Thai concern over 'inefficient' education spending

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Concern over 'inefficient' education spending
The Nation



Only 5 per cent of Bt805 billion spent in 2013 was earmarked for Boosting quality

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND needs to look further into national spending on education as studies have revealed that huge sums are being spent while efficiency is falling, Deputy Prime Minister Yongyuth Yuthavong said.

Research conducted by Chaiyuth Punyasavatsut, chief of Thailand's national education accounts project, showed that of the Bt805 billion spent in 2013, the government provided Bt640 billion or 80 per cent in subsidies.

"This amount accounted for 20 per cent of the national budget, but the resulting effectiveness was not in proportion. We need to see where the money went," the minister said.

The study also showed that over 80 per cent of the budget was spent on administrative expenses and only 5 per cent on improvement of education.

The five-year study looked closely at national education expenses from 2008 to 2013, and learnt that total spending was 6 per cent above gross domestic product during that period. The Bt805 billion spent in 2013 accounted for 6.4 per cent of GDP, and was mostly spent on salaries (69 per cent); administrative expenses and utilities (12 per cent); student loans (5.5 per cent); research and development (6 per cent); and classroom activities (5 per cent).

Of the total, 71 per cent was spent on basic education. Also, expenses rose 7.4 per cent year-on-year during that period, while the number of students dropped from 13.1 million in 2008 to 12.4 million in 2013.

"Thailand has enough resources for education, but it has failed to achieve the desired quality and effectiveness," the researcher said.

"Inequality in opportunities and students graduating in fields with little or no demand reflects a failure of the fresh round of education reforms in 2009. Financial resources for education should be restructured, in order to ensure more funding in needy areas that directly boost quality. Teachers' salaries should also be linked to students' achievements," Chaiyuth said.

This information was revealed at the regional workshop in the National Education Account (NEA), which was attended by representatives from Vietnam, Laos and Nepal and supported by Unesco Institute for Statistics (UIS).

Gwang-Jo Kim, director of Unesco Bangkok's Regional Bureau for Education, noted that NEA aimed to ensure more effective budgeting. The information on sources of funds, budgeting and beneficiaries would show what the money should be spent on.

Representatives from four other countries - Uganda, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Ghana - also joined the NEA project, agreeing to exchange data to improve their budgeting on education.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Concern-over-inefficient-education-spending-30259839.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-12

[trogers]

Look no further to the cause of Inefficiency.

It is your "No Fail" policy.

Both students and teachers have no achievement target to work to.

[SoilSpoil]

Look no further to the cause of Inefficiency.

It is your "No Fail" policy.

Both students and teachers have no achievement target to work to.

Nail on the head: there seems to be a no-fail policy for students, teachers, administrators and authorities.

[Ichabod]

Next up: reevaluate why Thailand needs 1600 army generals when the US has only 450. Then target corruption in military that makes those Thai generals millionaires.

[SOTIRIOS]

...wow...800 B on what....???

[Fiddlesticks]

The study also showed that over 80 per cent of the budget was spent on administrative expenses and only 5 per cent on improvement of education.

Hell yes, cars, girlfriends, vacation homes and land are expensive and you don't expect Thai school administrators to pay for those things out of their salaries. Plus they need to grease the palms of the mayors and others who helped them land the cushy jobs in the first place. I mean seriously . . .

[dean008]

Hopefully a step in the right direction and not just words.

If the accounts of most schools and most (so called) directors were analysed I am sure it would be reasonably easy to find out where the money has gone.

They say a new broom sweeps, clean, we are still waiting

[kaorop]

So the new code word for corrupt is inefficient?

When are they going to hand out the double secret probation to the schools that are "inefficient"?

Edited May 12, 2015 by kaorop

[trogers]

So the new code word for corrupt is inefficient?

When are they going to hand out the double secret probation to the schools that are "inefficient"?

Poor performance and corruption are hiding behind the no-fail policy because there would not be any yearly comparison and evaluation.

[Srikcir]

The problem for inefficient education spending for "quality," given that 80% of the budget goes to salaries and classroom related costs may be a SHORTAGE OF EDUCATION FUNDS rather than their misplacement.

Each military coup alone costs the nation about 50% of its GDP for each year the military controls the nation. It might be more EFFICIENT to reduce military and all other "extra-constitutional" organizations' expenditures by 30% and put those funds into the future of Thailand's youth. Unfortunately, education of the Thais masses is not really a high priority for the aristocracy.

[quandow]

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

Look no further to the cause of Inefficiency.

It is your "No Fail" policy.

Both students and teachers have no achievement target to work to.

Absolutely true! After years of beating my head against a wall trying to be an honest educator, I gave up. The last two years I threw away the mid-term and final exams after they were completed and just gave a bump up in my students' grades. The Thai administration was happy, the parents were happy, I was just the BEST teacher EVER!

[lovetotravel]

The problem for inefficient education spending for "quality," given that 80% of the budget goes to salaries and classroom related costs may be a SHORTAGE OF EDUCATION FUNDS rather than their misplacement.

Each military coup alone costs the nation about 50% of its GDP for each year the military controls the nation. It might be more EFFICIENT to reduce military and all other "extra-constitutional" organizations' expenditures by 30% and put those funds into the future of Thailand's youth. Unfortunately, education of the Thais masses is not really a high priority for the aristocracy.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/695289-thailands-educational-spending-highest-in-the-world/

BANGKOK, Jan 9 – Thailand’s spending on education, representing 4 per cent of gross domestic product or 20 per cent of the national budget, is the highest in the world, according to research findings by Mahidol University.

[quandow]

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

The problem for inefficient education spending for "quality," given that 80% of the budget goes to salaries and classroom related costs may be a SHORTAGE OF EDUCATION FUNDS rather than their misplacement.

Each military coup alone costs the nation about 50% of its GDP for each year the military controls the nation. It might be more EFFICIENT to reduce military and all other "extra-constitutional" organizations' expenditures by 30% and put those funds into the future of Thailand's youth. Unfortunately, education of the Thais masses is not really a high priority for the aristocracy.

I personally know of two kickback schemes.

1. The advertised cost of schoolbooks and the actual price paid are not the same. The school pays a significant amount more, the difference is then returned in a sack to the purchasing agent.

2. Another purchaser needed to buy some plastic chairs. The advertised price was 100 baht, and she needed to order 500. She asked for a calculator to figure out the amount to put in the purchase request. When asked why she couldn't figure it out in her head, she replied, "I need to add 8% for myself."

These are just two low level examples. It gets much bolder, with larger amounts, the further up the food chain you go. The problem is the people have gotten too greedy, took too much, and now they're not flying below the radar any more. I believe the saying is "they cut a fat hog in the @ss!"

[Baerboxer]

Look no further to the cause of Inefficiency.

It is your "No Fail" policy.

Both students and teachers have no achievement target to work to.

How strange - I know students, Thais, who failed.

Guess no one told their Universities about your "no fail" policy.

[JAG]

Hopefully a step in the right direction and not just words.

If the accounts of most schools and most (so called) directors were analysed I am sure it would be reasonably easy to find out where the money has gone.

They say a new broom sweeps, clean, we are still waiting

I would hazard a guess that most of the money has been (mis)appropriated well before it has got anywhere near a school, let alone pupils.

[Baerboxer]

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

The problem for inefficient education spending for "quality," given that 80% of the budget goes to salaries and classroom related costs may be a SHORTAGE OF EDUCATION FUNDS rather than their misplacement.

Each military coup alone costs the nation about 50% of its GDP for each year the military controls the nation. It might be more EFFICIENT to reduce military and all other "extra-constitutional" organizations' expenditures by 30% and put those funds into the future of Thailand's youth. Unfortunately, education of the Thais masses is not really a high priority for the aristocracy.

I personally know of two kickback schemes.

1. The advertised cost of schoolbooks and the actual price paid are not the same. The school pays a significant amount more, the difference is then returned in a sack to the purchasing agent.

2. Another purchaser needed to buy some plastic chairs. The advertised price was 100 baht, and she needed to order 500. She asked for a calculator to figure out the amount to put in the purchase request. When asked why she couldn't figure it out in her head, she replied, "I need to add 8% for myself."

These are just two low level examples. It gets much bolder, with larger amounts, the further up the food chain you go. The problem is the people have gotten too greedy, took too much, and now they're not flying below the radar any more. I believe the saying is "they cut a fat hog in the @ss!"

Corruption in procurement is an issue all over the world, for private companies, NGO's and the public sector. The Western developed countries have made significant in-roads into fighting the corruption but both the US and UK beefed up their laws and both have had plenty of high profile cases involving the public sector. This happens in countries where corruption, bribery and backhanders are not the normal daily life, so when you get to Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe, where it is, then it becomes endemic.

Here the mentality is pay a low wage (or even make them buy their job) and then see how much they are clever enough to fiddle. They just don't see that suppliers pad their prices to include the kickback, or the buyer inflates the purchase order price in collusion, or other favors are part of the payment. It is their organizations money they are stealing but they just don't and won't see it that way.

[Baerboxer]

The problem for inefficient education spending for "quality," given that 80% of the budget goes to salaries and classroom related costs may be a SHORTAGE OF EDUCATION FUNDS rather than their misplacement.

Each military coup alone costs the nation about 50% of its GDP for each year the military controls the nation. It might be more EFFICIENT to reduce military and all other "extra-constitutional" organizations' expenditures by 30% and put those funds into the future of Thailand's youth. Unfortunately, education of the Thais masses is not really a high priority for the aristocracy.

Thought you'd be along to try and politicize it.

So, in all their years in office this century, the majority of the time by far, what exactly did the Thaksin owned and controlled proxy parties do to improve funding on education, ensure transparency and value for money all all public expenditure including the education budget, and improve the quality of education to the poor and rural Thai people?

Their "free tablet for all children" was another huge disaster thanks to what appears to be a strange procurement decision to place the order with an inexperienced Chinese manufacturer who wasn't a tablet producer, had no experience and failed miserably. Wonder where those kick backs went?

Wonder how much all those Shin years cost the nation in terms of scams and skimmed off amounts of public assets?

[Baerboxer]

Next up: reevaluate why Thailand needs 1600 army generals when the US has only 450. Then target corruption in military that makes those Thai generals millionaires.

When a country allows, even for a few years, a convicted criminal fugitive fraudster to control and run the government from overseas for his own benefit and his cronies, then corruption must be so widespread and deep that the mind boggles.

Politicians, the Justice System, Accounting Standards and enforcement, anti-bribery legislation, anti-corruption legislation, the police, the military, and just about all those involved in any kind of procurement needs a serious review and shake up.

The idea jobs can be bought because the position facilitates stealing and self enrichment or given as a reward for services rendered needs to change - dramatically.

Chances of that - slim to none and slim as left the country.

[callaway]

Innefficient spending? You got to be joking. I thought the spending of the money dedicated to sports grounds was very efficient. All money gone and not so much as a sod of grass laid. Thats efficiency. Where has that story gone to? Buried as usual I suspect. Corruption abounds in all aspects of thai administration.

[Broeno]

Next up: reevaluate why Thailand needs 1600 army generals when the US has only 450. Then target corruption in military that makes those Thai generals millionaires.

You are way to fast. First evaluate this problem for some years.

[Broeno]

Education, or bad education is the start of the most problems in Thailand. Many hollidays. Unorganised. Upgrade results. To make this list complete it will take some pages. Nut one thing is for shure. The school system (some exeptions)is rotten till the bottem.

[chainarong]

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

Look no further to the cause of Inefficiency.

It is your "No Fail" policy.

Both students and teachers have no achievement target to work to.

How strange - I know students, Thais, who failed.

Guess no one told their Universities about your "no fail" policy.

I'll back you up on that .

[chainarong]

This sort of comment is nothing new , for the long time Thailand watchers we know that at least twice a year they gnash their gums about doing something about education , nothing happens like every other time or any other government initiated BS , but it makes those in the education Department feel warm all over, it gets depressing when after 3 decades nothing has changed in education nor for that matter has anything else , Thailand has stagnated big time

[bangon04]

"studies have revealed that huge sums are being spent while efficiency is falling,"

well the good news is that it doesn't have much further to fall now, so the only way is up...

always look on the bright side....

[bangon04]

This sort of comment is nothing new , for the long time Thailand watchers we know that at least twice a year they gnash their gums about doing something about education , nothing happens like every other time or any other government initiated BS , but it makes those in the education Department feel warm all over, it gets depressing when after 3 decades nothing has changed in education nor for that matter has anything else , Thailand has stagnated big time

the only thing which keeps moving is the job for the Education minister...... how many have we had so far?

[otherstuff1957]

Look no further to the cause of Inefficiency.

It is your "No Fail" policy.

Both students and teachers have no achievement target to work to.

How strange - I know students, Thais, who failed.

Guess no one told their Universities about your "no fail" policy.

The no-fail policy does not apply to Universities, as they are under a different part of the MOE and operate under different rules. Many Thai students are woefully unprepared for Universities and the possibility of failure and are shocked when it happens.

[Kiwi1]

This topic comes up again and again.

Other countries in the region have transformed their education systems for the better in short order.

The first was Japan in the 19th century. Taiwan followed, presumably as a result of Japanese colonial administration but since then have made great improvements on their own initiative.

Singapore has done marvels with their education system and are expanding its breadth and depth as I write.

Understand that Vietnam is making rapid advances in improving their education system.

So there are plenty of role models in the region.

Change would cost no more than what is being spent on the present system in Thailand.

All that is needed is political will to make the change.

Nothing else.

[mikebell]

Is there an email address for the Minister to report corruption in schools? The money gouging starts even before a new teacher can get a job with under the desk payments demanded. Why have I paid 5 years of University fees for my step-daughter to train as a teacher when there are no jobs unless huge sums are paid? She's looking at jobs in 7-11s now!

There's inefficiency for you Minister!