"Phongthep" admits Thai education system unsatisfactory

BANGKOK, 24 June 2013 (NNT) – Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana admits that the Thai education system is unsatisfactory and behind other countries in the ASEAN region. To tackle the problem, the ministry has drawn up some measures to restructure the system.

Education Minister Phongthep reveals that Thailand, each year, spends up to 20 percent of its annual budget on education, like other developed countries which spend a large amount of money on education and focus on human resource development.

Despite a tremendous amount of money Thailand has put into its educational system, the minister says the result is still unsatisfactory. However, he says the ministry has drawn up some solutions to the problem such as changing students’ and teachers’ perspectives by urging them to think and analyze instead of memorizing known as “rote learning”.

The minister further reveals that Thai students desperately need to improve their English language, especially the listening and speaking skills, in which Thai students are far behind those students in other ASEAN countries. The ministry will, therefore, bring in more English-speaking teachers to teach Thai kids.

Mr Phongthep adds that there are both crisis and opportunity for Thailand in entering the ASEAN Community. Therefore, Thai students need to learn all aspects about ASEAN and turn that crisis into opportunity for the sake of the country.


-- NNT 2013-06-24

What was your first clue, Sherlock?

"Despite a tremendous amount of money Thailand has put into its educational system" and officials have then taken out.

If the money in the way it was intended by people who knew what they were doing, Thailand would have an international standard education system.

Well I never, a government minister who talks some sense.

Yingluck should have him stuffed.

I would suggest he first work out where this tremendous amount of money has been spent, because it appears that for every 100 baht in, 20 to 30 baht miraculously disappears.

"Phongthep" admits Thai education system unsatisfactory

At least it's a start...not the usual

Perhaps next year some of that money will go towards buying TEXTBOOKS for the students' English classes.

My son attend a privat school in Surin 1 class or patum 1 or what they call it, english program. The english book they are using is written by two thais, i guess well paid for their effort. It is just terrible. When i complain to the teachers they just say, yes its all about practise. But when a 7 year old have to learn words he dont understand, i understand why the thais dont speak english. And i pay 25000 bth a term for this kind of rubbish, im at a loss what to do. Move to Bangkok or Chiang Mai to get him into an international school or what.

It's good he is actually admitting what everyone has known for years but with around two years to go to the new ASEAN grouping does he expect they can clap their hands and all the years of neglect, corruption, poor standards etc. etc. will be put right ?

Well I never, a government minister who talks some sense.

Yingluck should have him stuffed.

As rare as the Dodo!

It's good he is actually admitting what everyone has known for years but with around two years to go to the new ASEAN grouping does he expect they can clap their hands and all the years of neglect, corruption, poor standards etc. etc. will be put right ?

In all my involvement with Thailand I have never failed to be amazed at how everything gets left to the last minute with the very theatrical attitude of " it will be alright on the night ". It will take two years to sort out a teaching programme, test and refine it, sort out textbooks, get suitable teachers in place and so much more and that's presuming everyone is on board which is highly unlikely.

I would also have to say the more money that's put into teaching reform only means the more that will disappear.

Thailand is playing catch up and will be for a very long time.

More thai education bulls..t. Teachers should teach , they spend too much time going to seminars /meetings, and not in the classroom teaching.

My son attend a privat school in Surin 1 class or patum 1 or what they call it, english program. The english book they are using is written by two thais, i guess well paid for their effort. It is just terrible. When i complain to the teachers they just say, yes its all about practise. But when a 7 year old have to learn words he dont understand, i understand why the thais dont speak english. And i pay 25000 bth a term for this kind of rubbish, im at a loss what to do. Move to Bangkok or Chiang Mai to get him into an international school or what.

The total cost of books for my son was about 2000 baht for the year. He is in grade 4. These are mostly books from Singapore which are fine. They basically follow the primary course from the UK, Singapore style. The science book is based on the Thai curriculum but written by foreigners. I've not found any conceptual or grammatical errors in any book so far. There's no need to use material poorly written by overpaid Thais who don't have fluent grasp of the language, and won't accept there are any errors in their work!

Hmmm sounds like they need a bigger budget to fix this problem lololololol

My son attend a privat school in Surin 1 class or patum 1 or what they call it, english program. The english book they are using is written by two thais, i guess well paid for their effort. It is just terrible. When i complain to the teachers they just say, yes its all about practise. But when a 7 year old have to learn words he dont understand, i understand why the thais dont speak english. And i pay 25000 bth a term for this kind of rubbish, im at a loss what to do. Move to Bangkok or Chiang Mai to get him into an international school or what.

The total cost of books for my son was about 2000 baht for the year. He is in grade 4. These are mostly books from Singapore which are fine. They basically follow the primary course from the UK, Singapore style. The science book is based on the Thai curriculum but written by foreigners. I've not found any conceptual or grammatical errors in any book so far. There's no need to use material poorly written by overpaid Thais who don't have fluent grasp of the language, and won't accept there are any errors in their work!

My kids are using the Singapore books also.

Still don't grasp why they teach science and maths in two languages and then English separately also. Surely it would be better to teach English as a stand alone subject and let maths and science stay in Thai?

Total duplication of the subject matter is a waste of time massively increases the requirement to find more and more native speakers to cover the science and maths subjects.

Well I never, a government minister who talks some sense.

Yingluck should have him stuffed.

She will, she's just busy at a wedding today!

My son attend a privat school in Surin 1 class or patum 1 or what they call it, english program. The english book they are using is written by two thais, i guess well paid for their effort. It is just terrible. When i complain to the teachers they just say, yes its all about practise. But when a 7 year old have to learn words he dont understand, i understand why the thais dont speak english. And i pay 25000 bth a term for this kind of rubbish, im at a loss what to do. Move to Bangkok or Chiang Mai to get him into an international school or what.

The total cost of books for my son was about 2000 baht for the year. He is in grade 4. These are mostly books from Singapore which are fine. They basically follow the primary course from the UK, Singapore style. The science book is based on the Thai curriculum but written by foreigners. I've not found any conceptual or grammatical errors in any book so far. There's no need to use material poorly written by overpaid Thais who don't have fluent grasp of the language, and won't accept there are any errors in their work!

Cullcine

Could you be so kind as to let us know the series of books you have bought for your son. Is the whole school on the same system.

affen02

25000 a term seems a lot for outside Bangkok/Chiangmai/Phuket. My daughter is in the best school in the town (population in and in the immediate surrounds 450 000 + ) and school fees are 6500 per term. Write down all the errors in the english book and go straight to the Director of the school, maybe try and get hold of an alternative (Cullcine could be a help here).

Er um jing lor

I think calling it a "system" is way OTT.

My son attend a privat school in Surin 1 class or patum 1 or what they call it, english program. The english book they are using is written by two thais, i guess well paid for their effort. It is just terrible. When i complain to the teachers they just say, yes its all about practise. But when a 7 year old have to learn words he dont understand, i understand why the thais dont speak english. And i pay 25000 bth a term for this kind of rubbish, im at a loss what to do. Move to Bangkok or Chiang Mai to get him into an international school or what.

I think you are being ripped off. The private school I work at in Bangkok charges about 30,000 baht per term. Students study 9 periods of English with foreigners per week, and every student has 2 text books and an additional workbook from Oxford University Press. We have a very low turnover of foreign teachers too.

I have heard many stories of schools with 'English Programs' that have incomplete resources or a lack of foreign teachers to teach English.

I'd advise everyone to investigate thoroughly before throwing money away by signing up at any school in Thailand. Some are far better than others which are often perceived to be either in name or what is handed out on a glossy brochure.

A minister that admits that all is not well in his portfolio is obviously not suited for the job.

Bring on the next cabinet reshuffle that the real PM says is not going to happen.

A minister that admits that all is not well in his portfolio is obviously not suited for the job.

Bring on the next cabinet reshuffle that the real PM says is not going to happen.

Wee hab wurl clart edukayshun?

Student life in Thailand:

You get up at 5.00 am, go to school that starts at 9.00 am, but if you get out of your house later than 6.30,... bye bye, you'll be late for granted ,_ which occurs to over 95% of the students DUE TO TRAFFIC (SURPRISED????)<- then you you listen to a bunch of snotty trotty face ridden crap teachers and their boring ass lectures (<-Thai schools in particular), get a lot of homework, go to after school activities that last until 8.00 pm or later, you arrive home at 9.00-10.00pm, and you still gotta do homework at home, writing 100 of pages per day,... and on top of that you gotta practice for boring a$$ wasting examinations, where people cheat anyways.... and you day ends up at 3.00 am in the morning and you gotta get ready for the next school day which goes AGAIN from 5.30 am to 3.00 am in the morning all week long... Saturdays are spent in tutoring-rip-off commercialized schools and curricular activities,...

,.... days of rest, you gotta be kidding yourselves, because most kids will have to spend all their Sundays with their extended family visits, getting spolied and patted by their extended relatives all day long, no rest, and start on Monday at 5.30 am again...

and the traffic goes on, the Thai Nation buys cars like crazy, and the parents have to work from 9.00 to 12.00 am, including the traffic, and hardly see their children, because of their snotty trotty bosses who let them slave work over time,...

My wife's daughter goes to an "upgraded" school in BKK. Her daily "English" lesson consists of copying a paragraph from the board into her notebook. Doesn't have to read it or understand it, just has to copy it. I'm sure there is lots of opportunity for improvement on something like that.

On a similar subject, I wonder how the Tourist Police are doing with their "fluency in English in six months" that was promised, oh, about six months ago.

They may also consider hiring some actual teachers instead of backpackers with easily-purchased TEFL certificates straight off the copy machine, who just want to stay longer than their tourist visa allows so they can party and bed as many young girls (or boys) as possible. There are loads of qualified retired teachers from the states and UK who would probably love to take on some work - or would the incompetent Thai teachers then 'lose face'?

Special report: Thailand to become a hub for international education

http://www.pattayamail.com/news/special-report-thailand-to-become-a-hub-for-international-education-6529

It was all going so swimmingly.

I would suggest he first work out where this tremendous amount of money has been spent, because it appears that for every 100 baht in, 20 to 30 baht miraculously disappears.

Whats the difference if it was all spent on education the students wouldn't know any more than they know now.

I would suggest he first work out where this tremendous amount of money has been spent, because it appears that for every 100 baht in, 20 to 30 baht miraculously disappears.

Whats the difference if it was all spent on education the students wouldn't know any more than they know now.

The interesting aspect of all of these private, or semi-private fee paying English programs is that they are not classed for VAT or taxes because they are supposed to benefit education. The ridiculous thing, is when you do the rudimentary mathematics on the amount of kids per class, and the estimated wages of your back packer unqualified English teacher and the poor Thai teacher in the room, you realise that they are making an absolute FORTUNE.

And yet, no computers, not enough text books, no science labs, no sports fields, no air conditioning to be seen anywhere. So you see, the problem lies once again in the complete and utter inability for anyone to do the right thing, and just run a school for the goodness of education and a modest profit. It is business, pure and simple, and it WILL NOT CHANGE until the tax man wallops these thieves for exploiting the situation.

Personally I think they should keep Education Minister Phongthep on.

He is the first to publicly admit that the system needs changing.

He said

"he says the ministry has drawn up some solutions to the problem such as changing students’ and teachers’ perspectives by urging them to think and analyze instead of memorizing known as “rote learning”.

Notice he said nothing about using a machine. Also said teachers learn how to think and analyze. Funny how this thread can turn into the same old same same when a new element is added.

My wife's daughter and family just moved here to Chiang Mai from Nonkong Si Tamarhet. Sorry about the spelling. At any rate her two grand daughters were here after school doing a little home work. Turns out the 9 year old is learning English to what degree of quality two days of learning does not allow me to comment on. She is also learning in school some of the Chinese alphabet. The wife said just a little bit.

The way the wheels of progress can turn ever so slow they still need a start and I do believe this public announcement by the Minister of Education is a start.

I would suggest he first work out where this tremendous amount of money has been spent, because it appears that for every 100 baht in, 20 to 30 baht miraculously disappears.

Whats the difference if it was all spent on education the students wouldn't know any more than they know now.

The interesting aspect of all of these private, or semi-private fee paying English programs is that they are not classed for VAT or taxes because they are supposed to benefit education. The ridiculous thing, is when you do the rudimentary mathematics on the amount of kids per class, and the estimated wages of your back packer unqualified English teacher and the poor Thai teacher in the room, you realise that they are making an absolute FORTUNE.

And yet, no computers, not enough text books, no science labs, no sports fields, no air conditioning to be seen anywhere. So you see, the problem lies once again in the complete and utter inability for anyone to do the right thing, and just run a school for the goodness of education and a modest profit. It is business, pure and simple, and it WILL NOT CHANGE until the tax man wallops these thieves for exploiting the situation.

hahaha run a school,they couldnt run a bath if they had one,,,,

Personally I think they should keep Education Minister Phongthep on.

He is the first to publicly admit that the system needs changing.

He said

"he says the ministry has drawn up some solutions to the problem such as changing students’ and teachers’ perspectives by urging them to think and analyze instead of memorizing known as “rote learning”.

Notice he said nothing about using a machine. Also said teachers learn how to think and analyze. Funny how this thread can turn into the same old same same when a new element is added.

My wife's daughter and family just moved here to Chiang Mai from Nonkong Si Tamarhet. Sorry about the spelling. At any rate her two grand daughters were here after school doing a little home work. Turns out the 9 year old is learning English to what degree of quality two days of learning does not allow me to comment on. She is also learning in school some of the Chinese alphabet. The wife said just a little bit.

The way the wheels of progress can turn ever so slow they still need a start and I do believe this public announcement by the Minister of Education is a start.

unfortunatly dolly,he was compelled to open his mouth,because his department was/is under the spotlight otherwise nothing not a sausage im afraid,,,there is no will to educate the masses here,it would be a disaster,for whoever is running (DOWN) this beautiful country,,,what a depressing post i just did,,,,,,

I would suggest he first work out where this tremendous amount of money has been spent, because it appears that for every 100 baht in, 20 to 30 baht miraculously disappears.

Whats the difference if it was all spent on education the students wouldn't know any more than they know now.

The interesting aspect of all of these private, or semi-private fee paying English programs is that they are not classed for VAT or taxes because they are supposed to benefit education. The ridiculous thing, is when you do the rudimentary mathematics on the amount of kids per class, and the estimated wages of your back packer unqualified English teacher and the poor Thai teacher in the room, you realise that they are making an absolute FORTUNE.

And yet, no computers, not enough text books, no science labs, no sports fields, no air conditioning to be seen anywhere. So you see, the problem lies once again in the complete and utter inability for anyone to do the right thing, and just run a school for the goodness of education and a modest profit. It is business, pure and simple, and it WILL NOT CHANGE until the tax man wallops these thieves for exploiting the situation.

Assuming the tax man doesn't own the school of course.

Good to see a minister admitting there are problems. Not sure if anything will change but it makes a change to have something to praise.