90% failure rate in mid term exam

[davidst01]

I teach at a low class govt uni and we conducted the mid term exams over a month ago. Today I was chatting with a few Thai teachers about the results and several of them mentioned that they had 90% failure rates. I politely asked if their exams were set too hard. They said no blah blah blah

I had around 20% of students failing on 2 of my subjects and 10% on a another one. The policy at our uni is to allow a re-test- with a view to passing them all. Essentially I've been told by management that most students will pass no matter what. This is why I don't understand the high failure rates. I realise that its to scare them and pull them into line but it seems crazy

One of my students recently was sitting up the back not taking notice of my lesson. When I asked him why he wasn't writing down the answers he said ''We are all going to pass anyway''

I've been told that if I do fail a student I would have to provide evidence and present it to management at the Deans office. I would like to fail that guy for obvious reasons.

If you work at a University in LOS and care to make comment on any of the above I would appreciate it if you can acknowledge receipt of contents herein.

many thanks

[inbangkok]

Just because the teachers told you that there was a 90% fail rate in regards to the exams in no way means 90% of students will be failing the course. Rarely do students fail courses in Thailand no matter how low there final percentage is. They are simply passed on. Grade inflation is rampant here. This is true in the lower grades and universities. Virtually no one fails out of university in Thailand as long as they show up to class once in a while and at least take the tests.

Unfortunately, your student knows the system and how it works. You cannot really blame him. He knows that he will be graduating simply for the fact he sits in the back of your class each day.

Edited December 3, 2014 by inbangkok

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

[BritManToo]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

[kaorop]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

also soul destroying if you care even a vague amount about the students and your own work standards.

[BritManToo]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

also soul destroying if you care even a vague amount about the students and your own work standards.

You're in Thailand, there are no standards, everyone passes everything.

Just smile a lot and go through the motions, like everyone else.

Makes life much easier.

[lostinisaan]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

also soul destroying if you care even a vague amount about the students and your own work standards.

But if you don't go with the flow, you might find yourself outside the door. Sooner, or later.-

[lostinisaan]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

also soul destroying if you care even a vague amount about the students and your own work standards.

You're in Thailand, there are no standards, everyone passes everything.

Just smile a lot and go through the motions, like everyone else.

Makes life much easier.

Also called: " Jai Jenn.=

[Torrens54]

I hate to ask, is it the same with Medical Degrees here?

Have a bad feeling, it might be the case.

[farang000999]

lol

[Bakeman]

I have only seen test failures and near failures in International Master Degree programs but again retests were given. Even though I believe you are correct in wanting foreign educational comparisons you were hired to teach not to judge the system. If the Dean doesn't care then it is on their head not yours.

Grab your check and say what the heck.

CHOK DEE!

[NamKAheng]

I have only seen test failures and near failures in International Master Degree programs but again retests were given. Even though I believe you are correct in wanting foreign educational comparisons you were hired to teach not to judge the system. If the Dean doesn't care then it is on their head not yours.

Grab your check and say what the heck.

CHOK DEE!

I hope the next graduate is not your future doctor or A380 pilot ......

[cgphuket]

I worked for a while at Stamford University in Bangkok.. Was refreshing that pass/fail was up to the teacher, based on grades. Never once got asked by management to change an F to another grade. Of course, the school is not Thai owned...

[culicine]

I hate to ask, is it the same with Medical Degrees here?

Have a bad feeling, it might be the case.

Board exams stop them at the door. The same goes for nurses. Nurses have a large number of board exams that must be passed before they can be registered at a nurse. However, after graduation, they can still work as a nurse until the exams are passed. Nut until that time they are not 'in the system'. Not sure about doctors though. Many of my best students have qualified for medicine. They would have also been top students back home in a western school also. I do wonder about the quality of some of the courses here, though.

[ezzra]

So.... no Thai noble laureates any time soon than?

[culicine]

I have only seen test failures and near failures in International Master Degree programs but again retests were given. Even though I believe you are correct in wanting foreign educational comparisons you were hired to teach not to judge the system. If the Dean doesn't care then it is on their head not yours.

Grab your check and say what the heck.

CHOK DEE!

Have you ever seen a Dean or other administrator here taking the blame for anything? I've been here 14 years and have always had the sense that responsibility always falls with the teacher. This is true to some extent, but it is admin and the system that allows students to pass through the system learning very little. Schools in Thailand have no interest in under-achieving students and are just dragged along with everyone else. Classroom differentiation? You will NEVER see that here. Everyone is treated same same.

[BudRight]

Everyone's a winner.

[mogo51]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

You obviously are NOT a teacher thahkfully. This member was merely expressing disappointment at the system. My gf is also a teacher an like this gentleman cares about her students. She is often dismayed at the attitude of the Education System here. Of course she cant change it but it does not stop her from being disappointed.

Your comment is rather mindless and does nothing to contribute to the topic

[SOTIRIOS]

......don't you already know.....???

[pacovl46]

Well, the no-failure policy did its job! Here's how it works, they conduct the tests and grade them. That's how they know the failure rate, but all the students who fail will be given minimum grades, so they can advance to the next level and everyone can keep their face. Case closed.

If you're unhappy with the situation at your school/class because obviously the students are aware of what's going on and abuse it, I suggest looking for a school that lets you teach grade A students. Schools in Thailand often separate the good students from the bad ones, and the difference is quite dramatic.

I used to teach at a school that had 11 classes per level while I was there. The students in M1/1 and 1/2 were already waiting in line to hand in their homework when I got into the classroom, whereas the students in all classes above /5 needed 10 minutes on average to even notice that I had entered the room.

Needless to say, teaching them was an absolute waste of time. Out of the +50 students per class maybe 2 did their homework on average. Trying to change that got me into trouble and staying there would've meant to sacrifice my integrity, so I left.

Teaching in Thailand can be great fun or a nightmare, depending on the quality of your students. The best experience I've made by far so far was teaching Kindergarten. They're the easisest crowd you could possibly have and so much fun. The downside is, due to their young age you're limited to flashcards, games, songs etc. which can get boring after a few years because it's so repetitive. The alternative would be to teach adults because they're there because they want to study which makes a huge difference. Their skill level is usually also much higher, so you can do a lot more with them.

Edited December 4, 2014 by pacovl46

[kaorop]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

also soul destroying if you care even a vague amount about the students and your own work standards.

But if you don't go with the flow, you might find yourself outside the door. Sooner, or later.-

walked out of my own volition, with very little desire to return unless the conditions personally suit

maybe you can ignore,

the corruption going on around you, while they try every way to minimize your income

the all show and no go front face, with children out doing school maintenance, marching practice, band practice, sports week practice and week, special day dance presentations practice and day, march around the town day, scout days, bark at the moon day, etc, etc,that amount to huge numbers of classes missed during a year, yep means you dont do anything much those days, but to me they interrupt a curriculum review and flow

some of the thai admin and teachers who resent farang, and have no problem showing it

the lack of resources, classroom in disrepair and penny pinching

the mostly complete lack of concern for the students and the future of this country

get in while the gettings good.

im free of dependents that force many to accept the above and have no choice but to bend over in a big reverse wai and take it up the clacker.

Edited December 4, 2014 by kaorop

[Saan]

I hate to ask, is it the same with Medical Degrees here?

Have a bad feeling, it might be the case.

Board exams stop them at the door. The same goes for nurses. Nurses have a large number of board exams that must be passed before they can be registered at a nurse. However, after graduation, they can still work as a nurse until the exams are passed. Nut until that time they are not 'in the system'. Not sure about doctors though. Many of my best students have qualified for medicine. They would have also been top students back home in a western school also. I do wonder about the quality of some of the courses here, though.

Because of uncertainty about how degrees are obtained I only use doctors in Thailand that have post graduate training overseas. My eye specialist has a Masters from John Hopkins which impresses me.

[brubakertx]

Thailand education system is a joke! One of my students who failed my final exam, could not even read Thai, even though he was in M4 level M4=Sophomore high school level. I still had to pass him.

[lostmebike]

As your student sitting up the back hinted at ... everyone passes anyway! Why bother??

I have been teaching here for years, government, private, uni, language schools bla bla... the system is set up to fail.

The 'poo yais' gain respect and wealth while the kids suffer.

Educating ... my a**!

[lostmebike]

You get paid, you pass them all.

It's an easy system to work with.

also soul destroying if you care even a vague amount about the students and your own work standards.

You're in Thailand, there are no standards, everyone passes everything.

Just smile a lot and go through the motions, like everyone else.

Makes life much easier.

I agree with you BritMan, just take the money and smile.

You're right about another thing too ... the system does make life easier ... aint it sad though?

[Kasset Tak]

I have seen the same all the way from primary schools up to teaching in two universities. Only schools where it has been OK for me to fail students where in vocational colleges. In my current school I don't even get to grade the students, I give a score to the dean of foreign language department... Last time all students with a score lower than 50% all where given grade 1 by the school!

[rickirs]

It will be interesting to see if the ASEAN Community rollout in 2015 brings a flood of neighboring country university students into Thailand universities and how they might react to Thailand's educational standards. If the percpetion is that Thailand is no better (or worse) than their own country's standards, they will move quickly to better educational systems that have real international standing if they expect a higher degree will be meaningful.

[GarryP]

It is quite clear that a lot of posters do not know what they are talking about and painting all government universities with the same brush. You will find that the open universities here, Ramkamhaeng and Sukhothai, have very high failure rates. Failure means failure, and you do not graduate. On the law course at Ram the failure rate is up near 70 percent. That is, 70 percent of students who sign up on the law degree course do not graduate in law. Just one example. So saying everyone will graduate is a crock of Sh*t.

[AlQaholic]

Lolls Loyce..........Pretty much sums up the Thai school system.....

[MusV]

You want a 100% pass score ...

Just adapt the lessons, worksheets and tests to the student. with the lowest level in the class

OR

curve the exam and assign grades ... easy for you and may be, not only "the" students will thank you ...