thailand for a couple years or more. They're honest, open, willing to learn, and can handle criticism much better. What does that tell us about this clueless, isolated, insular, backward country we call Thailand?

[warfie]

When a person with several university degrees cannot convert centimetres to millimetres (seriously, no joke), one has to question the quality of education here...

[jimbeam1]

It would also help if someone was employed to make sure that the children actaully turned up for school in the first place.

You only need to check the pile of shoes outside of any Internet-games cafe, at times that they should be in school.

jb1

[stepenwolf1958]

The education minister is not doing his job. He doesn't attend to the quality of education. He only attends to teachers' funerals and anything that will get him in the news. There are no strategic plans on which field of study Thailand has to promote to get ready for the future. In fact there are no plans at all even to promote education. Students go to school just to have friends and show off their new mobile phone or their new hairstyle, new car, etc. Those girls who can't compare will eventually go into prostitution, Boys who cannot compare will eventually start to sell drugs. Advertisements are replacing education. Students concentrate on media more than the materials in their textbooks.

I would agree with above. Only one thing in your post is not true and i think just because you are not informed about change.

The truth is and it must be said that the Ministry has brought a three-year program that the government has adopted. A separate problem is that the program was destined to fail. Due to the haste and incompetence.

Since I had access to the program, I realized that almost half of the items is useless waste of money.

The worse example that bothered me in this plan was an item that is projected a sum of 500 Million Baht for IMPROVEMENT OF MORALITY of teaching staff.

I was wondering WHAT WAY they are going to improve that?

Moreover, i was in shock as in any western system you can't teach at all if you are not moral person. In western educational systems morality is something that is expected when you apply for teaching position.

Due to this fact, this investment is just a waste of money.

My global impression was that this plan was passed without much expertise and is hasty.

As someone was rushing to grab some political points by making the program.

[james24]

Amazing they can still get away with writing rubbish like this.

When I saw the title I thought, at last, someone is speaking out!

But no, just blame it on the people, nothing to do with the Education officials being greedy buggers who couldnt give a hoot, just as long as the money keeps coming in.

The uni's here must be up there with the worst in the world surely

[stepenwolf1958]

The problem is nothing to do with the remuneration of teachers. You could double their pay overnight and it would not make one iota of difference because unless you have teachers who are culturally prepared to teach children how to think and not what to think there can be no real progress, and teachers whose experience is limited to Thailand alone will suffer from cultural constraints which prevent this. Sadly, education also happens in the home and the same mindset is reinforced with obedience and rote learning trumping individuality and critical thinking.

This is absolutely spot on. Students simply need to be encouraged to ask questions, any questions. This whole society exists without questions being asked.

If you give a Thai person a CHOICE of a course of actions, the answer invariably is UP TO YOU.

The "up to you" mentality sums up where everything has gone wrong. Leave decision-making to someone, anyone, else, which usually means, in Thailand as a whole, the Bangkok elite.

The one glimmer of light in all this is the "democratising" possibility of the internet. Even so, when you take a random look at what is offered on Thai TV every night, you have to despair at the abysmal saccharine garbage being force-fed into the passive gaping minds sitting there taking it all in.

This hits the nail on the head.

My wife is a teacher. Of course, I'm biased, but I think she is a good teacher within the constraints of the Thai education system. She is conscientious, hard working and loves her job. She also believes she has the best interests of her students in mind when she teaches. But the fact is her university degree doesn't come close to western standards in preparing her for the difficult job of enabling students to get the most from a society that, as others have said here, wants them to remain 'in their place'. The education system here rewards teachers for staying in the job for many years. Not for their performance in turning out well balanced and thoughtful individuals.

You know the saddest point in all of this? Ultimately, it is fear that prevents those with power in Thailand from allowing equality of access to good education. Fear that they will no longer be able to command respect and use their influence to get what they want. It is a reflection of that which has happened in almost every country in the western hemisphere, in the past. It is a transitional phase. And it is coming to a head as we write. All the countries in this part of the world (and others in the Middle East, as is happening now) are in the process of a seismic shift in popular consciousness. The effects of international media and especially internet are propagating ideas across continents. Thailand is not immune. The old guard will kick and scream, as others have in other places. But the writing is on the wall.

It isn't comfortable, but all children should be taught to question everything.

DIG

Your wife is in 12% of those who passed the proficiency test which was conducted OBEC.

I've seen many good teachers who are dedicated to their work and who see their profession as extremely important for the future of Thailand.

The vast majority of these people are junior teachers, starters.

These people, good people and the starters are in the minority and the big percent of government schools is in a kind of caste system so these young people do not have much influence on the creation of professionalism in their departments and often even the right to vote. That I have seen many times.

Many of them have tried to change something, visiting broken in trying to help to the pupils.

Probably because so much dedicated work,(for small money: 5-7 000Bht) these young teachers were forced to seek for a new school. They were not accepted by their fellow seniors.

Your wife knows for this so she can confirm this is really going on.

[thaicon]

Very amusing.

Who's watching the watchers?

My simple explanation as to a way of improving quality of education in Thailand is this : As it appears , a lot of the blame falls on the teaching staff , if they have no desire or drive to improve the standards that they apply , nothing will change , would it not then be of advantage to change the overall cause of poor education of the masses .

The ruling bodies need to instigate a ' logical ' system to bring teaching staff mentality to a level where all would gain in the long run , this would be to pay staff according to student achievement on yearly testing , when the level has made improvement over and above that which has become the norm as of this present date , the teacher is given a pay raise . This would ( should) encourage teaching staff to improve their own level of education and the methodology of application in the classroom , because they themselves would gain much face to the public at large and , most importantly , amongst their students .

Not so difficult or mind boggling , it has been done with great success in other nations educational systems .

Edited March 5, 2011 by thaicon

[swillowbee]

... residents here all see the problem ... many lament what "should be" and what "ought to be" and "they should" this and that.<BR><BR>... none of that will happen ... we know that ... we know it..<BR><BR>... this country is deeply infected with inferior cultural values ... interminably so ... think about that<BR><BR>... the values commonly practiced here have been impressed upon the Thai people by generations of entitled elites to pacify the population and repress them into an inescapable feudal system ... the system has been refined over generations ... the Thai ruling classes have done a good job of perfecting a soul-killing social machine, creating generations of underclass, who have little idea of ust how deprived of the basic human privileges they are.<BR><BR>... the article cites the only consequences a system as this can produce ... I guess the amataya long ago, could not have expected it to be so visible and apparent to the rest of the world.<BR><BR>... now, combine the dysfunctional government and social system with the Thai national average IQ of 91, documented elsewhere by The Nation and Bangok Post, and you've got yourself quite a sad situation ...a deeply sickened nation ... incidentally, 8% of the Thai population tests at mentally retarded (IQ below 70), compared to average of 2% ... and, another 16% of the Thai population is within 5 points of mentally retarded ... that explains much about Thai behavior that is not language, or cultural misunderstanding.<BR><BR>... I'd say the ruling elites of Thailand have acommplished exactly what they wanted ... through different methods (a more gentle "Thai way"), they have achieved what Hitler, Ceaucescu, Kim, Mao sought in their incidious social engineering schemes.<BR><BR>... if foreigners took over Thailand, fully, and immediately implemented modern systems of governance, education, rule of law, the teaching of humane values, and on, and on, and on, it would take generations to correct the deficiencies perpetrated on the Thai people by the Thai elitists who have long controlled this nation.<BR><BR>... shame on this society ... shame.

[ginjag]

Very amusing.

Who's watching the watchers?

My simple explanation as to a way of improving quality of education in Thailand is this : As it appears , a lot of the blame falls on the teaching staff , if they have no desire or drive to improve the standards that they apply , nothing will change , would it not then be of advantage to change the overall cause of poor education of the masses .

The ruling bodies need to instigate a ' logical ' system to bring teaching staff mentality to a level where all would gain in the long run , this would be to pay staff according to student achievement on yearly testing , when the level has made improvement over and above that which has become the norm as of this present date , the teacher is given a pay raise . This would ( should) encourage teaching staff to improve their own level of education and the methodology of application in the classroom , because they themselves would gain much face to the public at large and , most importantly , amongst their students .

Not so difficult or mind boggling , it has been done with great success in other nations educational systems .

Television can play a big mega roll in educating kids--Geography--not taught in my local town, with out this how can kids relate to our earth................Thai culture is taught in on a massive scale/ music and Thai dancing/ world wide topics are not disscussed, cause the teachers don't know, 24 hour clock systems, worldwide 2011, they dont know-only Thai. recreation times are day long--shortage of teachers-no class-so its basketball till the next lesson. the reason for daytime shortage is THEY have meetings during school hours, weather its to learn or an excuse to have freetime from their class???...........there is no excitement at all at each class --its a bore-so students will never learn if they don't enjoy it. I helped at the schools --and my Mr. Bean style of teaching caused interest, and they always asked if I can stay and teach, of course it wasn't ME it was the way it was put over-suppose refreshing to them who knows ??

[stepenwolf1958]

I am very glad that it is evident that all men who have left comments here, are people of good will and desire for any progress of Thailand.

At the same time, the good thing is that it has nothing with our political beliefs and preferences of this or that color shirt.

This is too much important for the future of Thailand and all of us who love Thailand we would agree that the school system is the base of all good or bad in society. It is anywhere in this world.

Thailand needs to get rid of the fear of criticism strain. So the people in education. Thailand has to do it very quickly.

Thailand must to learn to deal with the problem so it could be solved.

The school system, the school administration and teaching staff in schools, must to learn to recognize the quality of teachers who are coming from foreign countries.

When recognize the quality (without envy) of teachers from abroad, academy staff has to do everything so to make ones feel that he is part of the team.

Teachers from other countries must to participate in the final evaluation of students and it usually does not exist in schools. If exist at all(which is rare), it is(as i saw) just 30% of final mark. Foreign teachers and Thai teachers should to be equal.

What is more important, it must be assisted by the Ministry and Government who will try to to create favorable policies of the immigration departments, which will make ease in procedure and regime, requirements to teachers who are coming from foreign countries. Include stricter Police checking for those who are applying for teaching positions.

There are many quality people in education who have a family and serious people with good professional background, past in their countries, who were recognized in their countries as professionals in any field.

These kind of people should to be welcomed and well accepted in schools, not to be treated as drifters or nomads or second class citizens.(as it is the case now)

Thais should to accept helpful hand.

[landofthefree]

The problem is nothing to do with the remuneration of teachers. You could double their pay overnight and it would not make one iota of difference because unless you have teachers who are culturally prepared to teach children how to think and not what to think there can be no real progress, and teachers whose experience is limited to Thailand alone will suffer from cultural constraints which prevent this. Sadly, education also happens in the home and the same mindset is reinforced with obedience and rote learning trumping individuality and critical thinking.

This is absolutely spot on. Students simply need to be encouraged to ask questions, any questions. This whole society exists without questions being asked.

If you give a Thai person a CHOICE of a course of actions, the answer invariably is UP TO YOU.

The "up to you" mentality sums up where everything has gone wrong. Leave decision-making to someone, anyone, else, which usually means, in Thailand as a whole, the Bangkok elite.

The one glimmer of light in all this is the "democratising" possibility of the internet. Even so, when you take a random look at what is offered on Thai TV every night, you have to despair at the abysmal saccharine garbage being force-fed into the passive gaping minds sitting there taking it all in.

A good post. I often think that the education system in Thailand is actually designed to prevent people from thinking while also providing a good dose of brainwashing. It help to maintain the status quo while keeping the very rich, rich and the masses poor.

[SICHONSTEVE]

Are you (The Nation and rich Bangkokians) really ready to teach the Thai children well? Thus, giving them access to Wikileaks and Facebook? We know where education takes: to democracy, freedom of speech, intelligence and eventually the end of the old order. Have a look at Tunisia. Ben Ali regrets to have taught the Tunisian kids so well...

To deny modernity in the cyber era is asking for trouble. You only have to see the consequences of what happened in Kampuchea with Pol Pot and his Khymer Rouge henchman to realise that trying to halt the 'march of time' or stall technological advancement to keep your subjects educationally inadequate in order to maintain control of their lives...... to understand that this cannot be allowed to happen again.

The older generation will not be able to stop these uprisings as all (the predominately young) people want is equality and redistribution of wealth and what's more, the tools are in place now (the internet and social networking) and it is too late to stop the protesting and popular 'regime changes' in those undemocratic countries currently under dictatorial rule. Education isn't to blame!!! far from it, it could be argued however that education has provided the masses with the means and confidence to rally against the world order although it was simply the case of when, rather than if, it was going to happen. That time is nigh!!!! and they cannot be denied their rights.

[Xangsamhua]

Maybe things will change after the ASEAN Free Trade agreement is applied to education in Thailand in 2015.

Certainly there are lots of meetings among worried Ministry of Education officials and representatives of government and private schools. They believe 2015 is a challenge and they're looking at ways in which to prevent a rush of parents sending their kids to well-managed and well-priced English-medium or bilingual schools owned by efficient, uncorrupt companies in Singapore and Malaysia, or nominees of non-ASEAN countries.

These schools will be cheaper than Thai-based good-quality international schools and superior to what is provided by Thai schools. At least that's the fear, and the elite government and some forward-looking private schools are coming up with models to meet the challenge. We'll know in a few years how successful they will be.