EDITORIAL
Education purge a warning to elected politicians
The Nation

A coup leader is taking Action that was long overdue; but it's a disturbing lesson

BANGKOK: -- To the surprise of the citizenry, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has already unleashed the "special power" given him under Article 44 by transferring key Education Ministry officials, including the top-ranking permanent secretary.

But, even though this across-the-boards power had been heavily criticised when it was first announced, Prayut's use of it against high-ranking civil servants has received loud cheers, if the reaction on the social media is used as a gauge. Clearly there is widespread belief that problems in the education system have festered too long and a shake-up is essential for reform to begin in earnest.

The government has indeed cited the need for reform and greater efficiency in education as the spur for its action. There is, however, clearly an underlying agenda, and that is to pave the way for a probe into corruption and other irregularities suspected of handcuffing the ministry's ability to change. And this is what a majority of the people believe is needed as a first step. It's generally accepted that many education officials have vision and abundant potential to do good work, but they are stymied by the way the system is currently set up.

The government was at first reluctant to interfere with this long-anchored system, but obviously it has come to accept that true reform cannot take place in the present bureaucratic environment. Earlier talks on education reform centred only on the quality of classroom lessons, while decades of attempts by politicians led to reforms that were lukewarm at best and counterproductive at worst.

Political meddling in education became somewhat bolder when Thaksin Shinawatra came to power in 2001. Personal computers were distributed to rural schools. Abhisit Vejjajiva's government proffered free education for 12 years. Yingluck Shinawatra's administration launched the one-tablet-per-child scheme. Such policies were introduced with flourishes and then discontinued as education became a means of political gain, yet they lacked any real vision for the future.

The inconsistency also left loopholes for irregularities. Thailand's spending on education is substantial. Prayut's regime has allocated Bt498.16 billion to education - 19.5 per cent of its total budget, and a 3.2-per-cent increase over the previous share. The Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment calculates that spending on schools alone amounted to Bt1.8 billion over the last five years. Teacher salaries have doubled in that time.

Thai students spend 1,000 hours a year in the classroom, yet the results are meagre considering the fiscal investment. Every fresh array of statistics measuring student capabilities underlines the same disheartening lack of improvement.

Thailand is not moving forward in this sphere, and is in fact lagging well behind several of its regional neighbours, despite the sizeable expenditure. The premier's transferral of top officials takes efforts to improve the situation to another level - he has declared that education reform is part of his plan to reshape the country and restore political stability.

Prayut might chair the "super board" on education that aims to clean house before any new policy is introduced, but it is still perturbing that we have come to place our hopes in a coup leader to get education back on track. Shame on the democratically elected politicians who failed to do so. Prayut's action serves as a warning to all: If elected politicians can't solve problems, others are apt to step in.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Education-purge-a-warning-to-elected-politicians-30258440.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-22

Why is it so hard for the education ministry to understand that their no-fail system is a failure in giving students incentive to learn.

As long as Thailand keeps this policy the students level of education will never improve. No tablet or book will help students learn if they know they don't need to know it to advance to the next grade. Parents here do not check nor care what a kid does in school and use it mostly as a babysitter. Sure! They pay extra for tutoring but even this is just to guarantee a better grade for their kid. Not from learning the subject though. From fattening the wallet of the students school teacher who told them their kid needs her/his tutoring class to get that better grade.

I have been told by some families that the teachers almost force the kids or convince them they would do poorly without that teachers tutoring class. I have seen teachers withhold critical knowledge about problem solving only to tell the student later on in the tutoring class just so they can do their class work properly. Education in Thailand is not about learning. It is about making money. Period. .. End of rant.

No. Elected poloticians are not the bogeymen for every social ill. Too convenient.

The real problem with education in Thailand are teachers who won't learn more about their craft.

The quality of education in Thailand isn't the best and the drive to save face at all costs makes the problem worse. One of my nephews has never done a piece of homework for himself - either his mother or father did it for him because he was too lazy to study and the parents felt they had to step in. Today, he is 18 years old and is applying to college after college with no success. He has to sit the entrance exams by himself and still doesn't do the pre-exam study.

Sadly, I think I can guess where he'll end up.

It is quite ironic that the 'special' powers that allow Prayuth to remove a Permanent Secretary are the very circumstances that led to the removal of Yingluck.

Maybe this issue isn't education but a civil service system that is completely outdated and outmoded.

Education ' purge '' a warning, or is it ?

It's only a warning / deterrent if those at fault, corrupt etc get their just desserts and not just moved sideways to an inactive post waiting to be rehabilitated.

No. Elected poloticians are not the bogeymen for every social ill. Too convenient.

The real problem with education in Thailand are teachers who won't learn more about their craft.

Tell me more about your great insights how a mere teacher can change the system.

You should read sometimes in the teacher part of thaivisa how it is the system and not the teachers that is the problem.

If elected politicians can't solve problems, others non elected are apt to step in?

No purge, merely a reshuffling of the deck.

No. Elected poloticians are not the bogeymen for every social ill. Too convenient.

The real problem with education in Thailand are teachers who won't learn more about their craft.

Well, the real problem - like in many areas - is devastating poverty. You can't speak in abstracts about the future to people who aren't eating or in decent housing in the present, anywhere.

It is quite ironic that the 'special' powers that allow Prayuth to remove a Permanent Secretary are the very circumstances that led to the removal of Yingluck.

Maybe this issue isn't education but a civil service system that is completely outdated and outmoded.

Get you facts right. Prayuth did not remove Yingluck. he had nothing to do with it.He came to power after her removal

"Shame on the democratically elected politicians who failed to do so."

No...shame on the majority electorate who elected the politicians who failed. In a democratic system the electorate is the decision maker and if they make the wrong or bad decisions, they suffer the consequences. And it is the electorate that will decide the change. There is nothing efficient with a Junta-led government making education decisions as invariably PERSONAL influences of the Junta leader are interjected. Mandatory teaching of Prayut's 12 Values is a classic example.

No. Elected poloticians are not the bogeymen for every social ill. Too convenient.

The real problem with education in Thailand are teachers who won't learn more about their craft.

Tell me more about your great insights how a mere teacher can change the system.

You should read sometimes in the teacher part of thaivisa how it is the system and not the teachers that is the problem.

........I would go further with my disagreements with his post.

Elected politicians ARE the bogeyman for practically every social ill!!!

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No. Elected poloticians are not the bogeymen for every social ill. Too convenient.

The real problem with education in Thailand are teachers who won't learn more about their craft.

Tell me more about your great insights how a mere teacher can change the system.

You should read sometimes in the teacher part of thaivisa how it is the system and not the teachers that is the problem.

Teachers are an important part of the system, kaaskop.

Amazing how all those posters jumping up and down about the use of Article 44 are all now just as amazingly quiet. Seems the general is using his power wisely and they are all a bit deflated.

No. Elected poloticians are not the bogeymen for every social ill. Too convenient.

The real problem with education in Thailand are teachers who won't learn more about their craft.

Well, the real problem - like in many areas - is devastating poverty. You can't speak in abstracts about the future to people who aren't eating or in decent housing in the present, anywhere.

What? The teachers are in "devastating poverty" ?

Confusing thoughts are racing through my head, education, improve, English skills, foreign teachers, training, teacher licence, paperwork, parents, spoilt children, heavy work load, is it worth it.

Okay, taken my tranqualizer, anxiety meds, anti-depressant, pain killer, mmm, feel better. Just a few question, why do Thai people want to learn English? Where do they use English outside the classroom? Is it a status symbol? Is there a place in Thailand that speaks English as a first language? Why the big fuss? Take it easy. Learning English in Thailand is like learning algebra in math, you'll never use it.

Confusing thoughts are racing through my head, education, improve, English skills, foreign teachers, training, teacher licence, paperwork, parents, spoilt children, heavy work load, is it worth it.

Okay, taken my tranqualizer, anxiety meds, anti-depressant, pain killer, mmm, feel better. Just a few question, why do Thai people want to learn English? Where do they use English outside the classroom? Is it a status symbol? Is there a place in Thailand that speaks English as a first language? Why the big fuss? Take it easy. Learning English in Thailand is like learning algebra in math, you'll never use it.

Some really stupid comments here! But then troll's usually do make such comments.

Many Thais use English in their workplace. ASEAN has instigated English as it's working language.

No. Elected poloticians are not the bogeymen for every social ill. Too convenient.

The real problem with education in Thailand are teachers who won't learn more about their craft.

Well, the real problem - like in many areas - is devastating poverty. You can't speak in abstracts about the future to people who aren't eating or in decent housing in the present, anywhere.

What? The teachers are in "devastating poverty" ?

I cannot understand this correlation - the higher the poverty, the higher the % of income spent on lottery and gambling.