'Good students' programme to be expanded

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- A programme that earmarks "good students" for admission at universities will be expanded, thanks to a memorandum of understanding by government and educational agencies.

The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec), Office of Higher Education Commission (Ohec) and the Council of University Presidents of Thailand (Cupt) have agreed to expand the quota programme. It targets students who have records of strong morals, volunteerism and good grades for admission to universities in their regions.

Prof Somkid Lertpaitoon, chairman of Cupt, said Obec would coordinate with Ohec to inform all universities about the project before they begin their direct admissions in October. Also, all educational service area offices would be told to cooperate with the universities on student selections.

"This group of students has done very well in terms of both educational results and volunteer activities. We will continue it so that we have more good students in our universities," Obec secretary-general Chinnapat Bhumirat |said.

Kasetsart University's Kamphaeng Saen campus has participated in the programme. From 2007 to 2009, students admitted under the quota had higher grade-point averages than students admitted through direct admission, the central admissions system and the outstanding-athletes quota.

Obec expert Phairat Saengthong said many students continued their volunteer work after becoming leaders of activities or clubs at their schools.

The project was initiated in Nakhon Pathom in 2006 and expanded to eight other provinces. Eight universities have joined the project now. In the past, as many as 18 universities offered the good-student quota, with around 3,300 students selected.

"We hope that more universities will join the project. It will be great if all universities do so. Ohec will strongly support it to help make it sustainable," Ohec deputy secretary-general Varaporn Seehanath said.

-- The Nation 2012-06-18

Why do you need a special program like this, surely the best students should be top of the list anyway?

Oh, sorry I forgot TIT!

I think the "good" emphasis is more on "morals" especially volunteerism rather than the academics, which even in the west doesn't count for **that** much, except at the very top echelon when they're weeding through candidates that are all stellar academically.