Thai Education Ministry solving discontinuation issue

[webfact]

Education Ministry solving discontinuation issue



BANGKOK, 5 May 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Education will be working to solve the problem of students dropping out of the education system found both in the basic and vocational education programs.

The Office of the Vocational Education Commission’s (OVEC) Secretary-General Chaipreuk Sereerak said the Ministry of Education has regularly called meetings to establish a solution for the issue where an increasing number of students are deciding to discontinue their education.

The related agencies, namely the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), the OVEC, and Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education, have been appointed to collect retrospective data and to oversee prospects that will encourage students to pursue their education.

According to the latest information, two key groups of students who have decided to drop out of schools, choosing not to study junior high school classes after completing their primary school education was recorded at about 8,900 persons, while students who chose drop out of high school or vocational school is approximately at 86,000 persons.

The survey also showed that the reason behind a decrease in enrollment to the education system was due to a decreased population. Major reasons cited as decisions to discontinue their education include health issues, family issues, financial status, migration, parents’ divorce, education programs, and the distance of schools.

The vocational education sector is now running a special program to prevent students from dropping out by evaluation the risk factors among individual students and to provide a personalized assistance. This special campaign is widely regarded as successful.

The OVEC secretary-general adds that every person perceives the importance of education, thus encouragement and reformation lies in everyone's responsibility, as children are the nation's future.


-- NNT 2016-05-05

[Nicolas32]

This all started going down hill when the government started attacking the foreign teachers and making harder for them to live here .. who suffer the most the students and the feature of Thailand .. Plus you have more nice countries who treat people with respect and respects goes along way these days something Thailand needs to learn more about and not its foreigners fault ..

[noitom]

It's been going on a long time in Thailand. It's .lack of Thai parenting skills and values

[new2here]

The issue of why kids drop out is of course going to have a lot of factors. That may include, in some small part, the use of or existence of foreign teachers. However, I do think the issues cited, such as health, family, financial, migration, parental marriage, programs and distance are all things they'll have to address in tandem.

Given that it seems this article is referring to primary schooling (thru M6/12th grades) I think this is a long term critical issue. I don't think everyone is "cut out for" post-secondary education (call me university/college, vo-tech or similar), but I just can't make a logical and credible case for why one should not complete thru M6/12th level.

I think some of these issues are or will be hard for the government - any government - to really exert any kind of influence over; such as parental marriage/divorce. However, I do think the government can and should be involved in programs that help both parents (or guardians) keep their kids in school and finishing school. I am concerned about the issue of educational debt, however when we speak to competing primary schooling (again M6/12th level) even IF there is some debt occurred, I think on the whole, that's going to be a good investment. Yes, there are going to be some private schools that sell poor quality for big money under the guise of international schools, etc. but again, on the whole, I can't make a good case for any reason not to finish.

While I was raised in a western country, there was a time when I considered not finishing school; but due to parental .... what I will call parent verbal and physical "encouragement" and I did finish... and went on compete a university level degree as well. When I look around, both here in Thailand, the larger Asia region and of course globally, I just don't see how a person who doesn't - at minimum - finish M6/12th level, has an real chance to be a competitive applicant in the future job pool where growth, income and advancement opportunities will be found.

[Emster23]

"increasing number of students are deciding to discontinue their education."

I suppose they have learned that they aren't learning anything useful... so perhaps it is a plus. They wised up to the sham of Thai education system.

[greenchair]

Not everyone is cut out for a university degree. It's useless to force these youths to sit in a classroom just because ----.

They disrupt all the other students that want to learn. The teachers can no longer handle them, and 45 students are not able to learn because of the 5 students that are forced to be there. There is a huge labour shortage in the factory industry. Let them work for a few years and arrange more adult study programme that they can come back to later. You don't sacrifice the many good students to save the few. I have met many of these teenagers, all they need is a job that does not require to much thought. School is not going to save them.

[laolover88]

What "Education System"? Can't see why you can't drop out of something that barely exists. Agree with Emster23. Thai teachers have jobs for life and guaranteed salaries and pensions. No incentive to help children/students learn anything.

[Srikcir]

an increasing number of students are deciding to discontinue their education.

The 2015 draft constitution if approved will further increase the number to discontinue their education with government funding not covering the last three years of public education. Students will no longer have to decide to stay in school.

Thank you Meechai and Prayut.

[jadee]

I have a Thai step-son and, having recently experienced the realities of this system, I'd say the main reason for dropping out is financial. My son attended a school that ran to M3 - 15 years old. This is quite common, many schools are structured like this. He then had to choose where to study next. Although government high schools from M4-M6 are free or nearly free, the ratio of applicants to places is crazy, it's ultra competitive. Although my son was accepted to a vocational college (after a tough test) where the fees are affordable, I was bracing myself for the possibility that we would have to pay for a private school for him. These fees can be very high and I can completely understand how some Thais simply can't afford them. This time must be very tough for many Thai families and I can see why kids drop out. If the government is serious about tackling this issue (I doubt they are) they could and should mandate that schools have to accept students until M6.

[seajae]

considering that most after completing school cannot form a proper sentence or even add up basic numbers says it all, time they were made to actually sit exams and pass and not be allowed pass marks to save face. If the students actually learnt something we might see a change of attitude instead of the self importance crap we see now. The wealthy simply buy their education from universities, great example is our ex pm that had a degree from a US uni(english) but was unable to even speak english at a grade ones level of competency or able to write her own comments without someone telling her what to say. This country needs to improve schooling, making it compulsory to at least age 16 and also making it compulsory to attend daily and to pass set exams to show they have learnt, maybe having teachers that were able to have this knowledge as well would also help.

[attrayant]

"increasing number of students are deciding to discontinue their education."

I suppose they have learned that they aren't learning anything useful... so perhaps it is a plus. They wised up to the sham of Thai education system.

I tend to agree. Some - probably not all - but some will surely see the wasted time and expense of sitting in a classroom while some 24 year old "teacher" talks at (not 'to') them about the esoteric.

[phoenixdoglover]

an increasing number of students are deciding to discontinue their education.

The 2015 draft constitution if approved will further increase the number to discontinue their education with government funding not covering the last three years of public education. Students will no longer have to decide to stay in school.

Thank you Meechai and Prayut.

Exactly. And NNT will report that great progress was achieved.

I view this change in free education as one of the most significant and pernicious aspects of the new Charter. I am guessing it will not be featured in the songs and coloring book versions.

[jerojero]

Sure! Now that the last 3 years of basic education in no longer funded, more students will drop out. Duh! Retard Minister of Education.

[tuanku]

The universities accept vast numbers of unsuitable candidates for the first foundation year, purely to grab their fees, knowing they will on the whole, drop out or fail top meet their criteria for continuing onto the main degree course.

That way the universities get load so f c ash and the Government can claim universal access to higher education.