Obec obeys junta on four key education policies

[webfact]

Obec obeys junta on four key education policies
Supinda Na Mahachai
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- THE OFFICE of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) is implementing the National Council for Peace and Order's four key policies for education, while a Bt504-billion budget is reportedly planned for the Education Ministry for the 2015 fiscal year.

Obec chief Kamol Rodklai said the policy to revamp the school curriculum so that 21st-century Thais were inculcated with desirable characteristics including being patriotic and united would materialise via extraction of history and civic duty out of the "Social Studies, Religion, and Culture" subject group.

He said the second policy, which related to the development of information technology for education, had resulted in the One Tablet per Child scheme being replaced with the "smart classrooms" scheme.

The budget-allocation shift would allow Obec to build between 15,000 and 18,000 smart classrooms.

The agency has also submitted new project details to the NCPO's psychological and social affairs panel.

Kamol said Obec would expand the long-distance learning transmitted from Wang Klaikangwon School in Hua Hin to all schools ahead of His Majesty the King's birthday on December 5.

Under the third policy to narrow gaps in the quality of education, he said Obec would elevate each school's quality and promote foreign-language learning and boost national academic performances, especially in the Ordinary National Educational Test.

The fourth policy to improve education administrations included a per-head subsidy adjustment.

As Obec's long-term mission is for education reform, he said the Education Ministry would soon set up a national committee to produce an education blueprint and Obec would establish a panel to work with it.

Meanwhile, Education Ministry permanent secretary Suthasri Wongsamarn said the Bt504-billion budget - approved by the NCPO's psychological and social affairs committee - was a 4.5-per-cent increase on the previous budget.

She said the budget's framework provided more money for Obec - Bt311.7 billion (up 1.5 per cent) - the Office of the Vocational Education Commission - Bt21.1 billion (up 1.6 per cent) - and the Office of the Higher Education Commission - Bt122.65 billion (up 18.02 per cent).

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Obec-obeys-junta-on-four-key-education-policies-30237481.html


-- The Nation 2014-07-01

[Stradavarius37]

Teacher training and retraining is the only thing that will make a different - everything else is just mouth farts from old f#ckers.

[PungShoeWrote]

On the foreign teachers blogs, many, many English teachers are talking about walking. Sick of this visa <deleted> and the shitee pay and corruption. English Thai teachers who can't string a sentence together unless it is a negative statement about how you teach.

The only reason they want foreign teachers here is so they can all collect Tea Money from the top to the bottom.

Let the Filipinos teach here. Native English Teachers think very carefully, is this place worth it?

[laurenrebecca]

On the foreign teachers blogs, many, many English teachers are talking about walking. Sick of this visa <deleted> and the shitee pay and corruption. English Thai teachers who can't string a sentence together unless it is a negative statement about how you teach.

The only reason they want foreign teachers here is so they can all collect Tea Money from the top to the bottom.

Let the Filipinos teach here. Native English Teachers think very carefully, is this place worth it?

Yes, many foreign teachers are thinking about walking. Many already have. My school is losing one this week. But it is because of the stricter requirements being placed on teachers to be here...from having the correct visa to obtaining the teaching license.

I myself will be in limbo when my teaching license expires in about 2 years. Even though I have been teaching here for almost 3 years at the same school, the test for licensure is no longer offered for foreigners, so the only course is via a degree in education or current licensure from another country - neither of which I currently have.

It's not all about tea money. Some schools, sure. These are also the same schools that are losing all of their teachers because the school will not get the appropriate visa and work permit for their teachers, or they are not really teachers at all and cannot get the relevant paperwork together.

For many of the schools, the teachers are legitimate, but it is getting harder to find the quality because of the lower pay. I am not Filipino, I am American. I do live in a VERY rural place (There are hill tribe villagers in my school), and the pay is ok...nothing great, but more than enough to exist here and save $200-300 per month without budgeting. I could not live in CM or BKK on my pay, but if I lived there I would demand higher pay.

Where I am, it is an extremely poor community, with more than 80% of the population subsistence farmers. It is very difficult for parents to come up with the THB600 per term to have the foreign teachers here (2 American and 1 Filipino), but the education their kids get will put them in a MUCH better place when it comes time for them to enter the workforce. This is true of many schools that are doing things right.

Yes, this place is ABSOLUTELY worth it. Most teachers do not teach for the pay; I certainly do not. I do it for that "light bulb effect" - when kids eyes light up when they figure something out....that's what the teaching is all about - not the money. If I wanted to make money I would have gone into IT or politics or big business. In fact, before I came here, I was in big business in the USA at a major home improvement retailer making some awesome money...but had no life outside of work and massive stress 24/7.

I'll take the lower paycheck and the "Mai Bpen Rai" attitude as I spend my weekends doing anything I want to - which usually includes an afternoon in the hammock sipping a cold Leo.

Don't assume everyone is looking to make a buck or pad their pockets....many times it is quite the opposite. Yes, it is difficult to remain legal here, but if you do it right and try to do the right thing, you will find that people are quite accommodating...and I have never padded a pocket for any reason at all.

[wandasloan]

The approved budget for education for the 2014 fiscal year was 460,075.2 million baht, i.e. 460 billion. And now they go to 504 billion. And that, according to the educators is a 4.5% increase.

heh.

That sure says a lot.

Obec's long-term mission is for education reform...

Well, isn't that precious? You want to see some change? Rub a lamp.

.

Edited July 1, 2014 by wandasloan

[Yooyung]

Is this place worth it? For me, it is...For others that dont have ties here like I do, then I can see that things could be getting all a little too complicated. If I was to arrive here now, as I did as a 26 year old all those years ago, the new requirements would probably have me thinking of going elsewhere. As it stands I am happy living here, I have a beautiful, down to earth intelligent wife and a lovely son that is now pretty much fluent in Thai and English. I will hang on for a while but think I will sign up for a Masters in Ed course...take it slow and take my chances. If this whole scenario continues I may be one of an ever decreasing pool of native speakers that is able to legally stay here. I am not expecting my salary to change a massive amount, but I do expect and increase if I have a bl**dy Masters degree!

I feel genuinelly sorry for those that are hanging on here by a thread. Thailand stands to lose a load of teachers that may not have a Masters Degree BUT have some sort of degree....a TEFL and experience. A native speaker with a degree from the west, who is commited to doing a good job is worth more than all this malarky....but TIT. The Thais will, as usual realise that the whole thing wasnt such a good idea...when its too late. I expect that things will change YET AGAIN in a while.

Good luck to all

Edited July 1, 2014 by Yooyung

[tingtongteesood]

Maybe they should also add some classes on democracy, what it is, how it works and why it hasn't worked here in the past, so that when a ''democracy'' is implemented again the kids can grow up knowing about it so that when they reach voting age they will hopefully remember something useful. Maybe the school kids can then educate their parents on this too..

[Thai at Heart]

Obec chief Kamol Rodklai said the policy to revamp the school curriculum so that 21st-century Thais were inculcated with desirable characteristics including being patriotic and united would materialise via extraction of history and civic duty out of the "Social Studies, Religion, and Culture" subject group.

I am so wondrously over the moon I have removed my children from the monstrosity that is Thai education.

[Emster23]

"21st-century Thais were inculcated brainwashed with desirable characteristics including being patriotic and united would materialise via extraction distortion & omission of history and civic duty out of the "Social Studies, Religion, and Culture" subject group." My ex went to special school for very bright. Asked her what they taught about WWII: "America very bad for dropping atomic bombs on Japan" was about it.

Regarding license from home country: I was teacher in USA, have masters, had license which had to be renewed every few years in my state. Not a "national" license. Part of renewing was evidence of where had been teaching. I wonder if listing teaching in some village in Thailand would pass muster....

Thailand cries out for English teachers (seemingly) but then builds so many barriers to doing so. I would like to do unpaid volunteer teaching part time for fun, no pay. Considering hoops have to jump through, I would rather put time into getting a date with Angelina Jolie. And more likely to get that than volunteer teaching position.

[sirchai]

On the foreign teachers blogs, many, many English teachers are talking about walking. Sick of this visa <deleted> and the shitee pay and corruption. English Thai teachers who can't string a sentence together unless it is a negative statement about how you teach.

The only reason they want foreign teachers here is so they can all collect Tea Money from the top to the bottom.

Let the Filipinos teach here. Native English Teachers think very carefully, is this place worth it?

Yes, many foreign teachers are thinking about walking. Many already have. My school is losing one this week. But it is because of the stricter requirements being placed on teachers to be here...from having the correct visa to obtaining the teaching license.

I myself will be in limbo when my teaching license expires in about 2 years. Even though I have been teaching here for almost 3 years at the same school, the test for licensure is no longer offered for foreigners, so the only course is via a degree in education or current licensure from another country - neither of which I currently have.

It's not all about tea money. Some schools, sure. These are also the same schools that are losing all of their teachers because the school will not get the appropriate visa and work permit for their teachers, or they are not really teachers at all and cannot get the relevant paperwork together.

For many of the schools, the teachers are legitimate, but it is getting harder to find the quality because of the lower pay. I am not Filipino, I am American. I do live in a VERY rural place (There are hill tribe villagers in my school), and the pay is ok...nothing great, but more than enough to exist here and save $200-300 per month without budgeting. I could not live in CM or BKK on my pay, but if I lived there I would demand higher pay.

Where I am, it is an extremely poor community, with more than 80% of the population subsistence farmers. It is very difficult for parents to come up with the THB600 per term to have the foreign teachers here (2 American and 1 Filipino), but the education their kids get will put them in a MUCH better place when it comes time for them to enter the workforce. This is true of many schools that are doing things right.

Yes, this place is ABSOLUTELY worth it. Most teachers do not teach for the pay; I certainly do not. I do it for that "light bulb effect" - when kids eyes light up when they figure something out....that's what the teaching is all about - not the money. If I wanted to make money I would have gone into IT or politics or big business. In fact, before I came here, I was in big business in the USA at a major home improvement retailer making some awesome money...but had no life outside of work and massive stress 24/7.

I'll take the lower paycheck and the "Mai Bpen Rai" attitude as I spend my weekends doing anything I want to - which usually includes an afternoon in the hammock sipping a cold Leo.

Don't assume everyone is looking to make a buck or pad their pockets....many times it is quite the opposite. Yes, it is difficult to remain legal here, but if you do it right and try to do the right thing, you will find that people are quite accommodating...and I have never padded a pocket for any reason at all.

A great post, indeed. In my opinion, they must change quite a few things, as they’ll never get native English speakers, with an educational degree, working for that money. In Nakhon Meilouteenai.

Yep, it’s true that not all foreigners here are only in for the money; the kids’ feedback gives me more than my salary can buy. Okay, we all need money to feed a family, to be able to eat decent food from time to time and having a car with gasoline in my tank for most of the time means something to me.

I’m not a Filipino either. I’m from Germany who grew up bilingual, using English and German from early childhood on, because of the same reason why so many Filipinos here are employed as English teachers. The Western part of my country was occupied by American GI’s.

Unfortunately, I’m not from a less developed country than Thailand and I do not send money to any relatives, which is changing the situation immensely.

Finally, yes, if I want to make a lot of money, I’d go to Germany. But neither do I like the weather, nor the circumstances living there anymore. Agree with you and sipping a cold Archa, or Leo from time to time, can’t do any damage.

And yes, it does get more and more difficult these days to be here legally, but the pros outweigh the contras.

If that's getting worse, then there has to be a change of location.

Edited July 1, 2014 by sirchai

[rickirs]

Promoting foreign-language learning, especially english, may cause more patriotic harm than intended when one becomes exposed to pro-human rights and pro-democracy foreign publications that are currently banned in Thailand even from VIEW in the public. Patriotic history, songs, and posters may be fun to enjoy but people will ultimately put more patriotic faith in a vibrant democratic free society that respects individual human rights.

[traveldog]

Lauren and Yooyung make some great comments and I can relate. I am old and will be retiring soon but also say it is well worth teaching at my school. I enjoy it immensely and get on my good days far more from my students than I could ever imagine. I taught for years in the US and it just doesn't compare. Yeah the system sucks but there are good people at my school and lucky for me they do value my contributions. I am saddened by the yearly exodus of decent teachers to greener/easier pastures and can't blame them for leaving....but the continuity of the teaching really suffers doesn't it? No matter where you teach if you are in it just for the financials I doubt you will be satisfied, maybe more so here.

I don't really know what the nuts and bolts of the reform will mean but in the past it didn't really mean much that actually helped. I could teach forever if they made it easier to teach, allowed legal part time work etc...but that will not happen. Oh well. For those that are staying to teach I commend you for doing your best under sometimes daunting circumstances. Good luck.

[Longtooth]

I sadly agree with, and understand everything posted above. It's too bad. Just to throw one in from left field..... Do Chinese teachers speak the same words, but in Chinese, on the Chinese teachers' web forum? It's probably very difficult to teach any child not to be so self focused. If humans are now "global beings", we should have global awareness. Our "spaceship" is getting very crowded.

[WonnabeBiker]

Really? Oh yeah! How come that some of my classroms' technology cannot be used?

Just bought speakers and some cycnch audio cables. 60 Baht items in some cases... And then there are countless students with neither I-Pads nor internet access. So what good will "smart classrooms" bring when there are few students with I-Pads?!?

Keeping the existing technology in working condition would be a giant leap forward. just my 2 cents