PM Prayut tells Superboard to create '2020 educational vision' master plan

[webfact]

PM tells Superboard to create '2020 educational vision' master plan
SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI,
CHULARAT SAENGPASSA
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- PRIME MINISTER Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday instructed the Education Superboard, established during this transition period, yesterday assigned a team to formulate a master plan for education reform from 2015-20 by studying South Korea, Singapore and Finland.

Deputy Education Minister Krissanapong Kirtikara said Prayut had secretaries-general at five educational agencies exchange work progress and discuss ideas at the Education Superboard meeting at Government House.

Prayut then instructed the Office of National Economic and Social Development Board, which serves as the Education Superboard's secretariat, to join with the Education Council Office in coming up with the master plan and short-, mid- and long-term action plans for the next five years. The short-term ones are expected to meet the current fiscal year time frame.

Suthasri Wongsaman, permanent secretary at the Education Ministry, said the premier also said the "2020 educational vision" master plan should draw on the models of Singapore, South Korea and Finland in eight aspects.

They are educational policy, educational management system, education ministry structure, public participation in educational management, teacher and education personnel development, assessment, educational budget management and other interesting areas.

Superboard given too much power

The Education Ministry's education reform coordinating committee has asked for the draft bill regarding the National Reform Council (NRC)'s Superboard to be reviewed.

This was because the committee on the education policy and national human development bill gave too much power to the Superboard, especially the power to transfer senior officials at the ministry and to approve budgets, said Education Minister Narong Pipatanasai, who also serves as chairman of the coordinating committee.

Prapapat Niyom, secretary of the NRC's education reform committee, who had also attended the coordinating committee's meeting on Wednesday, told The Nation |that she was ready to amend the |parts addressed by the coordinating committee. However, the bill would ensure manpower and budget decentralisation, she said.

The draft would be tabled at Monday's meeting of NRC's education reform committee for further steps towards implementation.

The authority of the 21-strong Superboard - which will be chaired by the prime minister and was established according to the constitution - covered policymaking and teacher development. It would set education management decentralisation policies that focused on money allocations to educational service areas.

The 30-plus article bill would enable schools to choose teachers while education management would be handled by schools and educational service areas.

The Education Ministry would act only as the "regulator". "We will not touch personnel transfers," she said.

The agencies that implemented policies framed by the Superboard could face punishment if they failed to complete them within the given timeframe, she added.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/PM-tells-Superboard-to-create-2020-educational-vis-30256378.html


-- The Nation 2015-03-20

[Chris Lawrence]

The essence of education hinges first and foremost on the traditional values of Buddhism, respect for the king, the monkhood, the teachers, and the family (in that order) through the rote method. Whilst indisputably very noble, these features are the main hurdle to the implementation of modern educational methodology and the development of a more engaging approach to communication while also retaining Thai cultural values.

Students are not encouraged to develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Teachers will avoid introducing dialogue into the classroom or eliciting response from the students; to give a wrong answer would be to lose face in the presence of one's peers, a situation that in Thai culture must always be avoided.

The General also wants the "12 Values" implemented into the Thai syllabus. State agencies have also produced a poem, song, and 12-part film based on the teachings.

The Super-board is to take over the role of the Education Ministry?

Sounds like some dangerous reforms for students in Thailand.

Critical thinking and developing not only the minds but also the challenging of moral application of students is very important in a child’s development. A good education system will also challenge the political process. These areas may be missed with the new regime' education model.

I don't know the model or what is in it, but one can only think of what the regime' plans may be.

Just a side thought to this is how will they implement a new education model down south? The current model has caused a lot of problems in that area.

[NongKhaiKid]

Does the junta intended to be around to see the master plan through to 2020 ?

[Thaddeus]

Other countries have educational systems that work, why not follow them?

(don't bother, it's a rhetorical question)

Thailand: Reinventing the wheel.

[greenchair]

How do they manage to say so much?

And yet, say nothing at all !!!!

[smutcakes]

Sounds like some nice trips to South Korea, Singapore and autumnal Finland coming up.

Does anyone know who is on this 'Superboard' and what qualifications either Govt or Private they have to take up this role?

[JOC]

>>he General also wants the "12 Values" implemented into the Thai syllabus. State agencies have also produced a poem, song, and 12-part film based on the teachings<<Quote

Moving Thailand forward by implementing a system, that belongs in the last century? (I am being polite!)

Finland?? Together with Thailand probably among the worst English-speakers in the world!! Makes sense.

Dear general, time to return to the barracks before you screw it up for the next generation!! (too)

[Rykbanlor]

How do they manage to say so much?

And yet, say nothing at all !!!!

Right?

A new reform every other year, without accomplishing anything. If the Thai education department was a 16 year old studying for exams, it would be the kind that spent weeks making colourful study schedules, alphabetised learning points, pictorial study aids, and then realised that the exam was tomorrow and they still had their thumb inserted up their bum and no more clue than when they started.

[Emster23]

Enough planning already! Another excuse not to DO anything now.

[SoilSpoil]

Must be a spelling error in this article: 2020 should be 3020.

[smutcakes]

Nearly 10 months into the 'reform' and the sum total of education reform, one of the critical areas where reform is required, the extent of the reform is that a 'Superboard' has been set up and they have been asked to submit a master plan on reform!

Its as if they are not really serious about reform at all........ well who would of thought it!!!

[LuckyLew]

Other countries have educational systems that work, why not follow them?

(don't bother, it's a rhetorical question)

Thailand: Reinventing the wheel.

That would be why he instructed them to look at South Korea, Singapore and Finland

Until they change the education system here Thailand will continue to lag behind

They need to stop turning out little submissive robots who do as told

[MaxLee]

Brain washing master plan of 2020,....

.... welcome to the 21st century, where old-fashioned teachers are unnecessary....

[z42]

A good start would be to actually just create a level of accountability for students, teachers, departmental heads, and head teachers.

The current system doesn't really hold anybody accountable for abject failure or otherwise. There is no carrot and no stick to speak of in Thailand. The system is ugly because there are too many cultural tendencies that simply prohibit effective learning from happening.

A superboard however super can't do anything if it can't evn acknowledge that it is cultural and societal norms which are holding the whole process back in the dark ages

[scorecard]

"The Education Ministry's education reform coordinating committee has asked for the draft bill regarding the National Reform Council (NRC)'s Superboard to be reviewed.

This was because the committee on the education policy and national human development bill gave too much power to the Superboard, especially the power to transfer senior officials at the ministry and to approve budgets, said Education Minister Narong Pipatanasai, who also serves as chairman of the coordinating committee."

Simple answer - make the superboard even more powerful and demand a personal daily progress report from every one of these foot draggers who have dragged Thai education into a total disgrace.

If their daily progress is unsatisfactory remove them completely.

Unless there is some very stern action they will continue to block every attempt at education reform. They must not be allowed to continue to do this.

[horisize]

step ~1. Comprehend that the terms "school" and "education" are mutually exclusive terms.

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Nearly 10 months into the 'reform' and the sum total of education reform, one of the critical areas where reform is required, the extent of the reform is that a 'Superboard' has been set up and they have been asked to submit a master plan on reform!

Its as if they are not really serious about reform at all........ well who would of thought it!!!

Read a bit more about the several attempts over the last 20 years to get serious changes in education.

What will dominate is the total roadblocks installed again and again by the senior people in the Ed. ministry.

They have just totally ignore all instructions from the various PMs and Ed. ministers ministers and totally refuse to change.

Enough. They must not be allowed to block again.

In fact I wonder whether there are any people inside the education ministry who are really capable of starting such a study with an open mind and professionally studying the education systems / methods etc., used in Singapore, Korea, and Finland (probably the three best in the world).

If the current people inside the ed. ministry are incapable of doing this or simply refuse to listen then there is a strong case to get an outside board which starts with a much more open mind to do the study and formulate some recommendation, but quickly.

[DM07]

Aha...a "Master- Plan"...as in "the plan of the master"!

[smutcakes]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Nearly 10 months into the 'reform' and the sum total of education reform, one of the critical areas where reform is required, the extent of the reform is that a 'Superboard' has been set up and they have been asked to submit a master plan on reform!

Its as if they are not really serious about reform at all........ well who would of thought it!!!

Read a bit more about the several attempts over the last 20 years to get serious changes in education.

What will dominate is the total roadblocks installed again and again by the senior people in the Ed. ministry.

They have just totally ignore all instructions from the various PMs and Ed. ministers ministers and totally refuse to change.

Enough. They must not be allowed to block again.

In fact I wonder whether there are any people inside the education ministry who are really capable of starting such a study with an open mind and professionally studying the education systems / methods etc., used in Singapore, Korea, and Finland (probably the three best in the world).

If the current people inside the ed. ministry are incapable of doing this or simply refuse to listen then there is a strong case to get an outside board which starts with a much more open mind to do the study and formulate some recommendation, but quickly.

To be fair, i don't really care about a superboard, if they get the job done that's great. However we are 10 months in to reform and absolutely zero has happened. They need to remember that this is probably the one and only chance of reform, when they have ultimate power, no opposition and can do what they want, when they want. If they are facing road blocks by senior people in the Ed Ministry, just remove them as they did with Narong.

As with everything here though, i am sure the people appointed to the Superboard, or positions of trust, will be old fashioned and up to their neck in conflicts of interests etc, to what is currently in place- and as such will be unwilling, or unable to make the tough decisions.

[empireboy]

The essence of education hinges first and foremost on the traditional values of Buddhism, respect for the king, the monkhood, the teachers, and the family (in that order) through the rote method. Whilst indisputably very noble, these features are the main hurdle to the implementation of modern educational methodology and the development of a more engaging approach to communication while also retaining Thai cultural values.

Students are not encouraged to develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Teachers will avoid introducing dialogue into the classroom or eliciting response from the students; to give a wrong answer would be to lose face in the presence of one's peers, a situation that in Thai culture must always be avoided.

The General also wants the "12 Values" implemented into the Thai syllabus. State agencies have also produced a poem, song, and 12-part film based on the teachings.

The Super-board is to take over the role of the Education Ministry?

Sounds like some dangerous reforms for students in Thailand.

Critical thinking and developing not only the minds but also the challenging of moral application of students is very important in a child’s development. A good education system will also challenge the political process. These areas may be missed with the new regime' education model.

I don't know the model or what is in it, but one can only think of what the regime' plans may be.

Just a side thought to this is how will they implement a new education model down south? The current model has caused a lot of problems in that area.

Yes I agree.

Critical thinking is one of the basics of the scientific method so on so many levels how can they truly progress with out it?

Teaching ethics and respect need to come from the basis of logic.

There's plenty of logical argument for respect and ethics but not nuch on the basis they propose!

[Daniel Ingalls]

Any program implemented should include English classes, teaching Thai college students proper English, Then in time The Thai Government could cancel out all these British, Canadian, American Australian, New Zealand English teachers across the board. Opening up 20,000 plus foreign jobs to Thai english speaking graduates. It's long over due. This would drastically reduce the number of work permits required for foreigners. This would also reduce the workload of visa requests at all Immigration offices.

[Lupatria]

by studying South Korea, Singapore and Finland.

First class flights, posh hotels, welcome gifts, daily cocktail receptions, a little sightseeing...

I'm sure some think the master plan is already a full success.

[Eric Loh]

The essence of education hinges first and foremost on the traditional values of Buddhism, respect for the king, the monkhood, the teachers, and the family (in that order) through the rote method. Whilst indisputably very noble, these features are the main hurdle to the implementation of modern educational methodology and the development of a more engaging approach to communication while also retaining Thai cultural values.

Students are not encouraged to develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Teachers will avoid introducing dialogue into the classroom or eliciting response from the students; to give a wrong answer would be to lose face in the presence of one's peers, a situation that in Thai culture must always be avoided.

The General also wants the "12 Values" implemented into the Thai syllabus. State agencies have also produced a poem, song, and 12-part film based on the teachings.

The Super-board is to take over the role of the Education Ministry?

Sounds like some dangerous reforms for students in Thailand.

Critical thinking and developing not only the minds but also the challenging of moral application of students is very important in a childs development. A good education system will also challenge the political process. These areas may be missed with the new regime' education model.

I don't know the model or what is in it, but one can only think of what the regime' plans may be.

Just a side thought to this is how will they implement a new education model down south? The current model has caused a lot of problems in that area.

Yes I agree.

Critical thinking is one of the basics of the scientific method so on so many levels how can they truly progress with out it?

Teaching ethics and respect need to come from the basis of logic.

There's plenty of logical argument for respect and ethics but not nuch on the basis they propose!

Critical thinking? Really an oxymoron now as its disencouraged by the Junta. You know what you get with a junta government revamping the education system. Lots of yes sir and no one allowed talk. Perhaps the General PM should be exemplary by allowing others to express and not shut out those who ask questions.

[Chris Lawrence]

The essence of education hinges first and foremost on the traditional values of Buddhism, respect for the king, the monkhood, the teachers, and the family (in that order) through the rote method. Whilst indisputably very noble, these features are the main hurdle to the implementation of modern educational methodology and the development of a more engaging approach to communication while also retaining Thai cultural values.

Students are not encouraged to develop analytical and critical thinking skills. Teachers will avoid introducing dialogue into the classroom or eliciting response from the students; to give a wrong answer would be to lose face in the presence of one's peers, a situation that in Thai culture must always be avoided.

The General also wants the "12 Values" implemented into the Thai syllabus. State agencies have also produced a poem, song, and 12-part film based on the teachings.

The Super-board is to take over the role of the Education Ministry?

Sounds like some dangerous reforms for students in Thailand.

Critical thinking and developing not only the minds but also the challenging of moral application of students is very important in a childs development. A good education system will also challenge the political process. These areas may be missed with the new regime' education model.

I don't know the model or what is in it, but one can only think of what the regime' plans may be.

Just a side thought to this is how will they implement a new education model down south? The current model has caused a lot of problems in that area.

Yes I agree.

Critical thinking is one of the basics of the scientific method so on so many levels how can they truly progress with out it?

Teaching ethics and respect need to come from the basis of logic.

There's plenty of logical argument for respect and ethics but not nuch on the basis they propose!

Critical thinking? Really an oxymoron now as its disencouraged by the Junta. You know what you get with a junta government revamping the education system. Lots of yes sir and no one allowed talk. Perhaps the General PM should be exemplary by allowing others to express and not shut out those who ask questions.

I wonder if the school kids will be allowed to punch someone if they feel the questions asked are irritating or frustrating.

[KhnomKhnom]

Thailand needs a single Education Czar like Robert Moses was for housing development in NY...... one person with complete power and ability to raise independent funding.

However, we must face fact that current public education K-12 DOES equip Thai to work well in assembly-line or other repetitive work... if they start thinking critically, the whole cheap labor situation may crack and then Thailand has nothing other than rice to offer the world. Then workers can critically analyze their situation of no job.

[irwinfc]

this is awesome! more talk and a lot more after that!

[Kaalle]

>>he General also wants the "12 Values" implemented into the Thai syllabus. State agencies have also produced a poem, song, and 12-part film based on the teachings<<Quote

Moving Thailand forward by implementing a system, that belongs in the last century? (I am being polite!)

Finland?? Together with Thailand probably among the worst English-speakers in the world!! Makes sense.

Dear general, time to return to the barracks before you screw it up for the next generation!! (too)

Finland is famous for the quality of its education system and schools. And English speaking is on a very high level in Finland. You are incorrect.

[maidee]

yes, let us compare ourselves to singapore (best in asia) and finland ... where people pay a lot of taxes

but also have "things" like a descent pension, welfare, healthcare FOR ALL THE PEOPLE

[Srikcir]

"formulate a master plan for education reform from 2015-20 by studying South Korea, Singapore and Finland."

We have already seen this act played out before with the search of an appropriate government system for Thailand. The systems of Germany, Canada, UK, Northern Ireland, etc. were examined and adaptations were made to Thailand. Then the CDC declares that each system does not adequately consider "Thainess" and rejected them all to be replaced with Thailand's special homegrown system not found anywhere else.

So too will the Superboard recognize the value of the South Korea, Singapore and Finland educational systems and attempt to fit Thailand's square educational peg into the round holes of these foreign systems. It will conclude that because of Thainess, none of those foreign systems are appropriate to Thailand's culture, religion, and history. The Superboard will then devise a special Thai educational system that has no counterpart in the rest of the world. Five years later Thailand will wonder why its educational system lags behind the other ASEAN nations.

.

[cup-O-coffee]

I simply could not get past the headline: ... Superboard!

Next it will be, what... Super-Duper Board, and then Really-Super-Duper-Amazingly-Awesome Board?

Same untouched rice... different wrapper... but always a higher price with each grand "improvement".