School Tests Vital, But So Too Is Parent Role: Thailand

[webfact]

Tests vital, but so too is parent role

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- School directors agree with Thailand Research Development Institute (TDRI)'s recommendations to improve the country's standardised test, known as Onet, by bringing its questions up to par to upgrade student quality.

They also agreed with a TDRI suggestion to allow parents to compare average scores of their children's schools with those of other nearby schools - although some were concerned that doing so might be a doubleedged sword.

Parents also agreed with a TDRI idea that parents should have a more important role in encouraging schools to help improve student quality.

Sompong Vienchan, whose grandchildren study at a school near her community in Ubon Ratchathani, said: "Any directors found not to have provided students with a suitable education by focusing more on their benefits, should be fired."

A parent identifying herself only as Nan of a Prathom 6 (Grade 6) student said she agreed with the idea of assessing school and teacher performance based on students' academic performance. And, parents should also be helped to assess their own children to see their potential.

She said her reason to choose a primary school for her child was that it was near her home. She also considered its reputation. But when the time came to find a secondary school for her child, Nan said she would have to learn more about a school before making a decision - apart from its reputation.

To reach the goal of better academic performances, TDRI has urged further use of Onet (Ordinary National Educational Test)'s results as a major element in school and teacher assessments, so teachers will focus on improving students' learning, which will later lead to improved quality of students.

However, the directors are worried this might pressure small schools where a problem of teacher and resource shortages has been a major obstacle to learning improvement.

The Nation asked school directors, as practitioners, if they are agreed with TDRI's recommendations on student quality improvement through accountability creation in education - and how much the recommendations could be implemented in real situations.

Also, The Nation interviewed parents on whether they agreed with the recommendations which were revealed at a seminar last week.

"I agree with TDRI that Onet should by improved so that it is acceptable among schools across the country before the test's results are applied broadly," said Klasak Jitsanguan, director of Donmuang Chaturachinda School in Bangkok.

He said his school had reported to parents annually on the students' academic performance, including their Onet scores, the school's average Onet scores compared to the country's average scores, as well as results of the students' university admissions. The results of the university admissions compared with other nearby schools were shown to parents.

"It's okay if we are required to show parents our school's Onet compared with other schools in the same area," said Klasak.

However, Chamnong Chamchantarawong, director of Satriwittaya School in Bangkok, voiced her concern, saying: "It may be a doubleedged sword because many schools may force or put too much pressure on their students to get higher Onet marks. Schools may foster competition in students and put too much pressure on them."

She said focusing on students' academic performance was good, but not enough. Teachers should also let them learn to develop other attributes for being good citizens. So, she said in a real situation, morality still needed to be included in school assessments.

To use the Onet's results as a major element of school and teacher assessments would cause anxiety to school directors in many schools, especially small ones.

"It is not fair for us. Small schools are unable to hire teachers for all grades in primary level. Each teacher has to conduct a multigrade class so it's difficult for small schools to upgrade their quality as high as bigger schools where they have enough teachers and resources," said a director of a small school with around 80 students in Nakhon Sawan's Banphot Phisai district. Her school's teachers have to conduct multigrade classes.

As a result, she said, having enough teachers for students in each grade could help reduce pressure on the small schools.

This school is allocated a total of only Bt90,000 per semester to pay for all its expenditures, and with such an amount, it is impossible to hire more teachers or carry out other activities to put her school improvement plan into practice, according to the director.

A TDRI suggestion was that schools unable to get higher Onet scores compared to previous years should conduct school improvement plans and provide tutorial classes free of charge. Klasak and Chamnong said their schools had normally provided such tutorial classes and their students had done better in the tests. The small school teacher said she had created the plan and proposed it to request resources from her educational service area office, but it had not provided any such resources.

"People are not wrong in anticipating that schools should be accountable to students, but they should offer different opportunities and lengths of time for improvement to schools with different resources and in different contexts," Chamnong said.

She said it was accepted for society to consider quality of students based on tests, but she was worried that this would cause a negative impact if schools with fewer resources were pressured.

-- The Nation 2012-02-20

[otherstuff1957]

Last year I taught M6. There was a problem with attendance, so I took a little survey. The students who had the best attendance were the ones who came to school by bus. The ones who were late or missing most often were delivered to school by their parents.

The parents were the ones who couldn't get out of bed in time for school, not the students!

[Ijustwannateach]

Other problem with this is that in schools with the worst problems, quite frequently the parents CAN'T be more supportive or present, because they are working their butts off just to keep the family above water. Blaming the family only works in a society functional enough to have middle class families.