Thai universities urged to scrap their own entrance tests

[webfact]

EDUCATION
Universities urged to scrap their own entrance tests
Chuleeporn Aramnet
The Nation

End to 'flawed' exams sought by 2015, Ohec says

BANGKOK: -- In response to Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang's policy, the Office of Higher Education Commission (Ohec) will urge universities to stop direct-admission exams from the 2015 academic year onward.

"We will be seeking co-operation from all universities," Ohec deputy secretary-general Varaporn Seehanath said yesterday.

Chaturon said all parties had agreed it was necessary they solve problems related to the current university admission system.

Under the current system, faculties of many higher-educational institutes have arranged separate exams to directly recruit their new students.

"Students, as a result, have to shoulder higher expenses and to undergo the exam process time and again in a bid to boost their chance of getting into their preferred place of study," Chaturon said.

He said such a practice had aggravated the educational inequality between the poor and the rich.

He also pointed out that the many entrance exams held by higher-educational institutes had distracted school students' attention from their classes.

Chaturon believed the flawed university admission system had taken its toll on educational reform too.

"That's why educational reform is not a success," he said.

Chaturon recently convened a meeting of a panel tasked with exploring university-admission methods. He said the panel had already gathered opinions and found that all believed the current admission system had caused many problems. It was thus agreed at the meeting that Ohec should ask universities to start direct-admission exams, if any, only after their prospective applicants had already completed their courses at schools for the coming academic year.

"And from the 2015 Academic Year onward, universities should not hold direct-admission exams anymore," Chaturon said.

He said universities that felt it was necessary to recruit new students directly should at least use the services of the clearinghouse.

The clearinghouse uses the General Aptitude Test (Gat) and Professional and Academic Aptitude Test (Pat) scores as admission criteria.

Chaturon said he hoped only a central admission system would exist in the future.

"We should use the central exam with standardised test questions," he said. He added he had already assigned the Ohec, the Office of Basic Education Commission and the National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) to jointly work on the test system.

At present, the NIETS is responsible for organising Gat and Pat.

Varaporn said relevant parties hoped university applicants would need to take just one exam for university admission.

"Their scores from that exam should be valid at all universities," she said.


-- The Nation 2013-11-18

[Thai at Heart]

If they want government money they should have no private entrance exam.

[JRSoul]

Perhaps if government schools abandoned their policy of everyone passes, unis wouldn't need entrance exams. While hopeless aspirants do pay fees, they have to be provided with expensive facilities.

[MaxLee]

Perhaps if government schools abandoned their policy of everyone passes, unis wouldn't need entrance exams. While hopeless aspirants do pay fees, they have to be provided with expensive facilities.

No, if the government would stop promoting Bangkok ONLY Bangkok as the norm for higher education, students wouldn't have to travel all the way to Bangkok ONLY Bangkok just to receive a supposed higher status education. Secondly, getting rid of multir choice questions that don't encourage critical thinking is only a pipe dream, which the rich fat elite would never allow in order to preserve their own saving face..,

[JoeThePoster]

How are they going to keep the low class riffraff out of the high end universities then?

[yourauntbob]

I have mixed feelings. The article states a good point, all these tests draw students away from their school studies. BUT, I understand the schools point of view. Education here is at such a level that if the University wants decent students they must have evidence that their prospective students can keep up academically. They cannot trust marks coming from the high schools, and I believe a singular standardized test will soon be corrupted just as all centralized things are in Thailand.

Maybe they should think about instilling some accountability into the system. Sorry, that last sentence is just crazy talk.

[NongKhaiKid]

The unfortunate situation in education is reflective of Thai society in general and it doesn't matter what system is in place it all comes down to application and enforcement and we all know how that goes here.

Does anyone believe that politicians, VIPs, hi-so figures etc. will ever accept that their children failed an exam, didn't get into the school / university of choice or failed to graduate ? There are always ways around everything and those with a name, position, wealth and so on live in a world where rules, requirements etc. apply to others but not them and every system has those only too happy to help out.

[worgeordie]

Just make it auction style,highest bidders get in,after all,like

most things in Thailand it all boils down to money.

regards Worgeordie

[SABloke]

I have mixed feelings. The article states a good point, all these tests draw students away from their school studies. BUT, I understand the schools point of view. Education here is at such a level that if the University wants decent students they must have evidence that their prospective students can keep up academically. They cannot trust marks coming from the high schools, and I believe a singular standardized test will soon be corrupted just as all centralized things are in Thailand.

Maybe they should think about instilling some accountability into the system. Sorry, that last sentence is just crazy talk.

I agree that that universities can't trust the scores coming from schoolos, but the entrance exams should at least be based on the curriculum that is taught in M6 - this would give students that did well of they own accord, the chance to prove that they weren't just "given" their school certificate. The current system is really unfair as the tests contain questions about topics that you only study if you go to the school that teaches that specific entrance exam. My niece went to uni 3 years ago - she did well at school and works very hard. Her parents, however, couldn't afford to pay for extra classes hence she ended up at a Rajabhat Uni in the sticks.

[SOTIRIOS]

...zero standards...high enrollment.....so many 'skilled' and 'qualified' 'graduates' to come......(...basically the 'no-fail system' to a new level...) ..it will look good on paper....

[Spare]

Uni should be allowed to choose who every they want to be admitted. Sexy one and lady boys included.

[Jesse123]

The Unis make loads of money from these phoney entrance exams. Thousands of kids paying 800 baht and only a handful of places on offer. Cannot see them giving up this source of finance.

[mmh8]

its this that upsets me, in the west we dumbed down education from a relativly good level to............ well a lower level, Thailand should not be following this method to improve scores in preparation for asean. some body needs to explain there are better parts to emulate, in fact singapore would be a good start for emulation

[Stradavarius37]

I work at a music faculty of a public (autonomous) university. We do direct exams to our faculty. There are 75 other universities in Thailand offering music - no way to assess this discipline via standardized test. Non starter for us, at least.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

Edited November 18, 2013 by Stradavarius37

[pacovl46]

Well, I think they should be allowed to have their own entrance tests. That way they can weed out all the losers right away and universities can spend their resources and teachers their time on students that first of all have the necessary skill level and secondly are actually willing to study. There's so many non-performers out there who just clog up classrooms and are basically a waste of space!

[cup-O-coffee]

Why not cut to the chase and simply put each vacancy at each university up on e-Bay and have done with the charade?

EDIT:

Just make it auction style,highest bidders get in,after all,like

most things in Thailand it all boils down to money.

regards Worgeordie

worgeordie, you said it before I did, and I did not see your post. Credit this idea to you.

Edited November 18, 2013 by cup-O-coffee

[JRSoul]

Perhaps if government schools abandoned their policy of everyone passes, unis wouldn't need entrance exams. While hopeless aspirants do pay fees, they have to be provided with expensive facilities.

No, if the government would stop promoting Bangkok ONLY Bangkok as the norm for higher education, students wouldn't have to travel all the way to Bangkok ONLY Bangkok just to receive a supposed higher status education. Secondly, getting rid of multir choice questions that don't encourage critical thinking is only a pipe dream, which the rich fat elite would never allow in order to preserve their own saving face..,

There are universities all over Thailand, often outside major cities. There is one between SakNak and NakPhanom, another outside Hat Yai called Thaksin Uni (no relation). I vaguely remember another between Sukhothai and P'lock

Edited November 18, 2013 by JRSoul

[liddelljohn]

The old problem of everyone passing secondary school exams is begining to dissapear at the better Government sponsored EP program schools ,, I have seen EP programs with 30 vacancies only accept students with the required pass rates and skills even if the program does not fill all available places ,,,this happens at my daughter school of 25 places only 17 were filled even though 93 children took the application .The result is unparralled excellence for the remaining students ,foreign language skills have improves as have science and maths and anylitical skills , the univerities have noticed that new entrants from the Government EP program are real acheivers and not the usual drones either .

This seed change supported by the government is having a real impact , many well to do Thais are removing kids from Expensive International programs if the kids can pass onto one of the new rigourous EP programs ,money does not help get access they have to do it on merit thats a real improvement ....

It only helps 10-15% of secondry school kids but it is a success and maybe will help thailand to change in the future .

[razer]

Chaturon said of entrance testing "That's why educational reform is not a success," Not true.

In 2010, the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) commissioned the first national exam to test secondary teachers in their own subjects. A passing score was 59%. The results were that 88% of 3,973 teachers who specialize in computer sciences failed, 86% of 2,846 math teachers failed in math, 84% of 5,498 science teachers failed physics, and 71% of 3,487 chemistry teachers failed chemistry. (Bangkok Post 8 June 2010)

[hammered]

This will be one of the best changes in Thai education if it can be enforced by the government. The university bureaucracies will not like this at all. The direct entrance directly hinders anyone without money.

[Spare]

The old problem of everyone passing secondary school exams is begining to dissapear at the better Government sponsored EP program schools ,, I have seen EP programs with 30 vacancies only accept students with the required pass rates and skills even if the program does not fill all available places ,,,this happens at my daughter school of 25 places only 17 were filled even though 93 children took the application .The result is unparralled excellence for the remaining students ,foreign language skills have improves as have science and maths and anylitical skills , the univerities have noticed that new entrants from the Government EP program are real acheivers and not the usual drones either .

This seed change supported by the government is having a real impact , many well to do Thais are removing kids from Expensive International programs if the kids can pass onto one of the new rigourous EP programs ,money does not help get access they have to do it on merit thats a real improvement ....

It only helps 10-15% of secondry school kids but it is a success and maybe will help thailand to change in the future .

Most EP program are a rip off.

Many of the teachers are from places like Philippines, India, and worst black African countries.

[hammered]

The old problem of everyone passing secondary school exams is begining to dissapear at the better Government sponsored EP program schools ,, I have seen EP programs with 30 vacancies only accept students with the required pass rates and skills even if the program does not fill all available places ,,,this happens at my daughter school of 25 places only 17 were filled even though 93 children took the application .The result is unparralled excellence for the remaining students ,foreign language skills have improves as have science and maths and anylitical skills , the univerities have noticed that new entrants from the Government EP program are real acheivers and not the usual drones either .

This seed change supported by the government is having a real impact , many well to do Thais are removing kids from Expensive International programs if the kids can pass onto one of the new rigourous EP programs ,money does not help get access they have to do it on merit thats a real improvement ....

It only helps 10-15% of secondry school kids but it is a success and maybe will help thailand to change in the future .

Most EP program are a rip off.

Many of the teachers are from places like Philippines, India, and worst black African countries.

Nothing like a bit of racial stereotyping, eh? There may just be good teachers from the places you mention, and they may be working in schools in Thailand.

[Spare]

The old problem of everyone passing secondary school exams is begining to dissapear at the better Government sponsored EP program schools ,, I have seen EP programs with 30 vacancies only accept students with the required pass rates and skills even if the program does not fill all available places ,,,this happens at my daughter school of 25 places only 17 were filled even though 93 children took the application .The result is unparralled excellence for the remaining students ,foreign language skills have improves as have science and maths and anylitical skills , the univerities have noticed that new entrants from the Government EP program are real acheivers and not the usual drones either .

This seed change supported by the government is having a real impact , many well to do Thais are removing kids from Expensive International programs if the kids can pass onto one of the new rigourous EP programs ,money does not help get access they have to do it on merit thats a real improvement ....

It only helps 10-15% of secondry school kids but it is a success and maybe will help thailand to change in the future .

Most EP program are a rip off.

Many of the teachers are from places like Philippines, India, and worst black African countries.

Nothing like a bit of racial stereotyping, eh? There may just be good teachers from the places you mention, and they may be working in schools in Thailand.

Not stereotyping. Just go to see school like ISB, Bangkok Patana, Shrewsbury, etc, I bet you that there is ZERO black teacher? Coincident or by designed?

Go to see EP program like Sarasas etc, most of the teachers are Black & Brown. Again coincident or by designed?

[saakura]

Perhaps if government schools abandoned their policy of everyone passes, unis wouldn't need entrance exams. While hopeless aspirants do pay fees, they have to be provided with expensive facilities.

No, if the government would stop promoting Bangkok ONLY Bangkok as the norm for higher education, students wouldn't have to travel all the way to Bangkok ONLY Bangkok just to receive a supposed higher status education. Secondly, getting rid of multir choice questions that don't encourage critical thinking is only a pipe dream, which the rich fat elite would never allow in order to preserve their own saving face..,

Khon Kaen University, Chiang Mai University, Prince of Songkhla University are some of the equally good universities and i know a lot of Bangkok residents who have studied in these universities and doing quite well in their careers.

[saakura]

The old problem of everyone passing secondary school exams is begining to dissapear at the better Government sponsored EP program schools ,, I have seen EP programs with 30 vacancies only accept students with the required pass rates and skills even if the program does not fill all available places ,,,this happens at my daughter school of 25 places only 17 were filled even though 93 children took the application .The result is unparralled excellence for the remaining students ,foreign language skills have improves as have science and maths and anylitical skills , the univerities have noticed that new entrants from the Government EP program are real acheivers and not the usual drones either .

This seed change supported by the government is having a real impact , many well to do Thais are removing kids from Expensive International programs if the kids can pass onto one of the new rigourous EP programs ,money does not help get access they have to do it on merit thats a real improvement ....

It only helps 10-15% of secondry school kids but it is a success and maybe will help thailand to change in the future .

Most EP program are a rip off.

Many of the teachers are from places like Philippines, India, and worst black African countries.

Nothing like a bit of racial stereotyping, eh? There may just be good teachers from the places you mention, and they may be working in schools in Thailand.

Not stereotyping. Just go to see school like ISB, Bangkok Patana, Shrewsbury, etc, I bet you that there is ZERO black teacher? Coincident or by designed?

Go to see EP program like Sarasas etc, most of the teachers are Black & Brown. Again coincident or by designed?

I agree, in top notch international schools as mentioned above, there seems to be a definite bias against employing persons of asian or african origin, even if they are fully qualified from western universities. A person (thai) sitting on the board of one of these schools mentioned to me that thai parents paying huge fees fill up with pride when they see lots of white skin teaching staff, even if they are not as qualified. School will lose business if they employed brown or black skin, irrespective of their abilities.

[thaicbr]

The old problem of everyone passing secondary school exams is begining to dissapear at the better Government sponsored EP program schools ,, I have seen EP programs with 30 vacancies only accept students with the required pass rates and skills even if the program does not fill all available places ,,,this happens at my daughter school of 25 places only 17 were filled even though 93 children took the application .The result is unparralled excellence for the remaining students ,foreign language skills have improves as have science and maths and anylitical skills , the univerities have noticed that new entrants from the Government EP program are real acheivers and not the usual drones either .

This seed change supported by the government is having a real impact , many well to do Thais are removing kids from Expensive International programs if the kids can pass onto one of the new rigourous EP programs ,money does not help get access they have to do it on merit thats a real improvement ....

It only helps 10-15% of secondry school kids but it is a success and maybe will help thailand to change in the future .

Most EP program are a rip off.

Many of the teachers are from places like Philippines, India, and worst black African countries.

Nothing like a bit of racial stereotyping, eh? There may just be good teachers from the places you mention, and they may be working in schools in Thailand.

Not stereotyping. Just go to see school like ISB, Bangkok Patana, Shrewsbury, etc, I bet you that there is ZERO black teacher? Coincident or by designed?

Go to see EP program like Sarasas etc, most of the teachers are Black & Brown. Again coincident or by designed?

Yes. it is by design. The EP programs are not International schools charging International school FEE's. So it boils down to costs.

And to say MOST teachers are black or brown... REALLY!

In my schools EP program we have Thai, Filipino, Caucasion, Black/ African and Chinese. Nothing wrong with that and nothing wrong with Immersion in different accents from around the world.

My friend is at a Sarasas with a similar mix. He is a white American PE teacher (a good one).

Being white does not make you a good teacher. same as being brown or black makes you a bad one.

[belg]

scrapping entrance exams?

why not giving everybody a grade A++ for just attending ?

even students that underwent 4 years of english can barely make a descent sentence ?

doubts ? look at the PM's thaiglish

[thaicbr]

scrapping entrance exams?

 

why not giving everybody a grade A++ for just attending ?

 

even students that underwent 4 years of english can barely make a descent sentence ?

 

doubts ? look at the PM's  thaiglish

 

 

They are not scrapping all the exams. Just the individual university exams. A prospective university student might need to take 3 or 4.

Sent from my phone with the app thingy.

[billd766]

The old problem of everyone passing secondary school exams is begining to dissapear at the better Government sponsored EP program schools ,, I have seen EP programs with 30 vacancies only accept students with the required pass rates and skills even if the program does not fill all available places ,,,this happens at my daughter school of 25 places only 17 were filled even though 93 children took the application .The result is unparralled excellence for the remaining students ,foreign language skills have improves as have science and maths and anylitical skills , the univerities have noticed that new entrants from the Government EP program are real acheivers and not the usual drones either .

This seed change supported by the government is having a real impact , many well to do Thais are removing kids from Expensive International programs if the kids can pass onto one of the new rigourous EP programs ,money does not help get access they have to do it on merit thats a real improvement ....

It only helps 10-15% of secondry school kids but it is a success and maybe will help thailand to change in the future .

Most EP program are a rip off.

Many of the teachers are from places like Philippines, India, and worst black African countries.

Nothing like a bit of racial stereotyping, eh? There may just be good teachers from the places you mention, and they may be working in schools in Thailand.

Not stereotyping. Just go to see school like ISB, Bangkok Patana, Shrewsbury, etc, I bet you that there is ZERO black teacher? Coincident or by designed?

Go to see EP program like Sarasas etc, most of the teachers are Black & Brown. Again coincident or by designed?

Strangely enough to you but Bangkok is NOT the only place in Thailand with an EP and foreign teachers.

Most provincial cities have one or two and yes at my sons school in Khampaeng Phet they have Filipinno teachers, also English (one of them is black but still English) Scottish and a couple of other nationalities too.

My son is in a class or 23 and is in the top 20%.

How did you do at school learning foreign languages?