Thai Education Standards 'In Free Fall'

[webfact]

EDUCATION

Thai education standards 'in free fall'

WANNAPA KHAOPA

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The quality of education in Thailand is still plunging even though the country is among those that have spent huge budgets on education, a seminar heard yesterday.

"Thai students' performance has dropped from 'good' in 1985 to 'fair' in 1998 and 'poor' in 2000. And the international scores of Thai students have continued to drop, according to universal scores," said Chainarong Indharameesup, chairman of the Institute for Research and Quality Development Foundation.

He was referring to main international tests like the Programme for International Student Assessment and Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study during his speech at the seminar on "How the world's most improved school systems keep getting better" held by the Office of the Education Council (OEC).

The seminar emphasised the continuous degradation in education quality as reflected by international tests and world competitiveness rankings.

Academics and educators agreed to promote literacy and numeracy among most students in basic education.

A OEC scholar cited the International Institute for Management Development (IMD)'s world competitiveness rankings that showed Thailand's ranking in education slipping from 43 in 2008 to 47 in 2009 and 2010.

Chainarong urged educators from agencies at the seminar to start with improving the basics of literacy and numeracy since the world renowned educational report from McKinsey & Co said that to improve students' performance level from poor to fair, countries at the poor level had to achieve the basics of literacy and numeracy.

"The UK and Ontario of Canada have started improving from the basics of literacy and numeracy and their students' international scores increased in three to four years," he said.

McKinsey is a trusted adviser and counsellor to many of the world's most influential businesses and institutions.

POOR KNOWLEDGE LEVEL

"Most Thai students' scores in basic education schools especially in remote areas are at poor and fair levels.

"They should be improved with the basics first, while schools with students that get scores at good and great levels should be allowed to make their own decisions independently on how to improve their own students' performance as the report said improvement in such levels should be based on the school's decision-making," Chainarong added.

Assoc Prof Witayakorn Chiengkul from the Social Innovation College at Rangsit University said the root cause of the country's ills was the lack of a good education.

"If we do not reform education, we will not be able to reform our society and politics that currently create many problems."

In reforming education, Thailand should be careful using the methods that were successful in other countries.

"Giving only tablets to students won't make students excellent," he said.

The country should take into account the different political economies, perceptions, behaviour and other factors.

For example, Vietnamese students were hardworking and they liked reading, so their performance |in maths and science was satisfactory even though they did not have enough good instructional media.

Rung Kaewdang, a former high-ranking educator, encouraged teachers to learn successful teaching techniques from their peers in their province to improve their teaching, which would help improve students' literacy and numeracy skills.

"We should not wait for great education ministers or prime ministers to help address problems in education, but educational people in different positions at different agencies should help improve in their different roles," he said.

The seminar presented the McKinsey report translated into Thai before the academics and educators gave recommendations.

The seminar was aimed at describing the current condition of Thai |education and inspiring the new members of the Education Council and educators in agencies under |the Education Ministry who attended the seminar to seriously push forward appropriate improvement measures.

-- The Nation 2012-06-20

[KireB]

Shocking results from PISA again? Must be wrong, cause at my school every one passes without doing any homework or hard work during the lessons!

Thai children are among the most intelligent I have ever seen. The school cancels at least one third of the classes for parading, dancing and prancing and still the kids get super results on their tests!

International, read farang, tests just don't understand Thai culture!

[Notstupid30]

There has been a major problem for years but it's like anything here in LOS just been sweep under the carpet like always you can't fix something what's already broken sorry to say plus you would need to start fresh with the people at top and who isn't corrupted mind but it's like anything here they only care about money ..

[spidermike007]

The 21st largest economy in the world has dropped to 25th, in just 5 years. In another 10, to 20 years, who knows? Malaysia, Indonesia, China, India, Vietnam, and many more neighbors are making a very sincere effort at improving their educational systems. Thailand is doing very, very poorly in that regard. Shame on the people involved, and shame on the education ministry. They could do better. Suggestion #1. Hire only fareng English instructors throughout Thailand. Suggestion #2. Publish all test results in the local newspapers. Suggestion #3. Fire all teachers who cannot pass their own exams. In a recent study, math teachers in 10 provinces where given their own math tests. This is the test they give out regularly. There was an 83% failure rate! Shame on Thailand for this travesty of an educational system. They could do much better.

[nickjam]

"Chainarong urged educators from agencies at the seminar to start with improving the basics of literacy and numeracy"

I despise statements like this, trying to appear all worldly wise. Yes of course he's correct but exactly HOW are you going to do this? What actual action will you take to ensure that this happens? What is your strategy and where is your plan? Why is Thailand's education system in free-fall? Who is responsible for this failure?

"They should be improved with the basics first, while schools with students that get scores at good and great levels should be allowed to make their own decisions independently on how to improve their own students' performance as the report said improvement in such levels should be based on the school's decision-making," Chainarong added.

​Oh OK, you've regurgitated the report and offered a measly piece of advice. I'd like to clarify the criteria for achieving good and greatness?!?! In most countries they have things called grades, standards and curriculums. Are you talking about absolute deregulation of schools? Just <deleted> are you vaguely rambling on about?

[ccarbaugh]

I retired as a teacher in America. I moved to Thailand 4 years ago and have only found sporadic, part-time work. My experience has been that Thais value "saving face" and "nationalism" so much that any attempts at actual education is NOT tolerated.

[stevo2]

I'm having a "deja vous" moment.

[saltandpepper]

All this is going to be much better within weeks, thanks to the "one kid one tablet" program.

[Moruya]

I'm having a "deja vous" moment.

I hope you're not a French teacher!

[saltandpepper]

I'm having a "deja vous" moment.

I hope you're not a French teacher!

He is.....he is part of the panel of teachers who test the new tablet, and as you can see, there are some minor glitches

[colinneil]

Thai education is in a bad way many teachers lazy to teach most children behave like animals will not stop talking in class run in and out the classroom when they want, will not pay attention for more than 2 minutes, yes i am talking from experience ,i try to teach them but they are impossible . tablets will not solve anything just another shinawatra gimmick

[NBD]

I do in a large part blame the culture of "face" for which incidentally I've never found a better explanation for than childish vanity.

No one will ask questions, and in the rare event that they do kids will ask an older student, and teachers another teacher. Never the native English speaker their school is paying for, who actually knows the answer. As my Thai got better whilst teaching, I started to notice this more and more, and was also able to understand that the advice given was almost always entirely wrong.

Not one single English teacher, in a large secondary school had ever spent any time either abroad or even working in a multinational where they were using English regularly. They were all book taught, and most of the books were really total rubbish, with glaring errors.

Their opportunities for promotion depended on writing laborious long reports of total jibberish resembling English, then presenting them to a panel of other older teachers, who I assume were equally limited in their English ability. I assume they also had the same policy of never failing anyone, regardless of how ineffectual their English would be when confronted with a real native English speaker who didn't speak any Thai.

I had more sense out of the former bar girls who lived in the same town than out of any of the English teachers at the school. Funnily enough the former bar girls had more money too. So what does that tell you?

It's no good pouring money and resources, even snazzy digital ones, into a system that is run by people who are not knowledgeable enough to teach.

[KhaoNiaw]

Suggestion #1. Hire only fareng English instructors throughout Thailand.

I think that's one of the problems they have with the English language education here already. They think that farangs, any farangs, will do and they are putting unqualified, untrained 'native speakers' in the classrooms.

University English departments here are full of Thais with degrees from abroad who have excellent English skills and are good teachers. But none of them ever considered working further down the education system. It would be much more valuable to put resources into training and attracting these kind of people into the school system.

Another problem is the TEFL 'industry' which promotes approaches that emphasize attributes that western societies value but doesn't really understand other values or learning styles. A lot of western teachers here can adapt, but we've probably all come across the very superior English teachers who know everything about teaching and learning, and despite all their best efforts just can't get anywhere.

[thequietman]

my school recently had bad test results in English.

They had a meeting and were convinced that it was the 4 farrang teachers fault and that we need to work harder.

Each class averages 40 students. 55 minutes each class is 1 minute and a few seconds per student a week. Lets say 5 minutes per student per month.

1 hour a year we get each student for. The thai 'English' teachers get them for the remainder of the 7 hours a day for a year.

Conclusion they came to ; its the farangs fault.

[colinneil]

thai school tv has a thai woman teaching english she cannot speak correct english but she is try to teach thai children (what a joke) 1 instance she said and showed on tv (quote) I HOPE YOU HAVE HAPPY AND HEATHILY ON YOUR FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!! SAY NO MORE

[SuneeTH]

Thai Education Is 'Free For All'

[givenall]

Shocking results from PISA again? Must be wrong, cause at my school every one passes without doing any homework or hard work during the lessons!Thai children are among the most intelligent I have ever seen. The school cancels at least one third of the classes for parading, dancing and prancing and still the kids get super results on their tests!International, read farang, tests just don't understand Thai culture!

My University too. Although i give Fs to the students, magically they all pass with passing grades. School here is about money for the administration and not student education, I always wonder if they Thai student actually pay the loans they get from the government, or like anything else the incompetent government loses the record of the loans.As far as I Know there are no check s and balances for these loans given to the students

Edited June 20, 2012 by givenall

[davehowden]

"If we do not reform education, we will not be able to reform our society and politics that currently create many problems."

The powers that be like it just the way it is, that's why there will be no "reform"

[oops]

This is terrible news....I must ask the teacher to give students more pictures to colour and to sing more songs. I also agree with another poster here that, I thought everything was going just grand with all the parades and the long speaches the children recieve they don't even get to have a recess break because of the ceremonies they have to attend. While I watch with dismay how the Principal speaks at the children without blinking as the children passout on the feilds. Other children stand for hours as they try not to flynch, because when they do the staff promply slap them if they move .

These children brave the stupidity of their mentors ability to talk about crap the children don't understand. These sesssions go on at just about every school...I expecially like it where at one school franchise, every morning in an amazing theatrical display the Director is brought out with a load of children carring him in a gold and white chair to the stage where he will then walk to another very dramtic and flamboyant looking chair with gold leaf and beatiful thick wood trim, " like he is a lord" or something of that nature. Then he will speak for an hour while the children sit idol minded or pass out. This is great training though...I mean given all the speachs and talks the children will have to endure later on in life.

The best thing about the schools here across the board all the books we have to buy...expecially the English books that are supplied by a Thai company with a UK address . My child and I loves to go through those books to find all the grammer mistakes....because they make even me feel like I am an Linguistic specialist... so it's ok because it makes us feel more intelligent

I think we see the real concern with the Thai students just by watching the baht busses. The further out you get the worse things you see putting young children in harms way without any concern what so ever..

Edited June 20, 2012 by metisdead
: Bold font removed.

[spirit47]

Put the level down! All this chemical in the air, the water and the food damage the brain, and TV and Games make them staying in a endless dream. Inform yourself about Flour in Toothpaste and don't wonder about Zombies, it is real. Mothers little Helper was the beginning, in 10 or 20 years it will look like in "Time machine". Next station:"Soylent green".

[Asiantravel]

The 21st largest economy in the world has dropped to 25th, in just 5 years. In another 10, to 20 years, who knows? Malaysia, Indonesia, China, India, Vietnam, and many more neighbors are making a very sincere effort at improving their educational systems. Thailand is doing very, very poorly in that regard. Shame on the people involved, and shame on the education ministry. They could do better. Suggestion #1. Hire only fareng English instructors throughout Thailand. Suggestion #2. Publish all test results in the local newspapers. Suggestion #3. Fire all teachers who cannot pass their own exams. In a recent study, math teachers in 10 provinces where given their own math tests. This is the test they give out regularly. There was an 83% failure rate! Shame on Thailand for this travesty of an educational system. They could do much better.

the Bangkok elite don't want it any other way.

We can't have the rural folk becoming too educated can we?

[hanuman2543]

Maybe it is time to stop the brainwashing and get serious about the teaching of Thai children.

[MikeOboe57]

The 21st largest economy in the world has dropped to 25th, in just 5 years. In another 10, to 20 years, who knows? Malaysia, Indonesia, China, India, Vietnam, and many more neighbors are making a very sincere effort at improving their educational systems. Thailand is doing very, very poorly in that regard. Shame on the people involved, and shame on the education ministry. They could do better. Suggestion #1. Hire only fareng English instructors throughout Thailand. Suggestion #2. Publish all test results in the local newspapers. Suggestion #3. Fire all teachers who cannot pass their own exams. In a recent study, math teachers in 10 provinces where given their own math tests. This is the test they give out regularly. There was an 83% failure rate! Shame on Thailand for this travesty of an educational system. They could do much better.

the Bangkok elite don't want it any other way.

We can't have the rural folk becoming too educated can we?

The Chiang Mai elite (Thaksin and his followers) don't want it either.

[garrya]

Maybe it is time to stop the brainwashing and get serious about the teaching of Thai children.

Hmm, Is it ever gonna happen? The authorities seem to think the education is on the right track therefore there is no intention to change it.

Sad.

[lannarebirth]

I'm always surprised when some posters never draw any correlation between these two things. "The Thai education system has been in freefall for 30 years" and "The Democrats haven't won an election in 30 years". Then they blame the "elites".

[Unkomoncents]

Suggestion #1. Hire only fareng English instructors throughout Thailand.

I think that's one of the problems they have with the English language education here already. They think that farangs, any farangs, will do and they are putting unqualified, untrained 'native speakers' in the classrooms.

University English departments here are full of Thais with degrees from abroad who have excellent English skills and are good teachers. But none of them ever considered working further down the education system. It would be much more valuable to put resources into training and attracting these kind of people into the school system.

Another problem is the TEFL 'industry' which promotes approaches that emphasize attributes that western societies value but doesn't really understand other values or learning styles. A lot of western teachers here can adapt, but we've probably all come across the very superior English teachers who know everything about teaching and learning, and despite all their best efforts just can't get anywhere.

Having taught in Korea and Singapore, I can say that the problem with the TEFL industry's orientation with regards to understanding local culture is only a problem for Thailand. Thai culture creates a specific set of circumstances (you must be quiet, gentle, slow, nice, and never expect too much or push the children in any real way; no one can fail; everyone must save face; tea money; I could go on and on) that are not conducive to education. This is a Thai problem, not a Southeast Asian problem. According to the World Economic Forum, Thailand ranks only above Cambodia, Laos, and Burma (in ASEAN) in Public Health and Primary Education. Vietnam and Indonesia are well ahead of Thailand.

The difficult thing for Thailand is that if it wants to create educated citizens, the core culture will have to change. What it means to be "Thai" must change if the hope to compete. If Thailand wants to stay just the way it is, then fine. But the country will not be able to hold a candle to anyone. Plenty of countries don't like changes to their culture (India and much of the Middle East, which is why most of those countries are not developed/developing as they should, nor will they be at any time in the future). Many in Japan didn't appreciate the changes wrought upon the country during the Meiji Restoration or the Occupation of Japan; those changes, however, are what enabled Japan to become one of the world's top three economies (most of those changes were fundamental rejections of Japanese political culture [i.e. removing the Emporer's political authority]).

Thai students don't fail. Criticism, in Thailand, causes loss of "face". If you cannot be critical as a teacher, then why teach? Certainly if the children were all perfect from birth (as Thais seem to want to believe) then there would be no need to educate them. There is a fairly rigid class structure in Thailand that most Thais seem to buy into and pay heed to; you cannot educated a country when the majority are regarded with suspicion and disdain by a privileged, elite minority. Corruption is also an epidemic. I know an educator who was told by his headmaster (somewhere in Isaan), "Don't teach them too much. We don't want them to think too much." Even if such and such academic in Bangkok recognizes that there is a problem, the consciousness of these problems within Thai society have been so obfuscated by outmoded nationalism that there is little hope of a trickle-down effect. Also, Thailand has no standards and no national curriculum and the educational system as a whole is fragmented beyond belief (there is a labyrinth of private, public, religious, semi-private institutions all around Bangkok and Thailand as a whole).

[hellodolly]

The 21st largest economy in the world has dropped to 25th, in just 5 years. In another 10, to 20 years, who knows? Malaysia, Indonesia, China, India, Vietnam, and many more neighbors are making a very sincere effort at improving their educational systems. Thailand is doing very, very poorly in that regard. Shame on the people involved, and shame on the education ministry. They could do better. Suggestion #1. Hire only fareng English instructors throughout Thailand. Suggestion #2. Publish all test results in the local newspapers. Suggestion #3. Fire all teachers who cannot pass their own exams. In a recent study, math teachers in 10 provinces where given their own math tests. This is the test they give out regularly. There was an 83% failure rate! Shame on Thailand for this travesty of an educational system. They could do much better.

Three suggestions to improve the education system in Thailand and you say the first thing is to hire only farong English teachers.

Yes for sure make learning English the number one project for improving the education system in Thailand. Thailand will have some of the best English speaking rice field workers in the world. That is providing the German speaking teacher can speak good English.

How about putting more importance on learning the basic for use in Thailand and at a later date if students want make English available to them. When you say farong are you aware that there are farongs who can not speak English.

English is a necessary language for about 3% of the population yet people want to teach it to 100% of the population. There are many sellers in the tourist industry who do not speak English and make a living off of tourists who can not speak Thai. There products are produced by many Thais who can not speak English. On the other hand there are many bar girls who can speak English. But most of them did not learn it in elementary school. They would of but the school had no electricity so they couldn't read the lessons.

[hellodolly]

I do in a large part blame the culture of "face" for which incidentally I've never found a better explanation for than childish vanity.

No one will ask questions, and in the rare event that they do kids will ask an older student, and teachers another teacher. Never the native English speaker their school is paying for, who actually knows the answer. As my Thai got better whilst teaching, I started to notice this more and more, and was also able to understand that the advice given was almost always entirely wrong.

Not one single English teacher, in a large secondary school had ever spent any time either abroad or even working in a multinational where they were using English regularly. They were all book taught, and most of the books were really total rubbish, with glaring errors.

Their opportunities for promotion depended on writing laborious long reports of total jibberish resembling English, then presenting them to a panel of other older teachers, who I assume were equally limited in their English ability. I assume they also had the same policy of never failing anyone, regardless of how ineffectual their English would be when confronted with a real native English speaker who didn't speak any Thai.

I had more sense out of the former bar girls who lived in the same town than out of any of the English teachers at the school. Funnily enough the former bar girls had more money too. So what does that tell you?

It's no good pouring money and resources, even snazzy digital ones, into a system that is run by people who are not knowledgeable enough to teach.

I pretty much like what you have to say. But there is one part left out that is completely overlooked by every one. When I was in Siem Reap I found many English speaking people but for the most part they could not understand English.

I can not speak very much Thai but even what I can speak I find myself having a hard time understanding when a Thai speaks to me. Comprehension should become a part of the learning process.

Just My Opinion

[Considered Opinion]

Shocking results from PISA again? Must be wrong, cause at my school every one passes without doing any homework or hard work during the lessons!

Thai children are among the most intelligent I have ever seen. The school cancels at least one third of the classes for parading, dancing and prancing and still the kids get super results on their tests!

International, read farang, tests just don't understand Thai culture!

Yes I agree at my old Commercial College everyone passed whether I agreed or not. I didn't teach English, but isn't "Thai Education" and "Standards" an oxymoron?

[swillowbee]

... this appears to me as exactly as the Thai government wants ... I believe it is all by design, and has been so for generations.

... I am reminded of the sage words by one of America's founding fathers, who over 200-years ago successfully argued for a system of free public education for all Americans ... his winning argument was democracy will not work without an educated and moral population.

... fast-forward to Thailand 2012 ... taking the converse ... Thailand's feudal system will not work without an illiterate and immoral population.

... look around ... does this theorem and it's converse seem to make sense?

Edited June 20, 2012 by swillowbee