Thai govt - Free-education coupons part of new agenda for the young

[webfact]

Free-education coupons part of new agenda for the young
THE NATION

THE GOVERNMENT will change its budget allocation policy for education, from providing per-head subsidies to schools and universities, to new criteria focusing on areas where schools are located, and the standard of students.

Officials said the per-head subsidy meant the budget was being distributed unfairly and inadequately to schools that had fewer students than others.

Under the new plans, students and general members of the public would be entitled to education, both inside school or through off-campus training, using education coupons to be provided free or at low cost at later stages.

The government's new policy will include providing alternative or vocational training along with mainstream education. It is aimed at enabling more people to develop themselves to full potential in various aspects of education, apart from classroom lectures. This would mean the country's entire workforce would be capable of greater ranges of skills to work in the agriculture, industrial and service sectors.

The government will also promote decentralisation of education management to local administrative bodies - to communities, private operators or members of the general public - while giving them greater independence by granting them authority as legal entities.

Officials said development of teacher quality and changes to curriculum on a student-centred basis would be further encouraged and promoted, while evaluation criteria would give more weight to conditions of improvement in schools' performance and qualities of learners.

Elderly people will also get support through the building of more facilities and homes to deal with Thailand's ageing society by making activities available to them, along with improving government funding for aged-care projects.

On other social issues, intensive suppression will be carried out to combat human trafficking, child or forced prostitution, forced street begging and illegal entry of foreigners.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/politics/Free-education-coupons-part-of-new-agenda-for-the--30243005.html

-- The Nation 2014-09-11

[greenchair]

So no more English teachers then.

[Rykbanlor]

The government will also promote decentralisation of education management to local administrative bodies - to communities, private operators or members of the general public - while giving them greater independence by granting them authority as legal entities.

This seems a little vague. Members of the public? Private operators? Bring on the further misappropriation of funds then.

[mikecat]

So no more English teachers then.

Why?

Silly observation.

[belg]

need to go to school so many years to work the land or do a robot like job in a factory ?

[Dah fahrang]

THE GOVERNMENT will change its budget allocation policy for education, from providing per-head subsidies to schools and universities, to new criteria focusing on areas where schools are located, and the standard of students.

Officials said the per-head subsidy meant the budget was being distributed unfairly and inadequately to schools that had fewer students than others.

What a farce. The 'per-head' subsidy to schools and universities means money follows students.

Thus, those good or popular schools and universities successfully attracting more students gain more funding.

What clearly is being proposed is to direct funds to schools (via local tetsabaan/ tambon management organisations) irrespective of student numbers - ie; there will be a per school allocation of funds, no matter how many students they have registered.

What is not clear, (or perhaps is being deliberately obfuscated), is the operability of the criterion for determining the 'Baht per School' allocation. long standing weak and failing schools which have seen annual falling enrolments, leaving them with small, uneconomic numbers of students and disproportionate numbers of under-employed teachers, will now gain more funding to continue on their ruinous path of failing the students.

Then, who will judge the standard of the students, and by what criteria will students be assessed? And, ultimately, to whom are these assessors accountable?

[greenchair]

So no more English teachers then.

Why?

Silly observation.

[greenchair]

Well no not silly. Intensive suppression of illegal foreigners. I take that to mean foreigners on tourist visas working as teachers. or foreigners teaching with no degree or work permit. Since at my best guess, more than half of English teachers operate this way out of necessity. I image there would be far fewer teachers.