As Govts Come And Go, Long-Term Goals Lost In Blizzard Of New Policies: Thai Opinion

[webfact]

CHALK TALK

As govts come and go, Long-term goals lost in blizzard of new policies

Priyakorn Pusawiro

BANGKOK: -- Can Thailand's education system break out of the cycle of identifying problems, proposing solutions and then drawing up new policies that are never properly implemented?

I have seen Thailand's education problems becoming "never-ending stories". This is because for decades, I have seen relevant authorities repeat the same old cycle of identifying problems, proposing solutions and then devising new policies - but the problems never really go away.

When a new education minister comes to office, new policies are introduced.

With the new policies, relevant authorities seem to lose sight of the solutions they have already laid down and which, if implemented in the long term, should deliver tangible results.

According to the PISA test, Thai children are reported to have achieved a low standard in reading, mathematics and science. Thailand's own national tests also show a steady decline in scores across all subject areas. It has long been reported that the country lacks qualified teachers in all subjects.

That is why more than a decade ago, Thailand embarked on education reform.

In its second decade (2009-2018), the following have been established as top priorities for education reform:

1. Change the evaluation criteria for academic standing, with student performance the most important element.

2. Ensure scores on national tests are higher than 50 per cent - especially in English, science and maths - and have education officers and school leaders sign MoUs to improve student outcomes.

3. Protect high-risk students - schools must survey them and prevent undesired actions.

4. Rapidly increase the ratio of vocational students from 32 per cent to 50 per cent.

5. Offer more special university quotas for good or moral students.

6. Merge small schools to improve management and resources - reduce the number of small schools from 14,000 to 7,000.

7. Adjust the curriculum to balance the ratio of core content to community-based content to 70:30.

8. Establish a National Teacher Education Institute to produce a new generation of teachers and educational projects to improve students' problem-solving skills.

9. Adjust the role of the Education Ministry to act as facilitator and coordinator for schools and agencies to improve standards.

10. Allocate budgets based on student demand, and introduce educational coupons for students.

Given that Thailand's education system is in many ways in a crisis, relevant authorities should realise that it will take time to see clear-cut concrete results. However, the right vision and the focus on the core of the problems will definitely help in the end.

Yet, it seems the relevant authorities usually lose focus half-way through. The focus is often lost as soon as a new politician rises to the helm of the Education Ministry.

Now, a new man has been named as minister: Prof Dr Suchart Thadathamrongvech.

After taking office, he declared, "Education development emphasises the philosophy of equity and technology application" and "education committed to a student-centred approach".

He has now come up with the following policies:

1. Quality education for every youth: Youth must be provided with equal education opportunities everywhere - in cities and upcountry - administered by public and private authorities.

2. Preparing students to be professionals: They are targeted to become modern citizens of the world with diverse skills and global competitiveness, living in a knowledge-based society.

In doing so, he emphasised "enhancement of educational opportunities":

1) Opportunity to access resources and facilities to get education equitably

none tablet per child

-learning rooms with educational software and e-books

-e-education programmes and contents for life-long learning centres

-dreamed primary and secondary schools to excellent higher education

-powerful teachers

-international education centres

-one school, one nurse to look after children and also teach

-prototype school in every district

2) Opportunity to access financial resources

-income contingency loan programme

-scholarship to study abroad (One District One Scholarship)

-graduates' endowment fund

3) Opportunity to accumulate and cultivate skills for activity-based learning

-promoting vocational education

-Fix It Centre for every community

-Genius-creation students

-One Music One Sport Two Languages

-Curricular revision

-Learning by heart

-Thai citizens 25 and older could transfer experiences to formal education

-Rajabhat universities and vocational institutions find their own excellence in practice and professionalism

4) Opportunities for life-long learning

-Sub-district Internet and village Internet

-Creative gathering places for students with computers, Wi-Fi and teachers

Suchart's policies are not bad ideas. However, relevant authorities need to realise that they must not lose sight of the country's long-term educational goals. The quality of education must improve so as to enhance the performance of students and the quality of the country's human resources.

Stick to solutions that have been backed up by research. Implement useful policies, but don't let those policies distract attention and effort from the core problems.

PRIYAKORN PUSAWIRO

Learning scientist, Computer Engineering Department

King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi

-- The Nation 2012-01-30</p>

[Scott]

none tablet per child

I presume this is a misprint.

-one school, one nurse to look after children and also teach

Typical suggestion. So the Nurse is also a teacher. What degree will she hold, a nursing degree or a teaching degree? If students are sick or injured, she will leave them and run off to teach her class?

[sparebox2]

Multiple choice exam is good for the children At least they need to be able to recognise A B C & D before they can do the test.

I once knew a student who managed to score 0 out of 20 question answered. He must be smart to know which wrong answers to pick.

Most stupid students managed to get 4 to 5 corrects.

[Ijustwannateach]

Considering that the school is 'in loco parentis' for the child during much of the day, Thai schools are woefully understaffed in terms of support services. The roles of nurse, counselor, disciplinary head, social worker, special education teacher, and many others are simply handed out on top of normal duties and those in them fulfill them as well as they can. In many cases it's better than nothing, but it's not usually enough.

This emphasis on getting computers into the hands and use of the students is educationally misguided, but vocationally inspired. It is doubtful, in other words, that the presence of computers will be utilised appropriately in an EDUCATIONAL context (to assist with actual learning)- it rarely is. Ability to use a computer is not LEARNING using a computer, no matter how often the two things are confused. However, to give any amount of modern tech experience to the kids to help them be more prepared for what real work is like in the modern world- that could help.

In theory, I don't mind the use of multiple choice questions. However, in practice, they are the easiest to cheat on.

[Billmont]

I often read a Thai Visa report heading followed by -Thai opinion as on this occasion. Does this mean that a full survey has been carried out? Perhaps it more be more correct to say that it is the opinion of the writer and/or a few close friends. Some of the articles headings followed by -Thai opinion would not be of the least interest to the majority who voted for any government. Once they put their mark they just accept that nothing much else can be done. Is Thai Visa trying to assert that such such articles have the backing of the majority of Thais'? TV may like readers to believe this to be correct but why?

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I often read a Thai Visa report heading followed by -Thai opinion as on this occasion. Does this mean that a full survey has been carried out?

As opposed to farang opinion.

[Scott]

The article is from the Nation. It is not from Thaivisa and the forum posts them because they might be of interest to readers.

[sprq]

No, Thailand will never learn.