Thailand: Extension of teachers' retiring age under consideration

[webfact]

Extension of teachers' retiring age under consideration

BANGKOK, 27 Sep 2013, (NNT) – Both the government and private sectors have agreed on extending the retiring age of teachers from 60 to 65, as the nation is facing an ongoing issue of teacher shortage.

The idea stemmed from a discussion at a recent seminar on "national education system and academic profession's retirement" hosted by the Wisdom Society for Public Opinion Research of Thailand.

According to Mr. Surapon Ratanachai, Adviser on Education Management from the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, the ministry has developed the idea of prolonging the professional lifespan of teachers for another 5 years and is studying ways to legislate on the plan.

Secretary of the Federation of Teachers Association of Thailand, Prawit Buengsai, agreed with the notion while suggesting that the decision as to whether to continue teaching should be up to the teachers themselves. Mr. Prawit also said that, if the retiring age extension is materialized, the Government needs to clearly outline all the details in order to avoid confusion. He also raised concerns over the current authority given to school head masters in regard to teacher recruitment, saying the power has loophole that may be exploited for personal gain.

Meanwhile, a researcher from the Wisdom Society Nithipat Kamonsuk cited a report comparing Thailand’s readiness to cushion teachers under retirement with that of Singapore, pointing out that the latter provides abundant welfare measures for retired teachers. Singapore has set as the nation’s core perks to establish a retirement fund and promote employment of teachers until they reach 65.

Mr. Nithipat also suggested that careful studies and preparations are needed for Thailand if it extends the professional lifespan of teachers, adding that, in parallel, the nation should foster the development of a newer and better generation of academic professionals.


-- NNT 2013-09-27

[Scott]

As an older person, I often tell the students that I don't just teach history, I lived it.

Unfortunately, a lot of the older Thai teachers we have are not very highly educated and not particularly good teachers.

[uty6543]

I remember reading somewhere there were over 100 applicants for a government teaching position in Korat. My wife is a teacher and confirms that they have too many people wanting jobs at her school which is a government school in a poor area. So it seems there are many teachers available maybe just not good enough even though qualified.

[crazydrummerpauly]

"Both the government and private sectors have agreed on extending the retiring age of teachers from 60 to 65, as the nation is facing an ongoing issue of teacher shortage." Complete rubbish - there is no shortage of qualified applicants coming out of universities - just a lack of funds to pay for enough of them to enter teaching. Thousands of young Thais enter the national competitions to get into probationary posts but only 100s get selected each year.

[crazydrummerpauly]

As an older person, I often tell the students that I don't just teach history, I lived it.

Unfortunately, a lot of the older Thai teachers we have are not very highly educated and not particularly good teachers.

Agreed, so the better policy would to bring their retirement forward to 55 not make them laze around doing sweet-fa even longer !

[lee b]

I think this is a very good idea

[culicine]

Many older Thai teachers are set in their ways and still stuck using last centuries teaching methods. This will continue to be a failure and doesn't bode well for Thailand future in AEC. The government should create more schools, reduce class sizes, and get more qualified teachers into schools.

[Scott]

I have mixed feelings. At the prathom level, a lot of the older teachers seem to be quite good. They have a lot of experience, they are nurturing, but don't take a lot of crap from the kids. Unfortunately, along about the time the students reach mathyom level, the teachers have just not kept up with their subject material and there are so many deficits.

I work at a private school and our director is not very tolerant of lazy teachers, so they are weeded out early in the game.

One of the biggest problems, however, is the the whole social hierarchy. The older teachers don't take instructions well from any of the younger admin, etc.

[upena]

Brilliant - keep the aged and unqualified.

[uty6543]

Many older Thai teachers are set in their ways and still stuck using last centuries teaching methods.

Does that also apply to old farang teachers. I thought with age comes experience and greater knowledge. But what do I know I am old and stuck in my ways.

[Dap]

I have a good (farang) mate/teacher. Harvard grad, world traveled, highly qualified, stellar teacher, sharp as a tack, man among men etc, etc, being shunted aside over an age issue. "They" have no idea of the ability and knowledge "they" are relieving themselves of, and ... IMO, mores the pity.

Edited September 27, 2013 by Dap

[Scott]

Many older Thai teachers are set in their ways and still stuck using last centuries teaching methods.

Does that also apply to old farang teachers. I thought with age comes experience and greater knowledge. But what do I know I am old and stuck in my ways.

There is no denying experience and figuring out certain ways to explain things that actually get through to the students. There is also the experience of knowing where things are going to bog down and that it's going to take longer to explain it and for the students to 'get it.' It means that instead of planning 2 lessons for the difficult stuff you learn to introduce it earlier, allot more time for it etc.

The problem is that teachers -- including Farang teachers -- do not continue their education, or their learning. They don't stay up to date. I taught science quite a number of years ago. I could still teaching it fairly well, but I realized that unless I was willing to invest some real time and energy in keeping up to speed, I wouldn't be good at it for very long.

For many of the older teachers, the world of science, and a few other subjects have changed a lot. The knowledge base is different and in some cases it's significantly different. If you pre-date the comprehensive study of DNA, understanding of things is quite different.

Language is probably a little easier, but it's still a dynamic subject. For the Thai teachers I am sure many are stuck in a much older time. The modern use of English, including new words, methods of texting and social media could make it rather difficult.

[culicine]

Many older Thai teachers are set in their ways and still stuck using last centuries teaching methods.

Does that also apply to old farang teachers. I thought with age comes experience and greater knowledge. But what do I know I am old and stuck in my ways.

It can...teachers get pretty burned out after a few years....so I'm mainly referring to older teachers who have been in the game a long time. Turn over is huge in western schools....average career length is only a few years....If i was a manager, I'd be looking to employ teachers in their 30's who have had a few years experience. Even at 45, I'm feeling the pinch. Getting up at 5.30 each day, getting my kid ready for school, driving to school, teaching 24 periods a wee, and getting home after 5pm each day isn't easy. No problem being stuck in your ways, as long as they are 'good' ways:)

[thhMan]

In Au, we had an old teacher explaining IT to us. I corrected him many times and asked why he didnt discuss basics like FTP etc. He told the class he is not familiar with FTP and asked me to explain it. I quit school (TAFE) the next day in disgust. (It also explains a lot of the shoddy IT coming from the west, let alone Thailand (build websites for 5000 THB... HAHAHA, what a joke))

Anyway, a lot of things have happened in the last 50 years, even more so in the past 5 years in many subjects. Unless one is prepared to keep up to date, then the only thing that is being taught is mis-information and from what I have seen of Thai elders, when they get home, its the soapies that are being studied...

I am always correcting my 8 year old Thai daughter and fixing up the Thai teachers mistakes in her assesment of homework. She goes to a good school and I am sure many of you would be shocked at what the teachers teach.... Its no wonder Thailand cannot compete in basics. I have interviewed Thai UNI students for work and was totally dumbfounded by the lack of basic understanding of the subject they graduated from... The problem is not aging teachers, its not paying teachers more, its first getting qualified teachers in and it wont be from within Thailand.

[Jane Doe]

As I see the problem teachers in Thailand are not paid well enough. The teachers are not the only ones to blame, it is the system. Graduates with a decent GPA go into business where they can make money. A lot of students who are not good enough to get a good and well-paid job become teachers. And they teach topics they themselves only understood partly. So with every generation the knowledge transferred to the next generation becomes worse. How do you call a Thai person with an IQ of 70? ... Professor.

[Ticketmaster]

Interesting. I hope they grandfather the teachers already in the system. they should have the option of choosing 60 or 65 for full retirement benefits. In other words,they should be guaranteed the promise made to them when they entered the system.

My Thai wife is an English teacher and can speak, read and write English. However, she is one of many English teaches at her mathyom government school and she is the only one with whom I can have any sort of conversation at all in English. The other "English" teachers can barely speak a word of English. If they need English teachers at the school, the director simply assigns a teacher to teach English without regard for their background and training in the subject. It leaves me with the impression that there is no real desire to have students learn English -- and they don't.

It just amazes me that the Thai government has money to buy jet fighters but no money for teachers. What enemy does Thailand have that requires jet fighters? There is plenty of money; just a lousy set of budgeting priorities.

[tingtong]

Many older Thai teachers are set in their ways and still stuck using last centuries teaching methods.

Does that also apply to old farang teachers. I thought with age comes experience and greater knowledge. But what do I know I am old and stuck in my ways.

here, in the government school, teachers year after year only teach the same grade...ie, p.3 teacher next year again teach p.3 only...you think that same teacher after 15 yrs would be up to teach p.1? or p.6?

i think an elementary teacher should be able to cover all level in elementary school...also that would be normally meaning the kids build up the knowledge based year on year...

english teaching in the government school: p.1 =alphabet, p.2 alphabet, p.3 alphabet...yay, long life to these kind of qualified teachers!

i am pretty sure you didnt get educated in this kind of system. but what the hell, show me that at least 50% of the thai math teachers will be able to tell you how much is 30x25 in a minute, using their head, no paper, no calculator...

it is still a long way to get my son forget thai style math and be able to do basic math like a western kid, where getting to 8x6 is automatic, and not 6x1=6, 6x2=12....but able to cut these important and time consuming steps.

but hey, teachers know how to teach math, right, this is while wherever you got o shop, calculator is the best friend everywhere.

not to mention free thinking, and nurturing talents. 'old school' thai teachers will have ZERO idea about these, they grow up in a system lacking these, and they sure live in a way lack of these now too.

bring in the young generation, but a young generation that can pass a test from their own subject about to teach...and able to do that without a bribe, cheating, etc.

as for the old teachers, i believe that they get pension from government school...so, nothing to worry about. or it is about the government tight on those funds, so, time to squeeze a bit more on ppl?

[cup-O-coffee]

Five more years to fill up the empty coffers, eh? Is that what they are saying, because I cannot truly believe that they are describing teachers, but rather instead circus trainers?

[Rhys]

/mixed feeling on this topic as well.. the truly talented teachers can remain, however for those who have retired on the job, this is another 5 years on the honey wagon.