Education To Target Jobs, Needs: Woravat

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Education to target jobs, needs: Woravat

By Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation

In an exclusive interview with The Nation's general news editor Chularat Saengpassa, new Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul says his mission is to deliver educational services that not only respond to the country's economic needs but also raises the country's competitiveness. Under his leadership, the Education Ministry will also undergo restructuring with work becoming area-based, not agency-based. There will be 19 educational areas under the supervision of the Educational Planning and Strategy Integration Committee.

What is your mission?

To make the country's educational sector respond to its economic needs.

Have you prepared yourself for this post?

I have long had a determination to do this job. I have seen problems and I want to do something about them.

What are the problems in your opinion?

The country's educational |services have left so many graduates unemployed. This is the main problem. The educational sector now has failed to answer to available job opportunities and to bolster the country's development. Minor problems include student brawling and abuse of drugs at schools.

How will you tackle these problems?

I will promote the integration of key agencies and check the potential of each area. With the Asean Community going to materialise in 2015, we will have to prepare our people well for it. |The Education Ministry can |help improving the country's competitiveness and economy. When we identify the strengths |of each area, we will assign |universities as key drivers in developing the area's economic potential. Local products can be developed and sold regionally, not just in the country but across Asean.

On restructuring, the line between agencies will be as thin as possible. Integration must be maximised. The Educational Planning and Strategy Integration Committee will supervise work and use universities as key implementing agencies.

Have you done research for such a restructuring plan?

Many countries have adopted this organisational structure for their educational sector. Some states in India have done this. According to my vision, Thailand will have 19 educational areas and each of them will have its strategic plan to integrate knowledge, economic activities and development work in its area. We will have area-based planning management.

Will there be redundancies given that there are now educational-services areas in place already?

No, the Educational Planning and Strategy Integration Committee will formulate policies and the educational-services-area office will be in charge of implementation.

Can you be more specific about the line of command and work delegation? For example, Deputy Education Minister Boonruen Srithares is now assigned to oversee educational work in the Northeast? Will she be able to give direct orders to universities, schools and vocational colleges in Khon Kaen?

She will give orders via the Educational Planning and Strategy Integration Committee.

You and your deputies won't divide the supervisory work according to agencies anymore?

We won't.

Who will give orders to the Office of Basic Education Commission, the Office of Higher Education Commission, and the Office of Vocational Education Commission, etc?

The orders will come from the Educational Planning and Strategy Integration Committee. I will chair the committee, and the permanent secretary for Education will serve as the committee's secretary.

Will it be complicated? And when will the restructure take effect?

It won't be complicated. I think the restructure can take effect next year. Budget for each educational area may reach it in 2013, though.

Is it wrong to set your sight on |economic competitiveness for educational reform at a time when many |students are still unable to read and write well?

The ultimate goal is economic competitiveness. But before we reach that point, we will of course develop our children's abilities and their literacy level. It's just that we will also help children get ideas about what occupations they can take up after they graduate.

Have you had discussions with the committee in charge of the country's educational reform?

Our plans will go towards the same direction, even though implementation and guidelines are different.

Will curriculum revision take place?

Yes. The curriculum should be revised to allow children to discover their potential at a young age. Students should know what they can do for a living in the future. Universities will be assigned to work on the curriculum revision.

Are you talking about main curriculum or supplementary curriculum?

Main curriculum. We will not throw away the current curriculum but it must be divided into smaller academic divisions. Students should not be forced to study [subjects] they will never use in their lives. The curriculum should be career-oriented.

It seems the Education Ministry will undergo a really big change?

I think everyone wants to see the big change. So, please give us an opportunity to work on this. After more brainstorming sessions, things will be clear.

Whenever a new government comes to power, changes will take place at the Education Ministry. You are now preparing to stage a really big change. Is this too risky a move?

Plans for the changes have been drafted and talked about before I rose to the helm of the ministry. Educators, advisers, top education officials have been thinking about this change for quite sometime. It's not my personal plan. I will just try to make the change take place faster in a more efficient manner.

Will you scrap the policy to give away free uniforms, free textbooks, free stationary, free lunches, and free educational supplementary activities (introduced by a previous administration)?

We are going to survey parents' needs in each area. I think people in different areas are prone to have different needs. For example, if uniforms are not needed here, we may provide some other things instead.

Will tablets be given based on the needs of each area too?

First of all, tablets to be handed out must be loaded with the right content for each province. Secondly, before the handout takes place, teachers and students must know how to use the device. Universities are expected to provide training for teachers.

Who will be responsible for tablet maintenance/repairs?

We will check available options, guarantee services by suppliers or maintenance by the Office of Vocational Education Commission. We will work on this after we have chosen the tablet models.

Will the government give or lend the tablets to students?

Its use life is just three years. I think we will give the tablets away.

Who will be responsible for textbook development?

Universities and vocational colleges in each area.

How will you boost children's literacy?

Each educational area will have a strategic committee to look into that. With the integrated management, human and IT resources can be shared for maximum benefits for children.

What's your policy towards small schools?

If small schools can be developed in line with the potential of each area, I think they should get support. Human resources and IT resources in the area can be shared. The number of students won't determine whether the schools should get support or not.

Have you consulted the Pheu Thai Party and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra about your policy for the Education Ministry?

No, not yet about details. I have just discussed plans with officials from relevant agencies under the Education Ministry only.

-- The Nation 2011-08-22

[thunder30101]

Hmmm alot of talk there, does it really mean anything I wonder or two years from now will I ask my students what kind of job they want and get the same answer: tour guide, airline hostess, receptionist, policeman, soldier. I like the policeman, soldier answers at least they know where the money is in thailand. Asean decided on the framework for the economic community in 2008 to be implemented in 2015, and thailand still doesnt get the tsunami coming at them.

[Moruya]

What is your mission?

We’re going to slash 10% of the education budget to pay for some cheap, useless tablet PCs

Have you prepared yourself for this post?

Not at all. It was given to me.

What are the problems in your opinion?

The country's educational |services have left so many graduates unemployed. PTP will continue this policy by increasing the cost of hiring graduates to unsustainable levels and by continuing to pay teachers a pittance so that the good graduates are employed outside the education arena.

How will you tackle these problems?

We might scan a few text books and put them on tablet PCs to save a few baht and we will probably shut some schools to save further money.

Have you done research for such a restructuring plan?

Blah blah blah. Hot air but really we have no money after spending 10% on tablets. Might try a bit of black magic here and there.

Will there be redundancies given that there are now educational-services areas in place already?

No point really. Education positions are so poorly paid and with the 15,000B cost for hiring a graduate it is expected that many staff will leave of their own volition.

Can you be more specific about the line of command and work delegation? For example, Deputy Education Minister Boonruen Srithares is now assigned to oversee educational work in the Northeast? Will she be able to give direct orders to universities, schools and vocational colleges in Khon Kaen?

Adding layers of ministry management to the education process will muddy the waters so much that nobody will want to understand. Parents and teachers will give up the will to live long before they come to grips with the bureaucracy that surrounds it.

You and your deputies won't divide the supervisory work according to agencies anymore?

They will be too busy trying to make a fast buck out of the tablets to worry about it.

Who will give orders to the Office of Basic Education Commission, the Office of Higher Education Commission, and the Office of Vocational Education Commission, etc?

I’m the boss and the permanent undersecretary knows it.

Will it be complicated? And when will the restructure take effect?

It won't be complicated. Our wallets can be filled in 2013

Is it wrong to set your sight on |economic competitiveness for educational reform at a time when many |students are still unable to read and write well?

Economics is the key word. We really need to be able to spend the money on other populist schemes as the Thais don’t really care too much about education. Tablets are another thing as there is a fast buck to be made.

Have you had discussions with the committee in charge of the country's educational reform?

Don’t be daft..

Will curriculum revision take place?

Yes. The curriculum should be revised to allow children to discover their potential at a young age. Once they have learned to read a bit they should realise that that’s the end of it.

Are you talking about main curriculum or supplementary curriculum?

Main curriculum. We will not throw away the current curriculum as it is narrow enough. God forbid that we would want students to learn useful things like English or Computers as they are used in the real world.

It seems the Education Ministry will undergo a really big change?

I think everyone wants to see the big change. So, please give us an opportunity to work on this. After more brainstorming sessions, things will be clear. In Yingluck famous words, please be patient, wait and see, everything will work as per the process, Thaksin has never been involved in Thai politics, we are working on reconciliation, Yingluck picked the cabinet blah blah blah.

Whenever a new government comes to power, changes will take place at the Education Ministry. You are now preparing to stage a really big change. Is this too risky a move?

There is no real risk in chnaging the education policy as it was crap to start with.

Will you scrap the policy to give away free uniforms, free textbooks, free stationary, free lunches, and free educational supplementary activities (introduced by a previous administration)?

Like I said earlier, we need to save money for other ministries to spend and for these silly tablets. Parent should have enough money with the massive pay rises we gave them to get their votes.

Will tablets be given based on the needs of each area too?

First of all, tablets to be handed out must be loaded with the right content for each province. Areas that voted for Phua Thai will get nice shiny iPads. All others will get cheap, inferior Chinese ones. We will also have some delaying tactics before handing them out so we can arrange for the financials to be in place.

Who will be responsible for tablet maintenance/repairs?

Whoever cuts the best deal.

Will the government give or lend the tablets to students?

If the scheme is lucrative, the tablets will be given away to ensure the durability of the process.

Who will be responsible for textbook development?

The cut and paste brigade.

How will you boost children's literacy?

Each educational area will have a strategic committee to look into that. With the integrated management, human and IT resources can be shared for maximum benefits for children. Ha ha!

What's your policy towards small schools?

Depends on the cost.

Have you consulted the Pheu Thai Party and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra about your policy for the Education Ministry?

I’m the boss.

[thunder30101]

^ Too funny, but your answers are correct.

[SICHONSTEVE]

What is your mission?

We're going to slash 10% of the education budget to pay for some cheap, useless tablet PCs

Have you prepared yourself for this post?

Not at all. It was given to me.

What are the problems in your opinion?

The country's educational |services have left so many graduates unemployed. PTP will continue this policy by increasing the cost of hiring graduates to unsustainable levels and by continuing to pay teachers a pittance so that the good graduates are employed outside the education arena.

How will you tackle these problems?

We might scan a few text books and put them on tablet PCs to save a few baht and we will probably shut some schools to save further money.

Have you done research for such a restructuring plan?

Blah blah blah. Hot air but really we have no money after spending 10% on tablets. Might try a bit of black magic here and there.

Will there be redundancies given that there are now educational-services areas in place already?

No point really. Education positions are so poorly paid and with the 15,000B cost for hiring a graduate it is expected that many staff will leave of their own volition.

Can you be more specific about the line of command and work delegation? For example, Deputy Education Minister Boonruen Srithares is now assigned to oversee educational work in the Northeast? Will she be able to give direct orders to universities, schools and vocational colleges in Khon Kaen?

Adding layers of ministry management to the education process will muddy the waters so much that nobody will want to understand. Parents and teachers will give up the will to live long before they come to grips with the bureaucracy that surrounds it.

You and your deputies won't divide the supervisory work according to agencies anymore?

They will be too busy trying to make a fast buck out of the tablets to worry about it.

Who will give orders to the Office of Basic Education Commission, the Office of Higher Education Commission, and the Office of Vocational Education Commission, etc?

I'm the boss and the permanent undersecretary knows it.

Will it be complicated? And when will the restructure take effect?

It won't be complicated. Our wallets can be filled in 2013

Is it wrong to set your sight on |economic competitiveness for educational reform at a time when many |students are still unable to read and write well?

Economics is the key word. We really need to be able to spend the money on other populist schemes as the Thais don't really care too much about education. Tablets are another thing as there is a fast buck to be made.

Have you had discussions with the committee in charge of the country's educational reform?

Don't be daft..

Will curriculum revision take place?

Yes. The curriculum should be revised to allow children to discover their potential at a young age. Once they have learned to read a bit they should realise that that's the end of it.

Are you talking about main curriculum or supplementary curriculum?

Main curriculum. We will not throw away the current curriculum as it is narrow enough. God forbid that we would want students to learn useful things like English or Computers as they are used in the real world.

It seems the Education Ministry will undergo a really big change?

I think everyone wants to see the big change. So, please give us an opportunity to work on this. After more brainstorming sessions, things will be clear. In Yingluck famous words, please be patient, wait and see, everything will work as per the process, Thaksin has never been involved in Thai politics, we are working on reconciliation, Yingluck picked the cabinet blah blah blah.

Whenever a new government comes to power, changes will take place at the Education Ministry. You are now preparing to stage a really big change. Is this too risky a move?

There is no real risk in chnaging the education policy as it was crap to start with.

Will you scrap the policy to give away free uniforms, free textbooks, free stationary, free lunches, and free educational supplementary activities (introduced by a previous administration)?

Like I said earlier, we need to save money for other ministries to spend and for these silly tablets. Parent should have enough money with the massive pay rises we gave them to get their votes.

Will tablets be given based on the needs of each area too?

First of all, tablets to be handed out must be loaded with the right content for each province. Areas that voted for Phua Thai will get nice shiny iPads. All others will get cheap, inferior Chinese ones. We will also have some delaying tactics before handing them out so we can arrange for the financials to be in place.

Who will be responsible for tablet maintenance/repairs?

Whoever cuts the best deal.

Will the government give or lend the tablets to students?

If the scheme is lucrative, the tablets will be given away to ensure the durability of the process.

Who will be responsible for textbook development?

The cut and paste brigade.

How will you boost children's literacy?

Each educational area will have a strategic committee to look into that. With the integrated management, human and IT resources can be shared for maximum benefits for children. Ha ha!

What's your policy towards small schools?

Depends on the cost.

Have you consulted the Pheu Thai Party and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra about your policy for the Education Ministry?

I'm the boss.

Thanks for revealing the real agenda!!!!

[Phatcharanan]

Thanks for revealing the real agenda!!!!

Would be nice if you learned how to reply to a post without quoting all 6,000.000 sentences.