Thailand: New basic education core curricula to be piloted in 2016

[webfact]

New basic education core curricula to be piloted in 2016

BANGKOK, 18 December 2014 (NNT) – The Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) is looking to pilot its new core curriculum for basic education in 2016, before schools nationwide adopt it the following year.

Kamol Rodklai, secretary-general of the OBEC, said that the new core curriculum will be a major revamp of the one in use now. According to her, the B.E. 2551 core curriculum has been in use for six years and it is time to make adjustments to suit the social changes that have taken place since and also to support the goal of producing the type of human resources the country needs.

The OBEC will evaluate the pros and cons of the present curriculum, the curricula used by other countries as well as the draft of the basic education curriculum earlier studied by Mr. Phawit Thong-rot, a former secretary to the minister of education.

According to Mr. Kamol, the new core curriculum will place greater emphasis on local culture and way of life.


-- NNT 2014-12-18

[webfact]

OBEC to pilot new school curriculum that focus Thai folk culture in 2016



BANGKOK: -- The new school curriculum which gives emphasis on Thai folk culture and way of life will be introduced to schools nationwide for use in 2016.

According to Mr Kamol Rodklai, secretary-general of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), educational authorities were looking to pilot the new curriculum for basic education in 2016, before schools nationwide adopt it the following year.

He said that the new curriculum would totally revamp the one in use now.

He said the B.E. 2551 core curriculum has been in use for six years and it is time to make adjustments to suit the social changes that have taken place since and also to support the goal of producing the type of human resources the country needs.

He said OBEC will evaluate the pros and cons of the present curriculum, the curricula used by other countries as well as the draft of the basic education curriculum earlier studied by a former secretary to the minister of education Mr Phawit Thong-rot.

According to him, the new core curriculum will place greater emphasis on local culture and way of life.

(Photo : Thai PBS File)

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/obec-pilot-new-school-curriculum-focus-thai-folk-culture-2016


-- Thai PBS 2014-12-18

[JoePai]

to support the goal of producing the type of human resources the country needs. Good so far but then they screw it up by saying : will place greater emphasis on local culture and way of life

Why on earth not stick to the 3 R's !

[Tatsujin]

The new school curriculum which gives emphasis on Thai folk culture and way of life will be introduced to schools nationwide for use in 2016.

Yup, that's really gonna prepare Thai's well to work in the real world outside of Thailand.

[lostinisaan]

According to Mr. Kamol, the new core curriculum will place greater emphasis on local culture and the life of Brian, as Monty Python's Flying Circus should be taken as a good example regarding the educational circus. Aeeh system.

[zaphod reborn]

I spent my first three years in Thailand teaching and was fortunate to have taught at one of the better government schools. The last thing the core education curriculum needs is more Thai culture classes. The students have at least one Thai culture class every semester. Important subjects like world history, geography, civics, and literature are almost completely left out of the equation. It's no wonder that most Thais cannot read maps, do not understand how their own government works, and prefer comic books to real literature. Of course, teaching these subjects would be difficult, because almost no Thai teachers are capable of putting together a course on these subjects.

[Scott]

Apparently it is time to re-write history again.

[NeverSure]

They forgot to mention more trips to a Wat for more Buddhist Appreciation Weeks. (Seriously they do at a school I know very well near Sisaket.)

They forgot to mention teaching kids to plant and harvest rice on school property. (Seriously they do at a school I know very well near Sisaket.)

[oldsailor35]

to support the goal of producing the type of human resources the country needs. Good so far but then they screw it up by saying : will place greater emphasis on local culture and way of life

Why on earth not stick to the 3 R's !

About to be revamped by the very people who learned under the present system. To be genuine, they should look overseas and copy something from there , but i guess no other country teaches HRH and Buddha first and foremost.

[JungleBoy2]

I guess the English Teachers will still be stuck doing a hapless job. Not much satisfaction

for a true teaching Professional. Failing students who don't care will probably still be pushed on to the next Grade.

No one is held back and the students know that--- Sooooo, Who Cares?

[Lupatria]

The new school curriculum which gives emphasis on Thai folk culture and way of life will be introduced to schools nationwide for use in 2016.

Yup, that's really gonna prepare Thai's well to work in the real world outside of Thailand.

...and just in time to take the helm of ASEAN.

[Tatsujin]

The new school curriculum which gives emphasis on Thai folk culture and way of life will be introduced to schools nationwide for use in 2016.

Yup, that's really gonna prepare Thai's well to work in the real world outside of Thailand.

...and just in time to take the helm of ASEAN.

I guess their goal will be to educate the rest of the world/ASEAN in understanding Thai's and "Thainess" so that they don't actually have to change or improve anything here, simply continue to state that we don't understand them, because as we all know, there is no world outside Thailand (apparently).

[Squeegee]

Windmills of the blind.

Nevermind, there's a storm coming.

[razer]

In 2010, the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) commissioned the first national exam to test secondary teachers in their own subjects. A passing score was 59%. The results were that 88% of 3,973 teachers who specialize in computer sciences failed, 86% of 2,846 math teachers failed in math, 84% of 5,498 science teachers failed physics, and 71% of 3,487 chemistry teachers failed chemistry. (Bangkok Post 8 June 2010)

I think OBEC may be putting the cart before the horse.

[sead]

Im not complaining about their education system. Makes me stand out and feel smart when i mingle When i meet adults its like im with my children when they were age 8.

Edited December 18, 2014 by sead

[janpoo]

HAHAHA, Thailand and education. Where does education start? AT HOME. Doesn't matter what kind of curriculum.

[Benmart]

"According to him, the new core curriculum will place greater emphasis on local culture and way of life".

That's good and certainly nothing wrong with that IMO.

However, when competing with the rest of the world, the graduating students should have additional, comprehensive and relevant skills other than local culture and way of life.

[rickirs]

"The OBEC will evaluate the pros and cons of the present curriculum, the curricula used by other countries ..."

What's the point?

"According to Mr. Kamol, the new core curriculum will place greater emphasis on local culture and way of life.

Here we will have the excuse again with the "Thailand has never been conquered nor made a colony" excuse for not expanding its educational, cultural, and social foundations beyond its own mindset to compete with the rest of the world. When one looks at other Asian nations who have suffered extreme upheavals in their socio-economic foundations through defeat, internal and external war, and colonization (Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and South Korea), you find a more vigorous and sustainable society.

The Junta should be honest with the ASEAN Community and putout the sign "No Vacancy." Thailand will be the Hub of Thailand and become known as the Turtle of Asia.

[Galangal]

If the intention behind these changes is to undo the damage of UNESCO's (new world order ala communist) Common Core Standards, then I say Bravo for Thailand. The country, its people and culture are unique and should stay that way. The rest of the world should learn to respect the sovereignty of other states.

[if, however, this is the ramping up of Common Core, then I feel sorry for Thailand and the future of its children and teachers. South African education has been radically undermined since 1994 - by design - first with OBE to destroy the old and then with the 'new' Common Core foreign-inspired rubbish that was forced into our schools and is producing simpletons amidst an increasingly robotised teaching environment. Common Core doesn't educate kids; it TRAINS them.]

[bangon04]

Im not complaining about their education system. Makes me stand out and feel smart when i mingle When i meet adults its like im with my children when they were age 8.

"it is time to make adjustments to suit the social changes that have taken place since and also to support the goal of producing the type of human resources the country needs."

yes it appears government policy is aiming to produce more adults with a grade 3 education to keep up the supply of subsistence farmers, maids, security guards and taxi drivers. Too many foreigners are taking over these vital jobs and salaries.

Meanwhile the rich and powerful continue to send their kids overseas for education.

Edited December 19, 2014 by bangon04

[farangmick]

...producing the type of human resources the country needs.

So that will be docile, poorly educated peasants to work on the land and in the factories of the small, rich minority then for subsistence wages. I thought the current curriculum already did this. This country could almost turn me into a socialist.