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EDUCATION
Thai academic lauds S'pore system
Chularat Saengpassa
The Nation



Contant training of teachers is key to its remarkable success, educator from Chula says

BANGKOK: -- A THAI EDUCATOR has described constant teacher development as a crucial factor behind Singapore's remarkable educational success.

"In Singapore, teachers receive training and opportunities to gain additional knowledge, for example from academic forums, on a regular basis," said Asst Prof Athapol Anunthavorasakul from Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Education.

"Singaporean teachers get educational and training support not just during their years as students at teacher-producing institutes".

Athapol said Singapore had clearly placed strong emphasis on teacher development, with its National Institute of Education (NIE) actively acting as a key link between schools and all relevant agencies.

NIE has worked closely with the Ministry of Education in formulating policies, conducting research and exploring methods to improve teaching and learning.

Athapol received his insight into Singapore's education, which ranks among the world's best, after attending an international conference on "Redesigning Pedagogy…leader values and citizenship in 21st Century education." NIE organised the event, which attracted more than 2,000 observers from around the world.

After returning to Thailand, the Thai academic shared the information with participants at a recent seminar hosted by PICO (Thailand).

He pointed out that teachers in Thailand were mostly on their own in trying to juggle between teaching and administrative work. Singaporean teachers, he said, were free from administrative burdens and managed to gain a clear focus on how to develop both their skills and their students' potential.

"Singapore monitors its teachers' performances and promotes their development," he said.

He also bemoaned the fact that when new policies or guidelines are launched, most Thai teachers are left to find a way to carry them out themselves.

"For example, when a new curriculum is launched, teachers have to implement it. Teacher-training institutions are not engaged to help in this part," Athapol said.

He said Thailand's educational sector has suffered the impact of a 'missing link'.

In Athapol's eyes, Thailand should learn a lesson from Singapore and engage more teacher-training institutions to facilitate the constant development of teachers.

"The development of Thai teachers should include close collaboration between teacher-training institutions and schools".

He said today, fresh graduates from these teacher-training institutions are expected to do everything on their own after completing not many of hours teaching during their internship. Without guidance, some young teachers would lose their faith in their career rapidly after encountering bad experiences.

"It's therefore necessary that teachers receive constant support and training. They need to be inspired and trained too," Athapol said.

Athapol agreed with the initiative by universities and the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) to develop a coaching network. For example, the Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Education had agreed to take care of and guide more than 30 Obec-run schools in their teaching/learning.

"The quality of teachers will translate into the quality of students."

Athapol placed a strong emphasis on collaboration and participation by institutes in teacher development, describing it as a key factor to improve Thailand's educational services.

He insisted that teachers should not be left alone in trying to respond to various policies announced by the Education Ministry, particularly when the country has a new education minister.

"When you introduce policies, you should make every effort to ensure that teachers get the right understanding of the policies and their expectations so that the implementations proceed accordingly," he said.

Athapol said the government should encourage and support teacher-training institutions to step in and help.

"Form a network for constant teacher development. It's a key for educational reform," the academic said.

According to Athapol, research is also a fundamental basis of Singapore's outstanding educational success. NIE has conducted a number of studies and their findings are being applied to shape policies, design curriculum and plan preparations for Singapore's educational services.

In Thailand, Athapol said, many research studies have also been conducted - but their findings are little used.

"Singapore has taken an evidence-based approach. Thailand, meanwhile, tends to introduce new ideas every now and then without solid back-up information," Athapol said.

According to the biggest-ever global grading of education quality, Singapore emerged as having the best brains in the world, while Thailand was rated number 47. Compiled by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the survey was based on the performance of 15-year-olds on maths and science tests, the ranking covered 76 countries.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thai-academic-lauds-Spore-system-30264306.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-13

[clockman]

Get rid of patronage and face, Then Thailand could move forward. But,! We all know it will never happen.

[Fullstop]

Thai academic lauds Singapore system

Singapore was colonised ... They learnt how to do it right from the get go.

If only Thailand had not, ironically, waved a white flag to the French and gave away huge chunks of territory to be NOT colonised ... they wouldn't be in the crap they are now.

[mmh8]

The important difference is Singapore takes sensible action and sticks with it. Thailand speaks a lot, becomes a hub for teaching but takes no sensible action. this makes Thailand education same same , despite most students learning a second language from a young age the majority are unable to use it. in fact even the relativly well educated with a halfways decent ( dumbed down but no more so than the rest of the world) gpa score are unable to deal with simple conversation.

Singapore has experimented, Thailand has seen other countries talking about education and decided its important enough to also have a view on education - thus we get 1 tablet per child and similar educational enlightenments. as with all other aspects of thailand face over education wins each time - its a good job they aint christian since these buggers would beleive in immacualte conception and creation in 7 days instead of the proper theory of created from the snot of the giant goat who was eating cud next to Buddha under a bodhi tree.

Despite thailand going for teaching excellence as its strategy there is little to be seen that demonstrates it was achieved. there is also the issue of spending millions on the great 1 tablet poer child corrupption scheme of preivous government. i'm sure someone was profiteering from that scheme, it was so ridiculous that it had to have some important person getting rich from it.

also the thing about the french, its a shame but this could be true, the frogs are known for being pissed and stinking of garlic and onions within their own country. how could they manage to isntill and education system anywhere else.....

[quandow]

"Contant training of teachers"

Have these reporters even HEARD of spell checkers?

[mike324]

"Contant training of teachers"

Have these reporters even HEARD of spell checkers?

Perhaps The Nation needs "Contant training of reporters" too

[DavisH]

Wow...so it's the fault of teachers....again? How about ridiculous government policies where every student must pass, regardless if they learned anything or not? Singapore use a system based on the British IGCSE/A-level International exams. They must gain an adequate score on these exams to gain entry to universities. A "D" on these exams just doesn't cut it. They whole system here needs uprooting and starting from scratch.

[Lupatria]

Another academic found his way to get in the media with useless advice. The next we'll read is will probably: Thai academic lauds Norway's tax system.

[rijb]

The important difference is Singapore takes sensible action and sticks with it. Thailand speaks a lot, becomes a hub for teaching but takes no sensible action. this makes Thailand education same same , despite most students learning a second language from a young age the majority are unable to use it. in fact even the relativly well educated with a halfways decent ( dumbed down but no more so than the rest of the world) gpa score are unable to deal with simple conversation. Singapore has experimented, Thailand has seen other countries talking about education and decided its important enough to also have a view on education - thus we get 1 tablet per child and similar educational enlightenments. as with all other aspects of thailand face over education wins each time - its a good job they aint christian since these buggers would beleive in immacualte conception and creation in 7 days instead of the proper theory of created from the snot of the giant goat who was eating cud next to Buddha under a bodhi tree. Despite thailand going for teaching excellence as its strategy there is little to be seen that demonstrates it was achieved. there is also the issue of spending millions on the great 1 tablet poer child corrupption scheme of preivous government. i'm sure someone was profiteering from that scheme, it was so ridiculous that it had to have some important person getting rich from it. also the thing about the french, its a shame but this could be true, the frogs are known for being pissed and stinking of garlic and onions within their own country. how could they manage to isntill and education system anywhere else.....

I'll bet they use paragraphs in Singapore.

Space...the final frontier.

[americansiam]

It is a fact that Thai students are brought up to memorize and not "think outside of the box", not to collaborate with one another on a project. Anyone that works with Thais, it is the Thai's normal reaction to sit and wait to be told what to do...not very innovative or self directed or pro-active. (Look at the goverment agencies, they wait until aterrible mess happens then reacts.) I do not mean for this to be a negative observation but when schools or culture does not encourage being innovative or to make suggestions without losing "face" then there will be a lack of progress.

Every society is different and one cannot place the Singapore education system as a model in Thailand and produce little academic Singaporean here. Singapore is basically Chinese and in Chinese culture, whether it is in the USA, Singapore, or in Europe the closeness of family, working hard and emphasis on education is part of their success. Thailand is Thai, so the department of education will have to analyze what will and will not work for them.

[arunsakda]

SIN is one of those countries with students highly rated in international tests of Math Science. English good also. I did not have time to research this thread but are they not a country that uses English in all subjects from early age? This being politically impossible in Thailand, as in Japan. The only country in Asia with even worse English ability among High School grads.

[Fullstop]

Wow...so it's the fault of teachers....again? How about ridiculous government policies where every student must pass, regardless if they learned anything or not?

Actually, it's not government policy ... it's the "private" policy of just about every school in the country ... and the government turns a blind eye to it. Just as bad though.

[Expat Brad]

Actually, it's not government policy ... it's the "private" policy of just about every school in the country ... and the government turns a blind eye to it. Just as bad though.

I disagree. Thailand gives 15 years basically free education so if a child fails & repeats a year that then costs the Government 1 more year = Government not happy with the school so pressure to pass is clear. Also a schools annual budget depends on student numbers = No fails more students, more money !!!

Yes, there are some non performing teachers & or teachers using out dated methods but there simply is NO incentive for Thai students to learn anything because of "0 Fail Policy" (Official or NOT) that is in IMOP the greatest problem here.

[Fullstop]

Actually, it's not government policy ... it's the "private" policy of just about every school in the country ... and the government turns a blind eye to it. Just as bad though.

I disagree....0 Fail Policy" (Official or NOT)

How can you disagree with something you're not sure of?

But anyway...I can assure you it is NOT "official" government policy ...it's just given a "wink wink nudge nudge" approval. Apparently.