Our Kids' I Q Is Down? It's The Education, Stupid!: Thai Talk

[cloudhopper]

It was always rather interesting to discover a drumlin.

Well that was a new one for me ! ta

[chainarong]

Shall we return gentlemen, in another 10 years time and see if we are in the same position as now, they waffled on about this in 1992, the general idea from the top end of town, is, the dumb down effect, for most of the population , easy to manage, easy to manipulate.

[fareastguy]

"... What's worse, politicians have exploited the limited budget allocations for the country's educational activities for their own ends. Good, qualified bureaucrats are sidelined, while those ready to serve their political bosses take charge of the most important roles in the education system."

What's worse is that politicians are happy to sit behind these findings & still have the gall to pat each other on the back for another job well done !

As some posts have hinted, it's Thainess, keep the lower classes un-educated so that they follow the leaders without question, keep the system unchanged for the elite who will always inherit it all.

[asiawatcher]

One thing I criticise globally, is exams.

Kids should be tested on work base, homework and classwork accrual. If they complete work, they move on to the next level, same as computer games, which they can equate to. Interim testing is still a part of it, but small non-pressure cooker tests, not fully blown exams, like heavy year 12 final with your life attested to in 3 hours of pressure examination, live or die by those 3 hours not 12 years of education. And I was one of those victims, yet now have taught at Universities, excel in subjects I failed, and have tertiary post grad papers to prove it, none of which reflects on my actual high cost education afforded by my father in a school I hated every minute of.

If a child does not have a grasp of the subject being taught then a decision to hold back should be made by the teacher who, if qualified, can make it, if not let the other teachers adjudicate as a quorum and the childs age should not enter into it. The smarter kids can move on to a better, faster class of learning as right now in all schools globally, when any child puts his/her hand up and says "I don't understand" the whole class stops and can only learn at the pace of the slowest learner and that needs addressing.

Edited October 18, 2012 by asiawatcher

[foolforlove]

The funny thing about this article, is he is insinuating that 40 years ago, things were oh, so much better.

I think the trick is that in the 40 years, the standards of comparison (i.e. the other countries) have improved while T'land has treaded water.

[Thai at Heart]

One thing which I criticise globally is exams. Kids should be tested on work base accrual, homework and classwork. They do the work, they move on to the next level, same as computer games, which they can equate to. Interim testing is still a part of it, small non-pressure cooker exams, yes, but not heavy handed year 12 final with your life attested to in 3 hours of pressure examination, live or die by 3 hours not 12 years of education. And I was one of these victims, and now teach, excel in what I failed in and have the tertiary papers to prove it, one of which reflects on my actual high cost education afforded by my father.

If a child does not have a grasp of the subject being taught then a decision to hold back should be made by the teacher who, if qualified, can make it, if not let the other teachers make it as a quorum. The smarter kids can move on to a better class of learning which is faster as right now in all schools globally, the second any child puts his/her hand up and says "I don't understand" the whole class can only learn at the pace of the slowest learner and that is not right.

At the end of it all, there has to be a balance between course work and exams. My step brother just went through his GCSE's in the UK, and it was a horrendous 21/2 year slog for him and my father, and step mum. Setting aside, that apparently, kids are essentially competing against how much assistance that parents are giving to their kids to "polish" their coursework, the whole system of grades means absolutely nothing because half the work isn't their own.

There is something beneficial to being able to perform under pressure for an exam, but it seems in Thailand this is completely overdone with endless tests and not enough time even for learning. In the internet age, encouraging and getting your kids to want to read and learn is a wonder. Just hope they don't stumble upon Thaivisa if they are trying to get balanced opinions about Thailand. LOL

[SgtPepper]

As a parent with children in Thai schools, I have (strong) views on this matter.

These are my personal views and not necessarily correct.

I know many teachers on the board will say that they work hard in their jobs and that their teaching methods and dedication to their job is mainly for the sake of the children's education but I am not expressing my views on the teachers but rather the system which the teachers have to follow.

If you agree with my thoughts, thank you.

If you do not agree and my remarks make your blood boil, please re-read the second sentence in this post.

The problem as I see it is not the subjects or level of education that Thai children are supposed to learn, it is that they do not have time to be taught.

As soon as my kids are back in school they are preparing for their mid term exams.

After the mid term exams they then start preparing and revising for the end of term exams.

From what I see, all children from Prathom upwards take four exams each year (in some cases more).

I understand that a child's progress should be monitored but not at the expense of their education.

Besides which, these tests do not actually serve a purpose.

If the test results were used to show the schools/teachers the students week points so that they could be worked on (improved) then they would have served their purpose.

However, when the tests are used just to show to the Ministry of Education that the school is doing their job (even though the results are altered/tweaked in the schools favour), then the system fails.

If the schools have to close during term time due to floods, Swine Flu, riots in the area of the school, etc. then the children do not have enough time to even practice (parrot fashion) for the tests.

Let's face facts here, school trips, scouts/guides, dancing practice, cheer leading practice and many other important activities are far more urgent than an education.

If the teachers do not have time to teach the subjects then they set the lesson as homework and it is up to the parents to teach the children at home.

From my schooling years I was under the impression that homework is a tool to instil a previously taught lesson.

The problem with expecting the parents to teach the children is that if the child's parents are illiterate then the child will stand very little to no chance of getting an education.

Never mind, the promise of a computer tablet will be the answer to all of the problems.

Regards,

Tiger.

I agree with what you have written. I have been teaching in Thai schools for nigh on 7 years and I have found that educating thre students is mot the primary objective. School outings, competitions and other events are of much more importance.

[foolforlove]

As a parent with children in Thai schools, I have (strong) views on this matter.

These are my personal views and not necessarily correct.

I know many teachers on the board will say that they work hard in their jobs and that their teaching methods and dedication to their job is mainly for the sake of the children's education but I am not expressing my views on the teachers but rather the system which the teachers have to follow.

If you agree with my thoughts, thank you.

If you do not agree and my remarks make your blood boil, please re-read the second sentence in this post.

The problem as I see it is not the subjects or level of education that Thai children are supposed to learn, it is that they do not have time to be taught.

As soon as my kids are back in school they are preparing for their mid term exams.

After the mid term exams they then start preparing and revising for the end of term exams.

From what I see, all children from Prathom upwards take four exams each year (in some cases more).

I understand that a child's progress should be monitored but not at the expense of their education.

Besides which, these tests do not actually serve a purpose.

If the test results were used to show the schools/teachers the students week points so that they could be worked on (improved) then they would have served their purpose.

However, when the tests are used just to show to the Ministry of Education that the school is doing their job (even though the results are altered/tweaked in the schools favour), then the system fails.

If the schools have to close during term time due to floods, Swine Flu, riots in the area of the school, etc. then the children do not have enough time to even practice (parrot fashion) for the tests.

Let's face facts here, school trips, scouts/guides, dancing practice, cheer leading practice and many other important activities are far more urgent than an education.

If the teachers do not have time to teach the subjects then they set the lesson as homework and it is up to the parents to teach the children at home.

From my schooling years I was under the impression that homework is a tool to instil a previously taught lesson.

The problem with expecting the parents to teach the children is that if the child's parents are illiterate then the child will stand very little to no chance of getting an education.

Never mind, the promise of a computer tablet will be the answer to all of the problems.

Regards,

Tiger.

Tiger,

I truly feel for you. I am a teacher at a Thai (government) secondary school.

The problems in the Thai school system are almost uncountable and extend into every direction, unfortunately.

At least at my school, students study 12-15 different subjects every week. When I compare that to my secondary school expereince in the USA, we studied about 5-7 subjects per week. There is no time for students to really learn, any more than they can sip some water from a high pressure fire hose.

You mention homework as a reinforcing of the lessons. Students, at least at my school, see homework as merely a kind of "busy work" which they attempt to get done during the school day. Students are convinced that school goes from 8am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. Outside of that time, their time is their own to shop and relax and do whatever. And don't allow anything educational intrude upon that time.

Teachers, who have not given up in frustration, still make attempt to organize a curriculum and learning environment... but are often met with ridiculously constructed "reasons" for why nothing can be changed or improved...other than perhaps "touching up the paint on a few spots over a whole structure of rotting wood".

Thai's have many strengths, but one of them is definitly NOT administration. If a Thai had been the captain of the Titanic, it wouldn't have hit the iceberg because it would have dashed itself on the rocks before even leaving the launching harbor.

Your best bet Tiger is to send your children to the best private school you can afford. Or a "demonstation school" -- which are often better but you must investigate closely. Barring both these options, send your students to quality tutoring education in the evenings and weekends -- or have a tutor come to your home.

[mommysboy]

The phrase 'Our Kids' I Q Is Down' suggests to me that at some point IQ may have been 'up'. I doubt this is the case.

[imthemanhere]

I'd say, let the kids still go playing games SOMETIMES, but within reason. on your other points i fully agree...

For my part, after my kids have told me eally some not-so-believable stories (i mean not so believeble for farang ears) about their teachers and teaching methods in their (thai) schools, i have just told them 'just make the necessary grades (no need to shine within that school system) so that you won't have to repeat a year, but otherwise just learn to THINK by yourselves'...

to be frank, i do not think that the school system will improve anytime soon. maybe in time for my chlidren's children, though...

Stop letting your kids go to the internet shop after school to play stupid games.

stop the 'rote' learning system.

Stop teaching the same way you did 70 years ago.

Stop believing that Thailand is the best country in Asia.

then and only then MIGHT you have a chance to improve.

[inquisitive]

The original article is so full of logical flaws and presumptions as to be totally worthless except as a stimulant for discussion of a very important topic. I am really pleased to see that it has accomplished that objective, because the problems it covers are vitally important. I am an educator from America who has taught in Thailand at the elementary through university levels. My Thai family includes two teachers and a son who is currently in Thai school. I have obviously given this subject many years of consideration.

First, let me address IQ vs. education. IQ is not a measure of education, as college board entrance exams would be, for example. The IQ test has been painstakingly designed to measure innate intelligence irrespective of education or culture. Think of it as a measure of your brain's potential rather than what has already been crammed into it. Though nearly impossible to accomplish perfectly, an IQ test is supposed be totally unaffected by education level. It stands to reason, therefore, that the quality of education in Thailand is a seperate issue from IQ. Better education will NOT improve IQ.

This is not to say that there is not a crisis in IQ here. There is. But it can't be fixed through education. THAT is a seperate, equally desperate problem, and one which is also getting worse.

And though there is a correlation between low education, low IQ, and low EQ, please kep it clear in your mind that fixing education and/or IQ will not necessarily fix the astonishingly low EQ situation we have here in my new home. These are three seperate problems that are only loosely connected, and each desperately needs to be addressed.

Which is the most important could be debated, but a society full of people lacking in any one fo these three areas is essentially doomed in this highly competitive, globally connected world. We MUST find solutions, and it must be soon.

[lensta]

One thing which I criticise globally is exams. Kids should be tested on work base accrual, homework and classwork. They do the work, they move on to the next level, same as computer games, which they can equate to. Interim testing is still a part of it, small non-pressure cooker exams, yes, but not heavy handed year 12 final with your life attested to in 3 hours of pressure examination, live or die by 3 hours not 12 years of education. And I was one of these victims, and now teach, excel in what I failed in and have the tertiary papers to prove it, one of which reflects on my actual high cost education afforded by my father.

If a child does not have a grasp of the subject being taught then a decision to hold back should be made by the teacher who, if qualified, can make it, if not let the other teachers make it as a quorum. The smarter kids can move on to a better class of learning which is faster as right now in all schools globally, the second any child puts his/her hand up and says "I don't understand" the whole class can only learn at the pace of the slowest learner and that is not right.

At the end of it all, there has to be a balance between course work and exams. My step brother just went through his GCSE's in the UK, and it was a horrendous 21/2 year slog for him and my father, and step mum. Setting aside, that apparently, kids are essentially competing against how much assistance that parents are giving to their kids to "polish" their coursework, the whole system of grades means absolutely nothing because half the work isn't their own.

There is something beneficial to being able to perform under pressure for an exam, but it seems in Thailand this is completely overdone with endless tests and not enough time even for learning. In the internet age, encouraging and getting your kids to want to read and learn is a wonder. Just hope they don't stumble upon Thaivisa if they are trying to get balanced opinions about Thailand. LOL

It doesn't matter if the students pass or fail a test, because even if they fail, they are still given a pass. This no fail system is only in government and private schools, not international schools. Most privately owned schools are only interested in profit, not education.

[Thai at Heart]

One thing which I criticise globally is exams. Kids should be tested on work base accrual, homework and classwork. They do the work, they move on to the next level, same as computer games, which they can equate to. Interim testing is still a part of it, small non-pressure cooker exams, yes, but not heavy handed year 12 final with your life attested to in 3 hours of pressure examination, live or die by 3 hours not 12 years of education. And I was one of these victims, and now teach, excel in what I failed in and have the tertiary papers to prove it, one of which reflects on my actual high cost education afforded by my father.

If a child does not have a grasp of the subject being taught then a decision to hold back should be made by the teacher who, if qualified, can make it, if not let the other teachers make it as a quorum. The smarter kids can move on to a better class of learning which is faster as right now in all schools globally, the second any child puts his/her hand up and says "I don't understand" the whole class can only learn at the pace of the slowest learner and that is not right.

At the end of it all, there has to be a balance between course work and exams. My step brother just went through his GCSE's in the UK, and it was a horrendous 21/2 year slog for him and my father, and step mum. Setting aside, that apparently, kids are essentially competing against how much assistance that parents are giving to their kids to "polish" their coursework, the whole system of grades means absolutely nothing because half the work isn't their own.

There is something beneficial to being able to perform under pressure for an exam, but it seems in Thailand this is completely overdone with endless tests and not enough time even for learning. In the internet age, encouraging and getting your kids to want to read and learn is a wonder. Just hope they don't stumble upon Thaivisa if they are trying to get balanced opinions about Thailand. LOL

It doesn't matter if the students pass or fail a test, because even if they fail, they are still given a pass. This no fail system is only in government and private schools, not international schools. Most privately owned schools are only interested in profit, not education.

Tell me something I don't know? I have two kids of my own, getting good grades in two languages, so far so good. Big decision coming in a few years though. Go home, go full international, my neighbours do home schooling..................

At the end of the day, the minimum starting point is the efforts of the child, then the skills of the teacher, and then the quality of the curriculum and the quality of facilities and pupil numbers. Go where ever, or pay to get what is needed. At the end of the day, most of the Thai education system is just above 3rd world.

Edited October 18, 2012 by Thai at Heart

[ricardofel]

The education minister and all previous ones should be hung by their toes...they are a disgrace. Education for poor Thais and lower/middle classes who cannot afford private schools, even moderately priced ones is.......like I said...disgraceful. Oh...lets get them tablets....now they'll be smarter....right! It's not that the kids don't have brains, they want to learn, it's that the quality of education is lousy....and we all know why...............keep them stupid and down, don't let them learn or they may rise up and challenge the incompetent ministers and government officials. Let them work in the fields or manual labor on construction sites......that's where they're really needed!

My wife had little educational opportunity growing up, but after meeting me I helped support her quest to finish high school and now she's finishing her 3rd year of law school, 1 more to go, she gets honors on her big tests and is so proud and pleased with her hard work. The kids are not stupid it's the quality of their learning experience that keeps them down.

[MaxLee]

Bottom line is,.... Kids in Thailand are checked inn into a prison yard, which is called "Thai education system",.... you serve your term with 3 quarters a day of schooling, then 4-5 hours of useless homework, and an additional 9 hours of studying for exams.

Welcome to Thailand's education system....

[SOTIRIOS]

...when 79% of the population condones lying, cheating, stealing and corruption, how can anything improve.....

[Jim walker]

Thick and dumb kids all over the world, and also stupid adults in many countries, If the Thai parents worried about their children not being educated to a high enough standard in Thailand, should just ship them of abroad to be educated in a good quality private school same as everyone else does from Thailand, and the next time you have a baby just remember and breast feed it for six months, I blame the parents for dumb kids.

[belg]

iq of 100 mhhh... i guess they got the answers together with the questions... hard to believe when 90 is a real average in the west

oh i forgot, thais are smarter than everybody else

[Semper]

It could also have something to do with genes. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[tonytigerbkk]

Up till about 11 years ago I used to teach in a Thai private school.

When I first worked there I really felt satisfied with my job.

The children in my classes were progressing very well and were really benefiting from having a native English speaker teaching them.

When I first taught there it was common practice to alter the tests to make sure every child passed their exams and therefore return to the school for the next term (which of course meant more money for the school).

At the end of my first term I was asked to doctor the exam results, which I refused to do.

I told the Deputy Head that if he wanted to change the exam results he could but that I would not sign the results.

Part of the problem was that a few of the Thai teachers had given up on certain students and had told me things like “that boy will not learn anything, he is too stupid”.

As a result, these students were left behind while the teachers concentrated on the students who scored higher in their tests.

I did not understand this, surely the lower graded students needed more help.

I have never been a crusader nor did I have plans to make the world a better place but I thought (and still think) that all children should be given a fair chance in life.

I found myself spending more time with the students that needed the help.

I also found that the secret to being able to balance the teaching of entire class was not so difficult if I spent the whole lesson amongst the children and not following the quintessential Thai way of setting out the work, telling the children to shut up and then reading a newspaper.

By the end of my second term, all of my students passed their English exam without having to re-sit their exams or being given a false grade.

Times were good and I felt that I could do this forever.

Then things started to change.

The elderly owner of the school decided to retire and handed the reins over to his (Playboy) son.

The course books were changed for cheaper versions, teaching resources dried up and the class sizes swelled to a point where it became impossible to give each student the time they needed.

Staff numbers had dwindled due to budget restraints and the few Thai teachers who did care had given up and moved to other schools (never to be replaced).

At the same time the new owner was building up a lovely Mercedes Benz collection and holding parties nearly every night.

The administration staff were replaced by the new owners friends.

The Thai government started interfering with the curriculum and insisting on better test results.

Being short staffed, without teaching resources and trying to teach from books that were slightly worse that useless, coupled with the new owner who never saw in a classroom or the staffroom, the only way that the school could function was to be frugal with the truth when it came to exam results.

I knew that there would be a stage when I would blow hot and tell the school what to do with their job but then I fell extremely lucky and was offered employment outside of the education system.

I still miss working with the students but given the current situation in Thai schools, I don't think that I would ever go back to teaching again and if I did I seriously doubt that I would enjoy it as much as I used to.

In the case of my children, I am able to spend enough quality time with them to ensure that they pass their English exams.

My wife covers all of their other subjects and the week before their tests she has to book and use her work holidays to be able to spend enough time helping them to revise.

This is not an ideal situation but at least my children pass their exams.

The children that I really fell sorry for are those whose parents work and do not have enough time to teach their children (remember when that used to be the teacher's job).

As I said in my earlier post, if the child's parents are illiterate then the child will stand very little to no chance of getting an education.

In both of these cases private tuition is not an option.

I also feel sorry for the teachers who want to teach but are not being allowed to.

Every term I have to pay the school fees, knowing that there is not a chance that I will get what I am paying for.

I don't know of any other business (and schools are a business in Thailand) that could fail to deliver the goods that you pay for time after time.

The main crux of the matter (as I see it) is that the curriculum and teaching methods are set by an elite who have never had to send their children to a normal (typical) school nor had to spend their time carrying out the job that, so they are not aware of 99% of the problems within the Thai education system.

I sometimes wonder if these cretins have ever seen a child never mind raised one.

Anyway, enough from me (for now) as I am right on the verge of going into a rant.

Regards,

Tiger.

[tonytigerbkk]

Jim Walker,

What a stupid post.

If the average Thai parent was able to afford ship their kids abroad for a better education then they would also be able to send their child to an international school.

In essence what you are saying is that Thais who do not come from rich families do not deserve to be educated.

Have you ever of pitching your ideas to the Thai Education Department because that is nearly in line with their policies.

Edited October 18, 2012 by tonytigerbkk

[culicine]

There are three main things that make students appear more stupid than they really are:

1. Exams

2. Status

3. Face

If the money hungry stubborn Elite parenthood and education ministries would focus on changing this culture first, we would encourage students to think outside if the box more instead of keeping them in the box.

I would interpret those as showing students to be "smarter" than they really are. Noone, or very few students in this country are allowed to fail school exams - that would result in loss of face. Until they hit uni - some of my students who finished m6 5 years ago are still in first year uni. They should not even be there!!!

[Charlie2012]

Ill informed rubbish ....IQ SCORES ARE MEANT TO STAY THE SAME!!!

IQ tests are designed so that the average person in a population will have a score of 100. So if, for some reason, a population gets 'more intelligent', the tests are made a bit harder. The reason the IQ of children in Thailand has stayed the same in the last 10 years is because that is how IQ tests are designed.

The headline and the report repeatedly says that Thai kids' IQ is declining but the opening sentence clearly states IQ scores have stayed the same over the last 10 years. Only the opening sentence is correct: IQ SCORES DON'T CHANGE OVER TIME!

So you can't judge an education system on IQ scores. IQ is anyway, a very narrow definition of intelligence and the original idea of them was to measure 'innate' intelligence, something schools were not supposed to be able to change anyway. The idea that IQ scores can be improved by diet, and that all you need to improve diet is to introduce a government policy on nutrition would be laughable if it wasn't so breathtakingly ill-informed. And what's the deal with EQ? Since when could you measure emotional intelligence? The report just seems to assume IQ and EQ are linked: when IQ goes down, so does EQ.

Suthichai Yoon and Dr Anant Ariyachaiyanich don't know what they're talking about.

[Chads]

At the end of the day, the minimum starting point is the efforts of the child, then the skills of the teacher, and then the quality of the curriculum and the quality of facilities and pupil numbers. Go where ever, or pay to get what is needed. At the end of the day, most of the Thai education system is just above 3rd world.

Or you could try chicken essence?

[Thai at Heart]

At the end of the day, the minimum starting point is the efforts of the child, then the skills of the teacher, and then the quality of the curriculum and the quality of facilities and pupil numbers. Go where ever, or pay to get what is needed. At the end of the day, most of the Thai education system is just above 3rd world.

Or you could try chicken essence?

Indeed. Get one shonky university somewhere in the world to right you a report that it boosts intelligence, and print your own money. I have been in that factory. Something to behold.

If anyone ever dares to substantiate any of these stupid claims, they would work out that one sprig of brocolli a day does more, for 1000th of the price.

[sangfroid]

...when 79% of the population condones lying, cheating, stealing and corruption, how can anything improve.....

+1

And when only 2 or 3 baht out of every 100 baht of the education budget ever reaches the classrooms how can things improve?

Edited October 18, 2012 by sangfroid

[zydeco]

Ill informed rubbish ....IQ SCORES ARE MEANT TO STAY THE SAME!!!

IQ tests are designed so that the average person in a population will have a score of 100. So if, for some reason, a population gets 'more intelligent', the tests are made a bit harder. The reason the IQ of children in Thailand has stayed the same in the last 10 years is because that is how IQ tests are designed.

The headline and the report repeatedly says that Thai kids' IQ is declining but the opening sentence clearly states IQ scores have stayed the same over the last 10 years. Only the opening sentence is correct: IQ SCORES DON'T CHANGE OVER TIME!

So you can't judge an education system on IQ scores. IQ is anyway, a very narrow definition of intelligence and the original idea of them was to measure 'innate' intelligence, something schools were not supposed to be able to change anyway. The idea that IQ scores can be improved by diet, and that all you need to improve diet is to introduce a government policy on nutrition would be laughable if it wasn't so breathtakingly ill-informed. And what's the deal with EQ? Since when could you measure emotional intelligence? The report just seems to assume IQ and EQ are linked: when IQ goes down, so does EQ.

Suthichai Yoon and Dr Anant Ariyachaiyanich don't know what they're talking about.

IQ scores for individuals should remain in the same range. IQ scores for groups, such as national assessments, do in fact change. The average IQ for the US at one time was 100. Now it is 98, which is largely attributable to mass immigration from lower IQ countries, especially in Central and South America and in the Caribbean and Africa. Diet does increase IQ around the margins--maybe as much as 10 points from low IQ countries such as Equatorial Guinea, which is 59, and the like. Environmental factors may add as much as 10-15 points more. That would bring Equatorial Guinea, for example, to the 85 range--about the norm for Mexico.

[yourauntbob]

the problem is their diet

nothing to do with substandard teaching, constant plagiarism, or culture that teaches them to never question, its got to be the diet

[McMagus]

Lets face some home truths..most of which have bubbled to the surface in previous posts.

1. The Thai education system is successful. It is successful because it fulfills the goals of those who govern and have power here, that being, to design a system which will keep the poor in their place.

2. Thais have for many years been fed a very slick propaganda model which is essentially a navel gazing retrospective of some mythical, glorious past.

3. Thai culture is change resistant (see point # 2).

4. Thais are particular and exact in their nature... an offshoot of their convoluted language???? and as a consequence seem to be mesmerised by figures. They love test scores.

So we have a system run by the elites for the elites designed to disenfranchise the poor. I have been an educator all my working life and have worked in hi so international schools here as well as bi - lingual schools. I know a little bit about how children best learn. As for this shameful story on IQ??? yes IQ is meant to test innate ability but it often doesn't. Once IQ tests start to be formatted as a verbal response, they tend to test linguistic ability. Even mathematics tests are often closely bound to verbal comprehension. I have worked in Thai schools where yes ...'everybody wins a prize folks' and 85% is the magic number. I have witnessed the concerned Thai mother doing her child's homework on the skytrain, I have seen Thai toddlers barely able to pull their 'suitcase' of homework behind them.....more is better. IQ will not tell you all that much about a child's education; note I said education as opposed to knowledge, two quite different things. It may give some indication of the child's potential, that's all. My very real fear is that Thai character is such that they will not buck the feudal system which is at the rotten core of so much that is holding this country back. Things will continue as they always have. Hi So's will send their kids offshore, middle classes will struggle to send their kids to a Thai uni and get a worthless piece of paper and the rural and poor will continue to provide the elite with babies, who will grow up to work in their factories etc., etc. for, if they are lucky 200 Baht a day. All is well in the universe and Thailand in particular and things are as they are meant to be.

[kirk0233]

The interesting fact the op fails to mention is that in a properly and recently normed IQ test the average for the population should be 100. The score should not be increasing over time. One hundred is the 50th percentile. As tests get old, scores do increase since the society in which the test was normed increases in knowledge. At that point the test should be revised so that 50 percentile is again 100. The test only applies to those who were in the norms group. It is possible some of the low scores were a result of some portion of the population not being included in the norms group or a poorly constructed test or both.