Govt ensures 15-year state-sponsored education for all Thais

[webfact]

Govt ensures 15-year state-sponsored education for all Thais

BANGKOK, 12 May 2016 (NNT) – The Ministry of Education has dismissed rumors that the government is preparing to end the free education policy, affirming that there would be an organic law ensuring free schooling for all Thais.

Education Minister Gen Dapong Ratanasuwan explained that the organic law would legitimize the 15-year free education policy and ensure that subsequent governments would continue with the project.

There were widespread fears that the government might shorten the period of free education from 15 to 12 years.

Gen Dapong said the law was expected to restore public confidence in the government’s efforts to ensure equal education opportunities for Thai children from kindergarten to high school.

-- NNT 2016-05-12

[phoenixdoglover]

This is an obvious walk back from the Charter provision.

The explanation now is that the Charter only sets a minimum; and of course governments are free to set policies with a greater number of years.

Yeah, thanks for the clarification.

[thai3]

Only it's more like indoctrination than education, they just want a literate unquestioning loyal workforce, they don't want them thinking

[Stoker58]

It's not the quantity that's lacking, it's the quality.

[american12bthai]

If you want to educate thais. you must remove the people who do not want thais educated. like the people who thought of the one laptop per child. only to give all that money to his chinese friend. and NOTHING TO SHOW for it. I can make detail lists of names AND connect some to panamapapers too. Their is no punishment that is severe enough for people who destroy the youth. I can teach every child to BUILD THEIR OWN COMPUTER and teach them to use it. all under 5000b each. AND I WANT THAILAND IT SECURITY INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE or else i will never host servers in thailand. Thais will allow chinese to steal whatever information they want from thailand. Its obvious if they do nothing about the several data breaches in the last few months. while places like india go on lock down if china even farts at the codes. So, if the government does nothing, i will accelerate my support for nothing. Burn it all.

[JAG]

If you want to educate thais. you must remove the people who do not want thais educated. like the people who thought of the one laptop per child. only to give all that money to his chinese friend. and NOTHING TO SHOW for it. I can make detail lists of names AND connect some to panamapapers too. Their is no punishment that is severe enough for people who destroy the youth. I can teach every child to BUILD THEIR OWN COMPUTER and teach them to use it. all under 5000b each. AND I WANT THAILAND IT SECURITY INDUSTRY TO IMPROVE or else i will never host servers in thailand. Thais will allow chinese to steal whatever information they want from thailand. Its obvious if they do nothing about the several data breaches in the last few months. while places like india go on lock down if china even farts at the codes. So, if the government does nothing, i will accelerate my support for nothing. Burn it all.

Have you wandered into this thread from the 9/11 one?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/916377-american-expat-aims-to-raise-funds-to-recreate-911-in-countryside/

[DrTuner]

Only it's more like indoctrination than education, they just want a literate unquestioning loyal workforce, they don't want them thinking

I guess the new rules need three extra years of brainwashing.

[seahorse]

Education? Indoctrination.

[Evilbaz]

Free? Rubbish!

Like the "30 baht health scheme" anything extra costs money and more money and ...

[dominique355]

Is 12 years of education the same as 12 years of school?

If "education" starts at the age of 3 - as proposed now - it will still be only be 9 years of school.

And the Thai education system has never really been free. Uniforms and writing instruments and stationery also cost, not to mention the mandatory haircut.

Edited May 12, 2016 by dominique355

[PoorSucker]

Is 12 years of education the same as 12 years of school?

If "education" starts at the age of 3 - as proposed now - it will still be only be 9 years of school.

And the Thai education system has never really been free. Uniforms and writing instruments and stationery also cost, not to mention the mandatory haircut.

The OP says 15 years not 12.

[Reigntax]

So they will now gradulate equal to about primary school 4th grade in the western world.

Edited May 12, 2016 by Reigntax

[eldragon]

Am I to understand they have been providing free education in this country? Never would've noticed.

[joespnet]

Is anyone knowledgeable about the cost of secondary schools in Thailand (Matayom level)?

I had always assumed secondary school was compulsory and free, however in the past year have heard that is not always the case.

I am talking about public Matayom level schools, not private.

Outside the external costs for notebooks, uniforms, haircuts. etc., do the schools themselves charge any fees for enrollment, registration, tuition, etc.

If so, how much?

Edited May 12, 2016 by joespnet

[johnatong]

My step daughter is entering her 16th year of schooling,

No cost beyond uniform , pencils/pens and books.

[phantomfiddler]

How come they leave school knowing close to nothing, and most important they all seem to have a great fear of asking questions ?

[Keesters]

The government should tell the policy to the schools and ensure they adopt it. A kid I was helping out with school was kicked out after only 6 years at age 12. I knew it was wrong for them to do that. I informed the lads parents but they would do nothing as to them the school head teacher was a god and not to be argued with.

[soalbundy]

Free? Rubbish!

Like the "30 baht health scheme" anything extra costs money and more money and ...

Yeah free, we got our free backpack and 325 Baht from the government, my 8 year old son's education at the village school costs thousands,which is why at the beginning of each school term the pawn shops do a thriving business. As you say the 30 Baht scheme is a load of crap,all you get for that is aspirin. Why is it necessary to have a different uniform for every day?

[Commogwinto]

Phantom post #16

I think they are scared to ask questions, because they lose 'face' - not knowing something is to be a buffalo - it's irrelevant that probably

majority of the class don't know or understand either. I used to tell pupils that in a village school, it didn't make a blind bit of difference,

although some of the 'smarter' ones would wait until the end of lesson and then ask, but of course damage is done.

C

[Sydebolle]

Simple It is like dining out; it is not a matter of quantity but quality.

Take the basic Swiss education requirements (read an article last week on said subject) being are nine years, after which an average intelligent child is ready for an apprenticeship programme (or further schooling in high school etc.).
By then they can (technically speaking; always depending on the skills of the student) speak at least two languages, have a basic broad knowledge on history, geography, physics, maths, geometry, social values and skills.
The system also foresees failures, not everyone passes in the first round; schooling is ABSOLUTELY free (i.e. paid by taxes) and corruption is literally unknown for good marks.
Only 5% of the kindergarteners make it to university, the rest gets vocational training on various school exit levels which has ensured, that this small country's economical backbone is the 90% of Swiss SMEs run and operated by vocational training finalists.

Why do (in many cases severely unqualified) Thais teach i.e. foreign languages. I saw German classes on TV - better than all those soaps of theirs). Why not get the best person, irrespective of gender, nationality, race or religion, to teach the kids and do away with that hoovering-over-everything-loss-of-face. No non-Thai would be able to speak Thai if they would not have learnt it (by doing, speaking mistakes and subsequently corrected). Needless to say that, while teachers need a certain level of respect, they err, don't know and can be wrong. Nothing wrong with this, while it should be permitted for a student to correct the teacher; something which actually is encourages in many European schooling systems.

[Sydebolle]

deleted as duplicated entry

Edited May 13, 2016 by Sydebolle

[Krataiboy]

This lot does more about-turns than a squaddie on drill practice.

[dominique355]

Is 12 years of education the same as 12 years of school?

If "education" starts at the age of 3 - as proposed now - it will still be only be 9 years of school.

And the Thai education system has never really been free. Uniforms and writing instruments and stationery also cost, not to mention the mandatory haircut.

The OP says 15 years not 12.

I know but if I am correctly informed the draft constitution deals of only 12 years.

[Broeno]

How come they leave school knowing close to nothing, and most important they all seem to have a great fear of asking questions ?

never heard of the age-old statement "You keep them stupid and I'll keep them poor.?

[elgordo38]

How come they leave school knowing close to nothing, and most important they all seem to have a great fear of asking questions ?

never heard of the age-old statement "You keep them stupid and I'll keep them poor.?

Sad but true. My g/f's sister has two children ages 8 and 10 and she always complains of how much it costs to send them to school including tuition.

[PS2]

And the Thai education system has never really been free. Uniforms and writing instruments and stationery also cost, not to mention the mandatory haircut.

Free during the last democrat reign (exempt the haircut)

Thaksin took that away as he did with the free healthcare.