OBEC to quickly whip up plans to improve Thailand's education system

[oneday]

Not one thing mentioned in this article will improve education except for the mention of, "...analytic skills...".

[soalbundy]

Not one thing mentioned in this article will improve education except for the mention of, "...analytic skills...".

And that will fall by the way side because the teachers aren't capable of it,unless behind closed doors.

[culicine]

using the schools for social engineering and religious brainwash is very wrong. The should focus on Mathematic, Reading, Writing, Physics Languages etc etc

True, but every school in every country socially engineers it's young. I distinctly remember doing a whole unit in school on "The Australian Identity" ...same thing I don't think Thailand is unique in this regard.

I did hear a speaker at my school mentioning an "Asean Curriculum" That would be a nice face saver for LoS, and may give some consistency across the Asean region. Perhaps we will get lucky and we will formally get to use the Singaporean based (British) curriculum....but out students would need to also adopt their work ethic too....that's the hard bit!

[Seastallion]

instilling patriotism

Once again, I am overjoyed to have got my children out of the Thai system. What is it with making nationalism or patriotism a priority in education.

nationalism or patriotism means that you feel superior......Odd concept in a school

Maybe they are following the American model....The pledge of allegiance recited, salute the flag or hand on heart etc.......and the American model includes religion too; "One nation under God....".

[Jim walker]

No sense in educating them to a high international standards who will be left to do all the manual work in Thailand all they will want to do then is go to university and become a MP or a military general or major in the army, honesty morality religious tolerance of others should be taught at home not in class.

[Thakkar]

"...OBEC would focus on sharpening students analytic skills...as well as religious principles"

There's a conundrum. If they succeeded in one, they'd fail in the other because quite a few religious principles are, once properly analyzed, untenable.

T

[Fullstop]

Maths is far from Ok.

I've lost count of the number of times a Thai has used a calculator to add something as simple as 100 Baht plus 110 Baht.

(...and it wasn't a case of getting a display of the price up for a Farang ... that's a topic for another thread!)

I've lost count of the number of times .....

Maybe I need a calculator too.

Edited July 2, 2014 by Fullstop

[Pundi6446]

"raising the educational measurement tests to an international standard."

Oh! Dear.... NASA we have a problem....

Edit: Then again, international standard can mean anything; Laotian standard perhaps?

Now come on... It'd take decades for Thailand to get their English speaking standards up to the level of Laos... And they were never even an English colony... Keep the poor dumb, then you can fully exploit them...

This is the whole crutch of the political scene, rich, and poor, sort of rings a bell doesn't it?

[soalbundy]

Maths is far from Ok.

I've lost count of the number of times a Thai has used a calculator to add something as simple as 100 Baht plus 110 Baht.

(...and it wasn't a case of getting a display of the price up for a Farang ... that's a topic for another thread!)

I've lost count of the number of times .....

Maybe I need a calculator too.

In a bar once ( or was it twice ) the cashier said 380 Baht please, i gave her 500,she got out her calculator,before she could use it i said 120. How do you know that she asked surprised ( she checked on her calculator to see if i was right ) her friend next to her said,he's a farang,they know things like that, i thought she was taking the piss at first but she was deadly serious.

[northernjohn]

Not one thing mentioned in this article will improve education except for the mention of, "...analytic skills...".

Read the whole article

[soalbundy]

Not one thing mentioned in this article will improve education except for the mention of, "...analytic skills...".

Read the whole article

you read his post properly. He knows 'analytic skills was mentioned.

[bangon04]

Love the photo in the OP. 3 staff for 30 kids. That is the sort of teacher:pupil ratio which will make Thai education a world class hub!

Wonder why they didn't think of it before.....

[mok199]

thai history,patriotism,love of the monarchy,religious studies...keep them in the bubble,with a ''new and improved''form of brainwashing...

[Chris Lawrence]

I found this a bit confusing as one breath it is said ‘with a focus on instilling morality codes and analytic skills in students’, then ‘Mr. Kamol said curriculum improvements would mainly cover the subjects of history and civil duties’. They need to give a description of what is meant by ‘civil duty’?

Justice, honour, integrity, decent human beings, goodness, virtue, empathy, principles, standards and good orderly behaviour are some good ingredients to civil duty.

How are these habits and patterns developed? Traditions, customs and values need to be learn't and passed on. The norms and mores of current society are not what they want to be teaching. When you look at current events happening in Thai society, its hard to see what the definition of 'civil duty' is?

Many Thais have a generous and outgoing nature, but society has its issues with the judicial system, a caste system relegating the poor to be the water buffalo's, paternalistic view, corruption works with enough money, past karmic debts sent one to a permanent level of society, and individualism is rewarded to the determent of helping others.

I hope they do develop these standards as it can help latter in life. I think most of the young kids know what is right and wrong, but its growing up in an environment that says it is OK to cut corners that causes the problems?

Do you think they will develop the context of how political power can be abused and the need to be a good citizen?

[atlbravosfan]

Anyone who has faith in OBEC has never taught in a Thai government school. They are a joke and they have no idea how to improve education. The only thing they know are 'buzzwords' like 'global citizen,' 'life-long learner,' and 'technology' (the last one is part of their SMART goal - and that is the extent of the understanding).

[pjmansions]

Quickly implement ...........................This is half the problem things getting rushed through to quickly

[Surasak]

 

You know when there is something wrong in the education system when the girl at the counter needs a calculator to figure the change for an 85 baht pack of smokes and you hand her a hundred baht note.

 

Also the look of complete confusion when given 105Baht for the same 85Baht purchase.

[Alwyn]

Let's whip up a plan to improve education! More smoke and mirrors. whipping up a plan (assuming it a good plan...) and then the implementation of this plan are two very different things. The teachers will still be the same teachers and expecting them to implement changes they have not been educated in is farcical. The teachers studied for a few years on a system that hasn't really changed in decades and have been teaching that system for how ever many years. Old dog - new tricks? Don't think so.

[englishoak]

You cant "whip up a quick plan" for education here, not in a system that is so out of date and corrupt as it is.

This will only make them dumber more brainwashed and indoctrinated if thats possible. . They are already parrot fashion repeat after me and dont think for yourselves schooled..

I feel sorry for the kids, they dont have a clue how bad an education they are getting.

[belg]

new educational GADGETS; do not fix a broken system

nor does it stimulate students to want to learn (more than the daily crap they are fed)

[bronco10250]

instilling patriotism

Because they have nothing else to be proud of?

Once again, I am overjoyed to have got my children out of the Thai system. What is it with making nationalism or patriotism a priority in education.

[duanebigsby]

Holding students accountable for their work would be one place to start helping the education system here. 100% passing of every student no matter how little he or she has done--or capable of doing--makes a mockery of education here.

Agreed , biggest problem here.

There is a serious lack of discipline in Thai classrooms because of the no-fail policy.

Class sizes especially for conversational English is also a huge issue. The school system seems to have more focus on the activities, pomp, and ceremony than on academics. School can be fun and entertaining but that's not it's focus.

It will take a few generations to fix, but time to start now.

[ggt]

How about doing away with beating the sxxt out of children for starters...there must be less brutal forms of punishment which would be acceptable to the teaching institution and parents...climb out of the middle-ages...no more flogging and burning at the stake...

[bronco10250]

It seems to me that the priorities for the education system that have emanated from this meeting, are geared toward pleasing the powers that be, rather than improving education standards to the level required in this century.

I'm sad to this. It's the second time in a week that announcements from public officials seem to be geared to please the powers that be, rather than suit the objectives of the particular body concerned. The first was the proposals from TAT for a new advirtising campaign that included a slogan that was pretty blatantly aimed to please their bosses, rather than appeal to potential tourists. Now this education proposal seems to be inwardly focused on nationalism.

I just hope the powers that be can see through the BS and quickly get public officials to address real issues, rather than sit back and enjoy/encourage the sucking up that seems to be going on.

I'd prefer that my daughter speaking English properly be a priority.

As an aside, it wasn't long ago that every pronouncement by public officials contained a reference to be ready for ASEAN. These days it all seems to be about nationalism/patriotism. I guess ASEAN doesn't matter any more?

Well said, nothing to add! You are so true!

[duanebigsby]

You know when there is something wrong in the education system when the girl at the counter needs a calculator to figure the change for an 85 baht pack of smokes and you hand her a hundred baht note.

No one back home in the West can count change back properly either.

All use the till calculator and tell you your change

Not restricted to here.

[antsrule]

using the schools for social engineering and religious brainwash is very wrong. The should focus on Mathematic, Reading, Writing, Physics Languages etc etc

Correct, how do you improve skeptical and critical thinking in a society that does not allow it? Without them analytical thinking turns into rationalisation. If you want world class scientists you must start with students who can say "Why?" AND "I don't believe you"

[city]

A true story...One hot day I was waiting in a bus shelter, in Nong Khai, when some student passengers came to join me. You know how they love to practice their English, so I played along. Amongst the usually statement was.."Thailand No.1" with which the youth rolled up his sleeve to boastfully show his Thailand tattoo, spelt "Tailand". Did not have the heart to tell him but after several emotional Thailand No.1 chants, with fist clenching I had to say something..."Thailand No.1.....at what" . Silence uh!. Trying to explain thru football (not No.1), anyway several trys later they started to get the gist..that they were not No.1 at anything that mattered. It really p1ssed on their chips to discover some truth.

Now I dont blame these students, I think we all blame the system and what is being proposed is more reinforcement of "the 3 legged stool" (religion, the flag and...) because they fear that if one leg should fall off, just like a stool, everything will collapse. Welcome to Victorian times Thailand

[bronco10250]

morality codes?

Yes. Really.

I used to teach this subject in a Thai Elementary school. Yes, I'm a westerner. I started to ask why they didn't have a Thai do it...and then shrugged and got on with it.

It's Thai morality, so it's stuff like;

You should listen to your older siblings and do what they say because they know what is best for you.

You should keep your community clean.

You should always stoop when you walk by people that are sitting.

Make offerings to the monks on alms rounds.

Always love and praise the monarchy.

You get the idea.

Thanx for your remarks. However, i hope you do/did exactly the opposite of that during your classes :-)

And please introduce some european ethics as well... your pupil's parents will be offended, but the kids will remember you as avantgarde 20 years from now on!

[bronco10250]

morality codes?

Yes. Really.

I used to teach this subject in a Thai Elementary school. Yes, I'm a westerner. I started to ask why they didn't have a Thai do it...and then shrugged and got on with it.

It's Thai morality, so it's stuff like;

You should listen to your older siblings and do what they say because they know what is best for you.

You should keep your community clean.

You should always stoop when you walk by people that are sitting.

Make offerings to the monks on alms rounds.

Always love and praise the monarchy.

You get the idea.

Thanx for your remarks. However, i hope you do/did exactly the opposite of that during your classes :-)

And please introduce some european ethics as well... your pupil's parents will be offended, but the kids will remember you as avantgarde 20 years from now on!

[ronthai]

Just could NOT read it, not even finished the first OP post.

It does not need BIG changes,

Start with BIG BIG BIG BIG and more changes, like getting the teachers back to school, that would be an important SMALL change.

Can anybody show their girl/guy a world map and ask her/him to show where Thailand is.

Now that would be a real good survey in TIT or IMTSIKB (I Am Thai So I Know Better)