Thailand Eyes UN Human Rights Council Seat with Optimism

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Investigation into school's 'help' for students in O-NET
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- AN INTERNAL inquiry by the National Institute of Educational Testing Service is underway into allegations that an observer taking part in the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) at a school on Saturday was ordered by executives of that school to hint answers to students.

Responding to the issue, which became known via a web-board post, NIETS director Assoc Prof Sampan Panpurk said yesterday he would not comment further until initial findings into the allegation were known, but insisted on NIETS' policy to prevent exam cheating and corruption.

The issue emerged from a post by a man who said his girlfriend, acting as an observer of the nationwide O-NET test at an unnamed school, was called to a meeting where the director and a few seniors asked her "for a favour" in the maths exam at the sixth grade level, because students at the school were very weak academically.

"This request was made from up above," the teachers were quoted as telling the woman, according to her boyfriend's post. The man said his girlfriend was pressured and later agreed to comply, and that she noticed that many students were still unable to read comprehensively. She later took notes on what really happened in her report. The students admitted to her that teachers hinted answers to a few questions in the exam, but after she talked with others in the afternoon, they told her that answers to some questions were hinted for all five subjects, said the man.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Investigation-into-schools-help-for-students-in-O--30253163.html


-- The Nation 2015-02-02

[KIWIBATCH]

.....typical thai exam process.....cheating.......

[samsensam]

heresay and gossip.

quality thai journalism. a journalist not prepared to do one iota of investigation or fact checking.

[KIWIBATCH]

....so the man's gf was "pressured"......... so what sort of pressure are we talking about?....firing squad?.......

Why couldn't the "man's gf" have simply refused the request......gutless?

So now we have another bunch of thai students who have "passed" the ONET exam...when in fact they failed

About sums up the Thai education system doesn't it

[Johnnie99]

Whole new business opportunity!

Let's examine every school where this happens!

How many schools are there in Thailand? I feel a definite bank-account-increase coming soon!

[WitawatWatawit]

The real victims here are the students. It's bloody sad. Whatever happens as a result of this inquiry, I hope the students are not forgotten. If there's any justice, they will be given extra assistence - a team from the Ed Min should counsel them, assess their academic standard, offer intensive catch-up courses and generally steer them in the direction of earning exam rewards on merit. Then use the whole exercise as an example to the rest of the ed system that there is a right way with appropriate rewards and punishment.

[Lupatria]

.....typical thai exam process.....cheating.......

It maybe just a preparation to get used to the procedures of the police entry exams.

[Anthony5]

Anyone seen LostinIsaan around lately ?

[thailand49]

The usual, push them along! forget the students just worry about keeping the system in tack.

[laolover88]

Yes!! My step daughter was told by her teacher that all the students from her school should 'help' each other as ONET was not about testing the students but testing the school! Also please see my post about Mathayom1 in Schools! !please

[Bangkok Barry]

The real victims here are the students. It's bloody sad. Whatever happens as a result of this inquiry, I hope the students are not forgotten. If there's any justice, they will be given extra assistence - a team from the Ed Min should counsel them, assess their academic standard, offer intensive catch-up courses and generally steer them in the direction of earning exam rewards on merit. Then use the whole exercise as an example to the rest of the ed system that there is a right way with appropriate rewards and punishment.

Funny. You forget this is Thailand.

[Jonmarleesco]

Ordered her? So the school was paying her fee/salary? In which case, conflict of interest comes to mind. Or she was paid by the education department, in which case the school was in no position to order her to do anything.

[Scott]

I've not heard of them 'hinting'. Usually the answers are just given.

It's a part of preparing students to be a part of a culture where who you know is more important than what you know.

Deference to power is extremely important.

[casualbiker]

My school had been doing pre o-net testing from Tuesday last week. The kids today said that this years test format was totally different than the previous years and they didn't have a clue what was required! Dunno exactly what they meant. But going on past tests that I've seen it's actually the testing agency that need a swift hefty kick up the arse!

[lostinisaan]

Anyone seen LostinIsaan around lately ?

Yep. He had a serious fight with "Sirchai" about the meaning of life regarding somebody's wife. He's still lost in Isaan and didn't get what he was looking for.

[Kf6vci]

Oh yeah? How come that schools offer special O-Net courses?!?

They need to improve those damn tests - those I saw were simply terrible. Here is something a NES can show them how this is done.

But then, it's by being Thai that some sense of superiority is derived from?

No logic, no tricks, no attempt at cleverness. Just let students show that they understand something!