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PM thanks Education Min for reducing number of subjects in O-NET exam



BANGKOK, 29 February 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has thanked the Ministry of Education and the National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) for reducing the number of subject areas included in the Ordinary National Education Test (O-NET).

Government Spokesperson Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the prime minister had expressed his appreciation for the NIETS and the Ministry of Education's efforts to push for educational reform in Thailand.

The spokesperson said Gen Prayut appreciated the new policy to reduce the number of subject areas in O-NET exam from 8 to 5.

According to him, the new policy helps to reduce stress among students as well as allow them to have more relaxing moments with their friends and families.

He said a good education system should allow students to learn both inside and outside the classroom.


-- NNT 2016-02-29

[canuckamuck]

Lower the bar and everyone wins.

My daughter just took some sort of government tests this weekend. She is fluent in English, but she says most of the questions in the English part of the test made no sense. She is the only one in the class that speaks any English at all so I wonder what kind of results the other kids got.

[thesetat2013]

Roughly translated. P is happy now that the children don't have to show they learned very much so the children will remain complacent through ignorance. The kids can spend more time learning outside the classroom because class hours were cut also and this way the kids will only learn what is permitted to be shown or allowed through the single gateway which is soon to be here.

P says he wants students to have more relaxing moments with family and friend and don't stress them with stupid things like education or knowledge as it can be a weapon of sorts or a means of enlightenment to what is actually happening around them.

If things keep going on like this Thailand will be back in the dark ages mentally using toys from the advanced cultures. Kind of like a kid with a match. Sure to get burned. Everything the MOE has changed just confirms my logic to self teach my Thai kids. Schools are not for learning anymore. They are for relaxing and socializing. Sad times are ahead in the future, if they even have a future.

[Squeegee]

And since when are "more relaxing moments with their friends and families" equivalent to "learn both inside and outside the classroom"?

More blissful ignorami swinging on hammocks is more learning

(how to be kept in the dark on a diet of buffalo dung).

[casualbiker]

And since when are "more relaxing moments with their friends and families" equivalent to "learn both inside and outside the classroom"?

More blissful ignorami swinging on hammocks is more learning

(how to be kept in the dark on a diet of buffalo dung).

probably because they are not.. Two entirely different sentences. I for one feel for many Thai kids who have approximately 2 hours homework per day. And are made to attend cram schools at the weekend to try an pass these nonsensical tests. Having taken a Thai English test myself I can concur with the posters daughter!

[honoluludave]

So what the PM is really saying is, thank you for not teaching the children how to pass the test. We will just remove some of the test to make it easier and now everybody passes. Way to go.

[Gsxrnz]

Lower the bar and everyone wins.

My daughter just took some sort of government tests this weekend. She is fluent in English, but she says most of the questions in the English part of the test made no sense. She is the only one in the class that speaks any English at all so I wonder what kind of results the other kids got.

The questions were probably something like:

John say him go school morning 8 o'cock. Sister him Mary she go school same time John. Friend Mary Jane say he boring no go school 8 o'cock,

Q: What time Jane go school?

a. He go same with Mary.

b. She boring school.

c. 8 o'cock.

d. Him go same same John.

Perfectly understandable (I think?) to a pidgin English Thai teacher, but to your kid it would be totally incomprehensible if she's fluent.

[maoro2013]

My kids have brought home English homework written by the teacher. They have asked me to help. I often cannot understand the question myself. The people teaching English in these circumstances are doing more harm than good I think.

No wonder after years of this, so called, 'learning English' my step kids can only say 'yes' or 'no'.

[northernboy]

Sadly it is more a test to determine the skills of the teacher, administrators and the school system in general. I guess the PM and ministers were more worried about their score than the students leisure or ability to learn in non structured environments.

Why do TV people enjoy slamming Thais English when their Thai language skills are often less, than a locals peasant's English and yet they came to live in a country who's native language is not English and seldom make any effort to learn the native language?

[northernboy]

Lower the bar and everyone wins.

My daughter just took some sort of government tests this weekend. She is fluent in English, but she says most of the questions in the English part of the test made no sense. She is the only one in the class that speaks any English at all so I wonder what kind of results the other kids got.

Odd as my daughter took the same test as well over the weekend and she did have some questions she did not know the answers to, but certainly did understand the questions asked. I would not delude myself and call her fluent in English. She has only achieved a working knowledge of the English language . Few fluent English speakers must take this test as is for Thai children and international schools to my knowledge do not take it. Perhaps your daughter learnt from your tutelage.

[klauskunkel]

Don't reduce the number of subjects, just reduce the number of possible answers to only one, and you will have a highly educated student body, ready to enter university. Why do I always have to rescue this government?

[Gsxrnz]

Sadly it is more a test to determine the skills of the teacher, administrators and the school system in general. I guess the PM and ministers were more worried about their score than the students leisure or ability to learn in non structured environments.

Why do TV people enjoy slamming Thais English when their Thai language skills are often less, than a locals peasant's English and yet they came to live in a country who's native language is not English and seldom make any effort to learn the native language?

I usually only slam (your word, not mine) Thai people's English when it comes to teaching English or teachers of English, because the level of teaching is utterly atrocious in government schools. Sure, their are many foreigners in Thailand that knock the everyday Thais for not speaking English, and that criticism is largely unjustifiable.

I've seen a friend's Thai kid (Both parents are Thai) that had absolutely zero English at the age of 5 become almost fluent in eighteen months because she attended an International school and was taught by native English speakers. OK, not her fault that she's got a slight Irish accent.

My point being that the Thai education system's refusal to fully incorporate native English speakers will cost them in the long run.

Have you ever listened to the education channels on TrueVisions? The English lessons are worse than diabolical - my 7 year old laughs along with me. Jeez, I can even hear the mistakes in their German lessons and I haven't studied German since I was 17 years old.

As for everyday usage, I don't expect a Thai to speak any English and go out of my way to learn new Thai words and phrases that will help me to help them.

[smokeyhead]

Well that makes sense I mean you really only should be taught about

King & Country.....Why anything else would be pointless!

Loyalty, Total Devotion and a "Crying on Demand" exercise is all it takes

to get a passing A Grade. North Korea would be proud to have you as a friend Thailand.

institutional Propaganda at all levels of learning and the "Thainess Way" or "Democracy Thai Style"

will lead this country nowhere fast

The youth here will need to find this out in their own ways, but they will...I am sure they will!

[pogal]

Lower the bar and everyone wins.

My daughter just took some sort of government tests this weekend. She is fluent in English, but she says most of the questions in the English part of the test made no sense. She is the only one in the class that speaks any English at all so I wonder what kind of results the other kids got.

Have you ever sat the "Teachers" exam? LOL

Incomprehensible..... Anything to do with the MOE in Thailand is a joke :/

Ramkhamhaeng university just broke off contact with them regarding teachers licences. All teachers are now consultants so they don't have to deal with their arrogance and ignorance anymore. This is actually newsworthy but hasn't been picked up as yet :/

[arrowsdawdle]

So what the PM is really saying is, thank you for not teaching the children how to pass the test. We will just remove some of the test to make it easier and now everybody passes. Way to go.

Bottom line is that the general population gets dumbed down while the elites hire tutors for their kids and everybody is happy...as in ignorance is bliss.

[swerver]

Lower the bar and everyone wins.

My daughter just took some sort of government tests this weekend. She is fluent in English, but she says most of the questions in the English part of the test made no sense. She is the only one in the class that speaks any English at all so I wonder what kind of results the other kids got.

Have you ever sat the "Teachers" exam? LOL

Incomprehensible..... Anything to do with the MOE in Thailand is a joke :/

Ramkhamhaeng university just broke off contact with them regarding teachers licences. All teachers are now consultants so they don't have to deal with their arrogance and ignorance anymore. This is actually newsworthy but hasn't been picked up as yet :/

Ha, Ramkhamhaeng University, the university that awarded Banharn Silpa-archa a Master degree in Law. He quoted French-language text despite his limited knowledge of foreign languages. The chief supervisor of Mr. Banharn’s thesis, Polin Poiakul, graduated with a law degree in France.

A skin as tough as an elephant’s hide, a back as a duck, and an ego as big as the globe.

There is absolutely nothing that seems to face him.

Banharn a proud holder of master’s degree in law.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shall meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

-anonymous.

[TPI]

So what the PM is really saying is, thank you for not teaching the children how to pass the test. We will just remove some of the test to make it easier and now everybody passes. Way to go.

Ah! The bliss of being a Thai student....pass the test, no problem....uncle has just changed the rules so that noone fails!!!

[northernboy]

Sadly it is more a test to determine the skills of the teacher, administrators and the school system in general. I guess the PM and ministers were more worried about their score than the students leisure or ability to learn in non structured environments.

Why do TV people enjoy slamming Thais English when their Thai language skills are often less, than a locals peasant's English and yet they came to live in a country who's native language is not English and seldom make any effort to learn the native language?

I usually only slam (your word, not mine) Thai people's English when it comes to teaching English or teachers of English, because the level of teaching is utterly atrocious in government schools. Sure, their are many foreigners in Thailand that knock the everyday Thais for not speaking English, and that criticism is largely unjustifiable.

I've seen a friend's Thai kid (Both parents are Thai) that had absolutely zero English at the age of 5 become almost fluent in eighteen months because she attended an International school and was taught by native English speakers. OK, not her fault that she's got a slight Irish accent.

My point being that the Thai education system's refusal to fully incorporate native English speakers will cost them in the long run.

Have you ever listened to the education channels on TrueVisions? The English lessons are worse than diabolical - my 7 year old laughs along with me. Jeez, I can even hear the mistakes in their German lessons and I haven't studied German since I was 17 years old.

As for everyday usage, I don't expect a Thai to speak any English and go out of my way to learn new Thai words and phrases that will help me to help them.

Nice to hear your one of the minority of Expats I don\t cringe when I hear then butchering Thai.

Sorry I can not say I have watched or listened to TrueVisions education channel. Perhaps some people that enjoy to denigrate Thais can offer their services to present English lessons on the Channel. I am sure they can get you a work permit with their connections no problem.

What do they say if your not part of the solution your part of the problem.

I personally believe, by not hiring native English speakers to teach English, is long term costing the country infinitely more than it is saving, in lost opportunities. However as in the west special interest groups have their own agendas here and the power to get them looked after.

[HerbalEd]

And since when are "more relaxing moments with their friends and families" equivalent to "learn both inside and outside the classroom"?

More blissful ignorami swinging on hammocks is more learning

(how to be kept in the dark on a diet of buffalo dung).

probably because they are not.. Two entirely different sentences. I for one feel for many Thai kids who have approximately 2 hours homework per day. And are made to attend cram schools at the weekend to try an pass these nonsensical tests. Having taken a Thai English test myself I can concur with the posters daughter!

OMG!! Two hours of homework per day??? How terrible. Better they work less and get less education and intelligence, you think?

[casualbiker]

And since when are "more relaxing moments with their friends and families" equivalent to "learn both inside and outside the classroom"?

More blissful ignorami swinging on hammocks is more learning

(how to be kept in the dark on a diet of buffalo dung).

probably because they are not.. Two entirely different sentences. I for one feel for many Thai kids who have approximately 2 hours homework per day. And are made to attend cram schools at the weekend to try an pass these nonsensical tests. Having taken a Thai English test myself I can concur with the posters daughter!

OMG!! Two hours of homework per day??? How terrible. Better they work less and get less education and intelligence, you think?

WHAT were you doing after school when YOU were 9 or 10 years old?

Were YOU taking tests in kindergarten?

Edited February 29, 2016 by casualbiker

[Redline]

Ignorant people follow unconditionally. Next, get rid of the internet

[Jonmarleesco]

Lower the bar and everyone wins.

My daughter just took some sort of government tests this weekend. She is fluent in English, but she says most of the questions in the English part of the test made no sense. She is the only one in the class that speaks any English at all so I wonder what kind of results the other kids got.

Better, probably. They could likely interpret the gibberish into some kind of Tinglish.

[DavisH]

And since when are "more relaxing moments with their friends and families" equivalent to "learn both inside and outside the classroom"?

More blissful ignorami swinging on hammocks is more learning

(how to be kept in the dark on a diet of buffalo dung).

probably because they are not.. Two entirely different sentences. I for one feel for many Thai kids who have approximately 2 hours homework per day. And are made to attend cram schools at the weekend to try an pass these nonsensical tests. Having taken a Thai English test myself I can concur with the posters daughter!

OMG!! Two hours of homework per day??? How terrible. Better they work less and get less education and intelligence, you think?

The problem is the quality of the education and not the quantity. Thai kids have a lot more class time than most kids in western countries. It's 8-4pm here, compared to 9-3 in Australia, for example. Then there is the homework and all the extra classes they do. Yet Thais scores on international exams are still below the OECD average.

Just having less hours will only result in happier, but less informed students, if the quality of the education they get does not improve. And that will be an uphill struggle.

[Jonmarleesco]

Sadly it is more a test to determine the skills of the teacher, administrators and the school system in general. I guess the PM and ministers were more worried about their score than the students leisure or ability to learn in non structured environments.

Why do TV people enjoy slamming Thais English when their Thai language skills are often less, than a locals peasant's English and yet they came to live in a country who's native language is not English and seldom make any effort to learn the native language?

There is no enjoyment in slating the Thais' English, but when Thais who are expected to come into direct contact with the fabric of an essential industry, tourism, cannot communicate adequately in the international language, the industry has a problem. And Thai will be of zero use in ASEAN ... of which Thailand is a founding member.

[Jonmarleesco]

'He said a good education system should allow students to learn both inside and outside the classroom.' A good education system should allow students to learn.

[lostinisaan]

My kids have brought home English homework written by the teacher. They have asked me to help. I often cannot understand the question myself. The people teaching English in these circumstances are doing more harm than good I think.

No wonder after years of this, so called, 'learning English' my step kids can only say 'yes' or 'no'.

And: " I fine thank you an yu?"

Edited February 29, 2016 by lostinisaan