10,000 Retired Teachers to be rehired in Thailand Due to Teacher Shortage

[Jonathan Fairfield]

10,000 Retired Teachers to be rehired in Thailand Due to Teacher Shortage

BANGKOK – Education Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan yesterdaythat the Education Ministry plans to bring about 10,000 retired teachers back into the education system on a part-time basis over the next year to solve chronic teacher shortages.

Teachers will be rehired at small primary and secondary schools in some rural areas nationwide, and some vocational colleges.

Speaking at a briefing on the ministry’s performance over the past year, Gen Dapong said 189,795 teachers will retire between this year and 2025, which will worsen the problem.

Most of them are working at schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec).

They are teaching foreign languages, Thai language, sciences, and mathematics, Obec’s secretary-general Karoon Sakulpradit said yesterday.

Full story: http://www.chiangraitimes.com/10000-retired-teachers-to-be-rehired-in-thailand-due-to-teacher-shortage.html

-- Chiang Rai Times 2015-12-26

[kaorop]

Shaking my head in disbelief, double face palm and finish with a belly laugh.

So they have a plan to reduce foreign teachers and now they have bring back dinosaurs because of a shortfall, yep reform Thai style,

(most western governments see a problem and make it worse)

here they create their own problems, expand on them, then make them worse

Education reform moving backwards at lightspeed, its a disgrace when you see the human potential going to waste.

Edited December 26, 2015 by kaorop

[Bluespunk]

You really sure those foreign "teachers" were any better than these trained teachers?

Some maybe but I've met a number of foreign chancers who were clueless when it came to meeting the needs of their students.

Edited December 26, 2015 by Bluespunk

[halloween]

Increasing pay and benefits, more teaching colleges, might work too in the long run.

[petedk]

You really sure those foreign "teachers" were any better than these trained teachers?

Some maybe but I've met a number of foreign chancers who were clueless when it came to meeting the needs of their students.

I agree with you. I have met some "teachers" here who had no idea of basic grammar.

I don't think age really matters. I know a guy who is 75 and still very strong and healthy and teaches English at a university.

Apart from that, I read in the Bangkok Post that these retired teachers would be paid 15,000 baht a month on top of their pension. That's not a bad deal for them.

I have been teaching at a government school for 20 years and my basic salary is 19.800 baht.

The problem is that many (not all) of the Thai teachers will still concentrate on grammar, syntax and so on, instead of actual communication as they, themselves cannot SPEAK English.

[codestu]

Most English teachers gone vietnam where pay is between $15-$20 an hour only doing 20-30 a week and cost of living in ho chi Minh is as much 30%+ less than Bangkok.

[trogers]

Wow, it's a miracle in Thailand!

Out of nowhere, the country faces an increase of a few hundred thousands of students that an educated Education Ministry could not have foreseen and planned ahead...

[jaltsc]

"Education Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan yesterday that the Education Ministry plans to bring about 10,000 retired teachers back into the education system on a part-time basis over the next year to solve chronic teacher shortages."

As though incompetency weren't enough. Now one can teach while also being feeble. How does this fit in with: "Prime Minister Gen Prayut has called on all ministries to work out national strategic development plans for the next 20 years in an attempt to strengthen education and produce quality youths."

There is no one who can produce quality youths than former incompetent teachers who now need to have their home addresses pinned to their shirts so they can have someone help them find their way home.

[Ceruhe]

Life is great, see the west self destructing with bullshit from afar and get first row entertainment from Thailand.

[connda]

I bet they can all teach English like an NES, so no reason to hire farangs.

[jacknorman]

Shaking my head in disbelief, double face palm and finish with a belly laugh.

So they have a plan to reduce foreign teachers and now they have bring back dinosaurs because of a shortfall, yep reform Thai style,

(most western governments see a problem and make it worse)

here they create their own problems, expand on them, then make them worse

Education reform moving backwards at lightspeed, its a disgrace when you see the human potential going to waste.

It's not mentioned one place that they are speaking about English teachers, but there is lack of teachers in general

[TEFLKrabi]

It's not just about English Language teaching. It's also Foreign Languages (Chinese, etc) Thai language, sciences, and mathematics. Surely it's better to have somebody teaching the kids rather than nobody. Change in education is a very slow process, especially here. Give them a chance.

[Lupatria]

As the New Year is coming near, he wished the people to have good health,

But he forgot to mention his wish includes the people in military and police detention and people living around gold mines…

He said she made the country known to the world when she won Best National Costume award for her Tuk Tuk dress.

But he forgot to mention the Tuk Tuk was invented in Japan and further developed in India before it was copied in Thailand…

He stressed the significance of English language as AEC started.

But he forgot to mention this will hardly be achieved by 10.000 retired old school teachers…

[tominbkk]

It costs far too much to get a licensed teacher from a Western country to come and teach here. Only international schools can afford them. Instead, you get people with a 2 week TESOL certification from Text and Talk or some another equally lame 'teacher academy'. Good luck!

I'm not saying you need proper national or state licensure to be a good teacher, and not all qualified teachers are good as well. But your chances to get quality instruction raise dramatically with proper pedagogical training, as well as the mentoring that comes from student teaching for at least one semester (in the West).

I've been here a long time, and I think it is worse now than ever in the Thai education system.

You really sure those foreign "teachers" were any better than these trained teachers?

Some maybe but I've met a number of foreign chancers who were clueless when it came to meeting the needs of their students.

I agree with you. I have met some "teachers" here who had no idea of basic grammar.

I don't think age really matters. I know a guy who is 75 and still very strong and healthy and teaches English at a university.

Apart from that, I read in the Bangkok Post that these retired teachers would be paid 15,000 baht a month on top of their pension. That's not a bad deal for them.

I have been teaching at a government school for 20 years and my basic salary is 19.800 baht.

The problem is that many (not all) of the Thai teachers will still concentrate on grammar, syntax and so on, instead of actual communication as they, themselves cannot SPEAK English.

Edited December 26, 2015 by tominbkk

[silent]

You really sure those foreign "teachers" were any better than these trained teachers?

Some maybe but I've met a number of foreign chancers who were clueless when it came to meeting the needs of their students.

I agree with you. I have met some "teachers" here who had no idea of basic grammar.

I don't think age really matters. I know a guy who is 75 and still very strong and healthy and teaches English at a university.

Apart from that, I read in the Bangkok Post that these retired teachers would be paid 15,000 baht a month on top of their pension. That's not a bad deal for them.

I have been teaching at a government school for 20 years and my basic salary is 19.800 baht.

The problem is that many (not all) of the Thai teachers will still concentrate on grammar, syntax and so on, instead of actual communication as they, themselves cannot SPEAK English.

Yes they can. You just haven't asked the right Thai English teacher.

[thaibeachlovers]

"Education Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan yesterday that the Education Ministry plans to bring about 10,000 retired teachers back into the education system on a part-time basis over the next year to solve chronic teacher shortages."

As though incompetency weren't enough. Now one can teach while also being feeble. How does this fit in with: "Prime Minister Gen Prayut has called on all ministries to work out national strategic development plans for the next 20 years in an attempt to strengthen education and produce quality youths."

There is no one who can produce quality youths than former incompetent teachers who now need to have their home addresses pinned to their shirts so they can have someone help them find their way home.

Now one can teach while also being feeble

That's extremely ageist and you can stick that attitude where the sun don't shine. How many "feeble" retired people under 70 do you know to be making statements like that?

I know many older people that have retired, but are fully capable of doing something as unphysically demanding as teaching. We don't lose our marbles on our 65th birthday, or whatever the age is in Thailand. I did read it is 60 for government employees.

[tominbkk]

You really sure those foreign "teachers" were any better than these trained teachers?

Some maybe but I've met a number of foreign chancers who were clueless when it came to meeting the needs of their students.

I agree with you. I have met some "teachers" here who had no idea of basic grammar.

I don't think age really matters. I know a guy who is 75 and still very strong and healthy and teaches English at a university.

Apart from that, I read in the Bangkok Post that these retired teachers would be paid 15,000 baht a month on top of their pension. That's not a bad deal for them.

I have been teaching at a government school for 20 years and my basic salary is 19.800 baht.

The problem is that many (not all) of the Thai teachers will still concentrate on grammar, syntax and so on, instead of actual communication as they, themselves cannot SPEAK English.

Yes they can. You just haven't asked the right Thai English teacher.

I've done quite a bit of teacher training in my time here, working with the top Thai English teachers they have on student centered and cooperative education techniques. Of these top teachers very few have the ability to have more than a lower-intermediate level conversation. It is a bit better in the better universities, but not by much!

[SOTIRIOS]

Shaking my head in disbelief, double face palm and finish with a belly laugh.

So they have a plan to reduce foreign teachers and now they have bring back dinosaurs because of a shortfall, yep reform Thai style,

(most western governments see a problem and make it worse)

here they create their own problems, expand on them, then make them worse

Education reform moving backwards at lightspeed, its a disgrace when you see the human potential going to waste.

...the worst will be if they are actually on pension as well...

...that would mean no regard for overspending whatsoever....

...makes one wonder nobody could do the math all these years and see it coming....

[haroldc]

Well, last year my wife's youngest brother graduated with an degree in education from one of the Sathaban Rajapbhat universities with a 3.6 GPA. Every month he goes to apply for teaching jobs. There are hundreds and hundreds of applicants for every open position, and he has yet to get a job. However, he has been told that a job could be "arranged" for 125,000 baht. Maybe that's why there is a "shortage" of teachers - not enough applicants with sufficient ready cash.

[trogers]

Shaking my head in disbelief, double face palm and finish with a belly laugh.

So they have a plan to reduce foreign teachers and now they have bring back dinosaurs because of a shortfall, yep reform Thai style,

(most western governments see a problem and make it worse)

here they create their own problems, expand on them, then make them worse

Education reform moving backwards at lightspeed, its a disgrace when you see the human potential going to waste.

...the worst will be if they are actually on pension as well...

...that would mean no regard for overspending whatsoever....

...makes one wonder nobody could do the math all these years and see it coming....

Those excelling in math works for the lending institutions...

[Emster23]

I have a master's degree in education and taught as career in USA. I would like to do some volunteer teaching (I'm retired, btw). The absurd number of hurdles, the whole wp gauntlet and knowledge that even if I somehow was permitted to volunteer, some administrator would be pocketing money through creative accounting leads me to conclusion: screw it.

[Jackin1960]

Am I ever glad I got my kids into a UK school knowing that Thai schools where bad. But to read now that they have this problem makes me so happy that we got out.

[elgordo38]

Increasing pay and benefits, more teaching colleges, might work too in the long run.

Yes the Thai expert in my family my g/f firmly believes the same. Her brother a mechanic and his g/f just left for Korea to work on a mushroom farm. His pay here was 15,000 bahts a month plus all the "free" overtime he would/could work. If he did this they would somewhere down the line make him a manager yeah sure. Now he and his g/f are making 39,000 bahts a month each with room and cooker and basic rice provided free. As they gain experience they will move up to 75,000 bahts EACH. All they have to do is keep their head down.

[MaeJoMTB]

Increasing pay and benefits, more teaching colleges, might work too in the long run.

Didn't I read a news story two months back stating, Thailand universities were producing 4x as many teachers as were needed, and all the new graduates were unemployed?

[tonray]

You really sure those foreign "teachers" were any better than these trained teachers?

Some maybe but I've met a number of foreign chancers who were clueless when it came to meeting the needs of their students.

I agree with you. I have met some "teachers" here who had no idea of basic grammar.

I don't think age really matters. I know a guy who is 75 and still very strong and healthy and teaches English at a university.

Apart from that, I read in the Bangkok Post that these retired teachers would be paid 15,000 baht a month on top of their pension. That's not a bad deal for them.

I have been teaching at a government school for 20 years and my basic salary is 19.800 baht.

The problem is that many (not all) of the Thai teachers will still concentrate on grammar, syntax and so on, instead of actual communication as they, themselves cannot SPEAK English.

Not trying to be plucky...but why do you work for 19,800 baht per month ? I know you said basic salary but is there some other reason you would work for 40 % less than someone fresh off the boat ?

[elgordo38]

Shaking my head in disbelief, double face palm and finish with a belly laugh.

So they have a plan to reduce foreign teachers and now they have bring back dinosaurs because of a shortfall, yep reform Thai style,

(most western governments see a problem and make it worse)

here they create their own problems, expand on them, then make them worse

Education reform moving backwards at lightspeed, its a disgrace when you see the human potential going to waste.

...the worst will be if they are actually on pension as well...

...that would mean no regard for overspending whatsoever....

...makes one wonder nobody could do the math all these years and see it coming....

Should benefit new car sales.

[MatteoBassini]

God how about hiring us young Thais to teach part-time? The salaries are a joke, this is really funny, if I apply with my Italian passport I'm entitled to minimum 40,000 a month, but if I use my Thai citizenship, I get MAXIMUM 20,000.

[tonray]

God how about hiring us young Thais to teach part-time? The salaries are a joke, this is really funny, if I apply with my Italian passport I'm entitled to minimum 40,000 a month, but if I use my Thai citizenship, I get MAXIMUM 20,000.

Where does it say you are entitled to min 40,000 per month ? News to me.

[crickets]

Teachers are forced into retirment at 60. Most dont want to.

[Ceruhe]

Surely it's better to have somebody teaching the kids rather than nobody.

Iono...from what I've seen in my few years here, I think I'd rather have them not know anything and stick to not knowing anything rather then them knowing something entirely wrong and sticking to that.

Which is to say, I'd rather people have no idea what gravity is completely rather than telling me god makes it fall and that's the end of the story because it's the truth and their teacher said so.

Let's even assume a worst case scenario with an entire generation not knowing how to do basic math. I'd wager it's far easier to teach all of them "within a short time" how it's done right as opposed to unlearning the damage that has been rooted deep down for the longest time. Like this 48 week Thai year.