Thai education: Shorter school day all the rage

[webfact]

EDUCATION
Shorter school day all the rage
The Nation



BANGKOK: -- Nearly 4,000 schools across the country yesterday went ahead with a new policy that allows their students to spend fewer hours in the classroom.

In response to the policy of "Moderate Class, More Knowledge", students started various activities at either 2pm or 2.30pm based on their interests outside the classroom.

Their schools prepared music, sports, literature, debating and community activities for their head-heart-hand development.

"There will be more practice time for students," said Karoon Sakulpradit, secretary-general of the Office of Basic Education Commission.

According to him, outside-classroom activities cover IT, life and occupational skills, morality, and love for Thailand, religion and the monarchy.

During the pivotal phase, 3,831 schools across the country started implementing the policy yesterday. Implementation results will be evaluated on a monthly basis before the policy is adopted nationwide.

"We will check if the policy allows students to learn more about other children, older or younger, at the same schools, and if they can demonstrate more of their potential and acquire greater ability in the subjects of their interest," Karoon said.

He said the evaluation would also focus on the happiness of the students, parents and teachers.

Tuanjai Wuskasem, assistant director of the Bangkok-based Phyathai School, said her school had joined the pivotal phase and prepared a wide range of activities.

"We have singing and dancing, swimming, cooking, farming and even drama watching," she said. Her school teaches about 2,000 children.

Songkiat Thepprasane, deputy director of Triam Udom Suksa School, said his school had prepared more than 30 activities for students to take part in after 2.30pm.

"The range covers arts, sports, languages and short-film making activities," he said. "We also welcome more ideas and opinions from our students as to what else we should arrange for them".

More than 4,500 children have studied at this prestigious senior-secondary school.

Triam Udom Suksa School offers students the option of leaving school at 2.30pm if their parents pick them up so they can participate in the same kind of activities elsewhere.

Songkiat said about 60 per cent of his school's students opted for outside-classroom activities that contained academic material such as languages.

"I believe this is because these students feel they have to prepare themselves for university admission," he said.

Government Spokesman Maj General Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the new policy to slash class hours had received a warm welcome from schools, teachers, students and parents.

He said Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha was satisfied with the feedback and pointed out that fewer class hours should mean students had more time to analyse issues and discuss various topics with their peers as well as their teachers.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Shorter-school-day-all-the-rage-30272110.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-03

[deckape]

I am conflicted about this. I would be interested to heat what the teachers have to say about it.

[russ1]

I think they should do more hours. But i was at the same school as Oliver Twist.

[Wilsonandson]

Afternoon clubs should help boost the economy. School administrators must be rubbing their hands together.

[Bender]

one more idea from uncle Too to keep the mass uneducated.

These kids need a strong education, not to let wandering the street!

How the kids keep busy in thailand:

[upena]

All part of the Thai Government's plan to keep the masses uneducated.

[cmiuc]

seems like all these things they are doing outside of class is also done in class, called science, art, singing is a part of everything in the schools... how will this increase knowledge? seems like a stalemate more...

I thought it was suppose to be about them getting more physical exercise to sharpen the mind... this won't last at all coz Thai kids get bored easy, so what will happen, they will let the kids do what they want instead of monitoring and providing some activities... Thai lazy teachers will just do what they do best... sit and gossip about everyone.. kids will do what they like best, hang out, play with their smart phones and vegetate..

as what was said earlier... "The G-men plan to keep the masses uneducated."

[h90]

I am missing the following words:

Mathematics

Physics

Geography

Foreign languages

Chemistry

.....

[eliotness]

I am missing the following words:

Mathematics

Physics

Geography

Foreign languages

Chemistry

.....

Despite what the government says, I still see no mention of teaching the kids environmental protection/science/awareness. Sad really.

[gandalf12]

With a poor education system to start with then reducing the hours can lead to only one thing.......total stupidity.

Knowledge and understanding come with hard work not less. However most of the school children in Thailand have no idea, neither to their parents, of what hard work is.

I guess it will give them more time for making weapons and anti social behaviour

[jerojero]

More time for kids to play on their iPhone! Way to go Thai educators!

[h90]

I am missing the following words:

Mathematics

Physics

Geography

Foreign languages

Chemistry

.....

Despite what the government says, I still see no mention of teaching the kids environmental protection/science/awareness. Sad really.

First the most basic things....

reading/writing is the only thing were it works. environmental protection is also something that comes way after some basic mathematics skills.

[JackJD]

The Thai public education system is a JOKE! Now it is a belly-laugh!

During my 11 years here, I have asked at least 100 Thais - mostly girls I met in Pattaya or BK -the following questions. NO ONE knew the correct answer!

1. What is the population of Thailand?

2. Does Thailand have more people than China. No one picked China?

3. Did you know your king is a "dual national" American citizen and Thai citizen? Even when shown the proof from a Google search, NO ONE believed me. (We are all just dumb faw-longs.)

4. What countries border Thailand? I received a RARE correct answer of one of the countries.

Public Thai education is obviously intentionally dumbed-down! My next door neighbor teaches 12 - 14 year old kids. She does not know who to use a computer! Enough said.

WHO PAYS IN THE END? The kids of course and the country remains at the bottom of many international lists. The whole system should be criminally indicted!

Edited November 3, 2015 by JackJD

[h90]

The Thai public education system is a JOKE! Now it is a belly-laugh!

During my 11 years here, I have asked at least 100 Thais - mostly girls I met in Pattaya or BK -the following questions. NO ONE knew the correct answer!

1. What is the population of Thailand?

2. Does Thailand have more people than China. No one picked China?

3. Did you know your king is a "dual national" American citizen and Thai citizen? Even when shown the proof from a Google search, NO ONE believed me. (We are all just dumb faw-longs.)

4. What countries border Thailand? I received a RARE correct answer of one of the countries.

Public Thai education is obviously intentionally dumbed-down! My next door neighbor teaches 12 - 14 year old kids. She does not know who to use a computer! Enough said.

WHO PAYS IN THE END? The kids of course and the country remains at the bottom of many international lists. The whole system should be criminally indicted!

Well the girls in Pattaya are hardly a benchmark for a countries education. Pattaya is known for many things but not for the academic level of its bargirls.

My wife would be insulted by even asking her if she knows that......

And if you teach 12-14 year old kids English, Thai, Mathematics, Physics......why would you need computer skills? To use a computer is just a skill not education.

[NoshowJones]

With a poor education system to start with then reducing the hours can lead to only one thing.......total stupidity.

Knowledge and understanding come with hard work not less. However most of the school children in Thailand have no idea, neither to their parents, of what hard work is.

I guess it will give them more time for making weapons and anti social behaviour

.total stupidity?? We have that already.

[jaywalker]

The Thai public education system is a JOKE! Now it is a belly-laugh!

During my 11 years here, I have asked at least 100 Thais - mostly girls I met in Pattaya or BK -the following questions. NO ONE knew the correct answer!

1. What is the population of Thailand?

2. Does Thailand have more people than China. No one picked China?

3. Did you know your king is a "dual national" American citizen and Thai citizen? Even when shown the proof from a Google search, NO ONE believed me. (We are all just dumb faw-longs.)

4. What countries border Thailand? I received a RARE correct answer of one of the countries.

Public Thai education is obviously intentionally dumbed-down! My next door neighbor teaches 12 - 14 year old kids. She does not know who to use a computer! Enough said.

WHO PAYS IN THE END? The kids of course and the country remains at the bottom of many international lists. The whole system should be criminally indicted!

While my wife isn't THAT bad off, I once tried to explain to her that Thai women went topless in public not so long ago, and that the chili pepper was brought to Thailand from Brazil, by the Portuguese.

All I got was "BA!".

Oh yeah, it would be my guess that His Majesty renounced his US citizenship long ago, otherwise the IRS would be after him for back taxes, as US citizens are taxed on worldwide income/wealth/capital gains...you name it, we get taxed for it no matter where we live if we make over ~$100,000 per year, but regardless of that we are still required to file.

Edited November 3, 2015 by jaywalker

[onelasttime]

OK here I go on my favoured topic! With over 40 years teaching experience in Australia and 10 years in Bangkok international schools I have made some observations. Firstly, by and large the Thai education system is a joke; a joke inasmuch as I have seen little or no valuing of thinking and problem solving skills but an over reliance on facts; questioning is actively discouraged. The other observation I would make is the disproportionate amount of time spent on mastery of the Thai language. In this regard I am convinced that Thai is purposely constructed to disenfranchise all but the elite. I am also convinced that irrespective of the political persuasion, all governments have failed Thai children and by extension the nation. As far as reducing the time spent in formal teaching and learning..I don't think it will make one bit of difference to the student outcomes if times are reduced. I used to see little kinder kids wheeling huge cases full of books in to school, staying back after the day's end for extra work. I used to smile in the morning commute watching parents finishing off the homework in the skytrain as the child slept next to them.

So to all the TV posters saying that there should be more not less, more rigour not less, more testing not less, we educators have a saying...

'You can't make the pig fatter just by weighing it more often'

Think about it.

[KunMatt]

Yes, of course this is what Thailand needs to elevate it from the bottom of the academic ranking of all of ASEAN. Make the kids spend less time in school. Why hasn't Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines thought of this already to further improve their good rankings??

Thailand: Leading ASEAN in the dumbest ideas and principals, and nothing else.

[NeilSA1]

The accompaning photo is amusing.

The only person who appears interested in the 'remote' controlled vehicle is the adult. The kids have their attention elsewhere.