Cut in class hours on the backburner during revamp: Thai education

[webfact]

Cut in class hours on the backburner during revamp
Supinda na Mahachai
The Nation

Content of new curricula undecided

BANGKOK: -- THE OFFICE of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) is preparing to draw up new curricula for schools across the country.

However, unlike efforts for the curricula revamp during the past few years, these fresh efforts do not have a main goal of reducing students' class hours.

"We have to determine the content of the curricula before we can decide on class-hour structure," Obec secretary general Kamol Rodklai said yesterday.

Before the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) came to power in May, the Education Ministry had engaged in efforts to significantly reduce class hours so that students have more time to learn other skills from extra-curricular activities. The ministry then also pointed out that students in several other countries performed better academically even though they had less time in class.

At a press conference yesterday, Kamol did not mention those efforts. He only explained that it was time to draw up the new curricula because school-class content should respond to changing social conditions.

"Society has higher expectations of the country's educational services," he said, "Also, we need to update the content to boost students' quality."

Kamol said a subcommittee on academics and curricula development is working closely with Obec to lay down the principles and framework of the new curricula. Dr Art-ong Jumsai chairs this subcommittee.

He could not say at this point whether the new curricula would reduce class hours.

"But in drafting the new curricula, we will address problems reported during the implementation of the 2008 curricula such as too much homework," he added.

On the educational front, Obec has also been responding to the NCPO's policy for schools to teach History and Civic Duty as separate subjects.

Kamol said Obec was preparing to publish books on these subjects.

"We will also provide related training to 1,206 master teachers for secondary educational level classes in September and October," he said.

He said History and Civic Duty could be taught as separate subjects from the second semester of this year.

Suchart Wongsuwan, who is in charge of preparing the Civic Duty subject for classes, said students in primary and junior secondary education level would be required to study Civic Duty for 20 hours per semester.

"For students in senior secondary educational level, they have to study the subject for 80 hours in three years," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Cut-in-class-hours-on-the-backburner-during-revamp-30241860.html


-- The Nation 2014-08-27

[hotsoup]

Don't hold your breath! Civic Duty? How about training teachers in their 'civic duty' to actually either teach or at least provide 'hands on' facilitation of student learning? How about Performance targets for teachers, curricula expressed in terms of learning outcomes and quality assessment of schools? You can fiddle with the curriculum for eternity

[timber]

They keep talking about reducing or changing class hours. One of the keys to learning or teaching is receptivity. The students should be treated as customers and you will not sell anything if the delivery is boring. Playing a video you don't understand in class is boring. Sitting in the back of the room while the smart kids talk about something you don't under stand is boring. A kid in grade 2, who listens to the teacher talk for ten minutes is bored. Bored students don't learn.

Teachers have been taught to be boring. Spice up the teaching. There is loads of information and skilled people out there for ideas. Get a buy in by the teachers to make things less boring. In a class of 60 students in grade 2, have the smarter students teach groups of poorer students colours for ten or fifteen minutes. Change is a stimulant. Do something. Doesn't cost, isn't hard, just need some ideas, not tablets.

[webfact]

Adjustments to be made to contents in history and civic duties subjects at school

BANGKOK, 27 August 2014 (NNT) – The Office of the Basic Education Commission has given a green light for schools to make adjustments to school hours and the contents in the history and civic duties subjects.

According to OBEC Secretary-General Kamon Rotkhlai, the adjustments will allow the curricula to better accommodate changes being brought about as Thailand integrates into the ASEAN Economic Community.

School hours will be reduced, and class hours will be determined by school executives as well as the homeroom teachers. Nonetheless, students at the elementary level are required to have no less than 1,000 class hours per year.

Those in Mathayom 1-3 are required to have at least 1,200 hours per year, and students in Mathayom 4-6 are required to have at least 1,600 hours per year.

The adjusted contents for the elementary level's history and civic duties subjects will be put into use in the second semester of education year 2014.


-- NNT 2014-08-27

[JesseFrank]

So are they gonna replace some of the history "facts" with the truth ?

[Mango Bob]

I hope they teach them something about WW2 in Europe and Hitler war crimes.

[Gandtee]

It would seem that teaching history doesn't have many benefits. People who come into power don't seem to have learnt anything from it.

[belg]

teach the kids some manners, respect, how to handle money & sex education

[BigBadGeordie]

So are they gonna replace some of the history "facts" with the truth ?

Doubt that very much!

[BigBadGeordie]

teach the kids some manners, respect, how to handle money & sex education

They same to OK when they hit 20something, respect, yes, money, now, or, no sex,

Or is that just Pattaya?

[Pomthai]

Adjustments to be made to contents in history and civic duties subjects at school

BANGKOK, 27 August 2014 (NNT) – The Office of the Basic Education Commission has given a green light for schools to make adjustments to school hours and the contents in the history and civic duties subjects.

According to OBEC Secretary-General Kamon Rotkhlai, the adjustments will allow the curricula to better accommodate changes being brought about as Thailand integrates into the ASEAN Economic Community.

School hours will be reduced, and class hours will be determined by school executives as well as the homeroom teachers. Nonetheless, students at the elementary level are required to have no less than 1,000 class hours per year.

Those in Mathayom 1-3 are required to have at least 1,200 hours per year, and students in Mathayom 4-6 are required to have at least 1,600 hours per year.

The adjusted contents for the elementary level's history and civic duties subjects will be put into use in the second semester of education year 2014.

-- NNT 2014-08-27

Why do these students need to do so many hours?

Taking the 1,600 hours per year example above, most schools are closed for weekends (104 days a year) all public Holidays (13 days minimum) plus two months March and April plus about a month in October (90 days).

This leaves a total of 158 days give or take. 1600hours / 158days = 10.12 hours a day. Thats just class, not lunch or breaks.

The whole system is broken. It'd be laughable if the problem wasn't such a serious one.

Edited August 27, 2014 by Pomthai

[attrayant]

Ten periods a day! What the heck are they studying? If I remember my time in grades 6-12, the core subjects were math, science, civics and English. Then we got to pick two electives which were something like foreign language, art, music, wood shop, home economics or one of several trades. A full day was six periods + lunch + home room (which was short, perhaps 20 minutes).

I can understand Thai students being under a bit more pressure since English and Thai are both required subjects... But ten periods? What are the other required subjects?

[Cpkt8]

The Ministry of Education should also consider the welfare of the teachers. Having to handle so many children every day, they can get physically and mentally strained. If for example, making compulsory for all teachers to go for a meditation retreat once every year. I'm sure the students will be able to get quality teaching as well.