Education Minister says Thai students lack critical thinking and English language skills

[NativeSon360]

"hagiographies,  stouche" -  please Winnie, give  the rest of us lowly Cretans a break here. Ok? Thank you,

Edited September 2, 2016 by NativeSon360

[MaxLee]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Education Minister says Thai students lack critical thinking and English language skills

 

..... says the institution, that puts up shuts up and brainwashes the minds out of kids beyond repair system....... 

[eliotness]

Just a small step would be to show more programmes in English on TV.  A lot of times not only are the programmes dubbed but they have Thai subtitles as well.

[williamgeorgeallen]

i hate to leave thailand but my kids start school in nz next year. i will be back in 16 years when they finish.

[SOTIRIOS]

...as per the statement....not an original notion....

 

... it has been the demise of any of us that have ever stated the obvious through the years....

[whatproblem]

15 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Education Minister says "many Thai students lack critical thinking and English language skills "

Maybe a little more accurate?

All Thais lack 

[Eric Loh]

EVery education ministers from previous governments said the same obvious thing. Question is what you going to do about it. Education is so important to the nation progress and an Education Reform Act must be seriously considered. Singapore has aspect of education acts that brought sweeping changes to the teaching, learning & ciriculum. 

 

[kannot]

9 hours ago, NativeSon360 said:

Well expressed  Now, consider this: In how many other countries (in your travel experience) can you (as an obvious foreigner) walk the streets, alone at night, sloppy-falling-down drunk, in a city the size of Bangkok, and absolutely no group of local menfolk will either accost, or attempt to rob you? That is also a Thai "cultural" phenomenon, well-worth any thinking person's consideration. Wouldn't you agree?

thats because they lack the "critical thinking" to do it

[Winniedapu]

9 hours ago, NativeSon360 said:

Well expressed  Now, consider this: In how many other countries (in your travel experience) can you (as an obvious foreigner) walk the streets, alone at night, sloppy-falling-down drunk, in a city the size of Bangkok, and absolutely no group of local menfolk will either accost, or attempt to rob you? That is also a Thai "cultural" phenomenon, well-worth any thinking person's consideration. Wouldn't you agree?

 

No I wouldn't, it depends on where you live; I was rarely frightened of walking after dark in UK outside of areas known to be unsafe (as is, for example Walking Street in Pattaya or most night-life areas).

 

In contrast, in Thailand, my (Thai) wife has been assaulted three times by several Thai male louts, which I never saw or experienced in the UK. Perhaps I was lucky there and have been unlucky here. For myself, I've only been assaulted once, and be assured, they won't be doing that again any time soon, even though I was not unscathed.

 

Saying that it's Ok for Thailand to be dangerous because other places are dangerous is not a good logic to follow, but that's just my opinion.

[Winniedapu]

9 hours ago, NativeSon360 said:

"hagiographies,  stouche" -  please Winnie, give  the rest of us lowly Cretans a break here. Ok? Thank you,

 

Please don't consider yourself or others a cretin for not knowing what a word means. If you have access to a dictionary it helps.

 

And it's 'cretins' not 'cretans'. A typo perhaps... though 'a' is nowhere near 'i' on the usual keyboard.

 

Winnie

[hansnl]

16 hours ago, Reigntax said:

If they had critical thinking skills they certainly wouldnt accept the military controlling their lives nor the constant manure produced from those also severly lacking in critical thinking ability.

 

But then who would there be to believe in ghosts, black magic, karma and lucky numbers.

The military controlling their lives versus moneygrabbing, powerhungry, deceiving politicians that use "democracy" to further their own goals, you mean?

[chainarong]

Not to place too fine a point on the education standards in Thailand , you have mine and buckley's of reversing any trend within the next hundred years, your biggest failure to date is by ignoring outside advice , besides an over bloated military , submarine ,tank purchases and a fairy tail train set and costly Junta's ,  you wouldn't have the amount of money anyway , just look at the standard of your schools , not an air con in site , who the hell is going to leave a high paid position to come to a third world education system.................................

[Winniedapu]

4 minutes ago, chainarong said:

Not to place too fine a point on the education standards in Thailand , you have mine and buckley's of reversing any trend within the next hundred years, your biggest failure to date is by ignoring outside advice , besides an over bloated military , submarine ,tank purchases and a fairy tail train set and costly Junta's ,  you wouldn't have the amount of money anyway , just look at the standard of your schools , not an air con in site , who the hell is going to leave a high paid position to come to a third world education system.................................

 

And they are very near to reaping the harvest they have sown.

 

Winnie

[Winniedapu]

4 minutes ago, chainarong said:

Not to place too fine a point on the education standards in Thailand , you have mine and buckley's of reversing any trend within the next hundred years, your biggest failure to date is by ignoring outside advice , besides an over bloated military , submarine ,tank purchases and a fairy tail train set and costly Junta's ,  you wouldn't have the amount of money anyway , just look at the standard of your schools , not an air con in site , who the hell is going to leave a high paid position to come to a third world education system.................................

 

And they are very near to reaping the harvest they have sown.

 

Winnie

[Cornhack]

Maybe time to verify qualifications of teachers.

Might also pay to insist on qualified teachers only. Or is that too expensive?

[kannot]

20 minutes ago, Winniedapu said:

 

Please don't consider yourself or others a cretin for not knowing what a word means. If you have access to a dictionary it helps.

 

And it's 'cretins' not 'cretans'. A typo perhaps... though 'a' is nowhere near 'i' on the usual keyboard.

 

Winnie

he may have meant "croutons"

[northernboy]

I have great respect for most Thai teachers but  If Minister Dapong Rattanasuwan , accepts as the present government expects, nay demand  education within social context that good students are by official definitions  are an unquestioning, obedient and respectful to all above then, it will lead to more changes 

 

Clearly, not the one I and many with modern educational; viewpoints would feel  benefit the students and the Thailand country as a whole . It would set back education decades by producing graduates without analytical thinking or self-confidence and leadership skills. 

Thai critical thinking would lead to the masses learning what the elite are intentionally keeping themselves rich by ensuring the masses do not learn to think for themselves and improve their lot in life. 

 

Traditionally the  rightfully rich , have always had good education for their children and the government provides a free education which socially beneficial education that teaches poorer students to do as they are told and not encourage analytical thinking or self-expression, in fact,  these things were strong discouraged  and lead to painful attitude adjustments.

 

Expecting Thai teachers teach something most of them do not know to students, is doomed to fail so how are they to teach English, that is like asking a foreign teacher to teach Thai students Thai language and Thai culture. For if you want to teach critical thinking or English maybe success could be better achieved by those that actually know and understand the subject matter.

 

 

[Lupatria]

At least the elites in this country are successful when it comes to implementation of an education strategy well-working in their favor. 

[BlindMagician]

No "brown effluent" "famous detective" !

[Somtamnication]

And it will remain that way. Once you learn English, a whole new perspective opens up on the world, world events, history and cough cough Thai history. That is a no no. 

[freebyrd]

I would offer that: Thai Visa Member says Thai Government lack critical thinking and English language skills

[Emster23]

My view on suppression of questioning in Thai schools is due in part to teachers have been victims of Thai educational system, so don't really know anything. To admit that would be to lose face, that oh so important face. I encouraged my students to ask questions, and at times pretended (or not!) to know the answer. I would then ask "I wonder how we could find that out?" aka finding your own answers more valuable than being spoon fed answers uncritically.

[silent]

18 hours ago, ratcatcher said:

Education Minister says "many Thai students lack critical thinking and English language skills "

Maybe a little more accurate?

 

Education Minister says "many Thai students lack critical thinking et al.

case closed

[Moti24]

"Education Minister says Thai students lack critical thinking and English language skills"

 

No news here!  Thai students lacking critical thinking has been the subject of debate at the Ministry of Education for at least the past 8 years, that I know of. 

 

"Their awareness of national history has also declined....."

 

When I was teaching in Bangkok, about 9/10 years ago, I had to go to a different part of the school to borrow a globe, so I could use it in a social studies class.  I opened the cupboard and was confronted with a fair size globe, which would have been ideal.  The problem with it was that it was completely blacked out, except for Thailand.  Considering that Thai students only learn Thai history, which can't be that difficult if they only have one country to learn about, I fail to understand how their awareness of national history has declined.  In reality, I do understand, knowing Thai teachers like I do.  Enough said - TIT

[nongsangcity]

13 hours ago, swissie said:

Since Kindergarden, they are told that Thailand is the greatest country in the world. What is there to improve ? English ?
Soon, the PM will declare "Thai" as the premier language of the wold. That will solve 50 % of the problem. The other 50 % of the problem (logical thinking, or the lack thereof ) will not be resolved during our lifetime, unless your age is around 5 years old.
Cheers.

I would of thought a child in the USA,Australia,United Kingdom,France ,Germany and a host of many countries would be told their own country was number 1and the greatest in the world...

[Mook23]

Critical thinking Thai style: is the somdtam spicy enough?  Shouldn't it be a little more spicy?  Shouldn't it have a little bit more bplaraa? 

 

So much stress.  So silliout. So unsanook... 

[BlackJack]

there's only one man for the job http://www.debonothinkingsystems.com/about/Edward.htm

[Scotwight]

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

And it will remain that way. Once you learn English, a whole new perspective opens up on the world, world events, history and cough cough Thai history. That is a no no. 

Who in Thailand in a position of authority knows enough about history to make a decision to censor it?  You give them too much credit.  The education system is not run with any purpose be it good or bad.  

[sweatalot]

2 hours ago, Somtamnication said:

And it will remain that way. Once you learn English, a whole new perspective opens up on the world, world events, history and cough cough Thai history. That is a no no. 

 

looks like they have to chose between scylla and charybdis:

 

• lose big econimical against other ASEAN countries because of their much better English skills
• or get an awakened  people 

[Winniedapu]

23 minutes ago, Scotwight said:

Who in Thailand in a position of authority knows enough about history to make a decision to censor it?  You give them too much credit.  The education system is not run with any purpose be it good or bad.  

 

I don't agree. Nor do I agree that the Thai education is as bad as it is by accident. There's too much evidence that it has suited the purposes of a small and very select group of people for it to have been accidental.

 

It is also far too consistent with other exploitations of the Thai people, which are known not to be accidental. It cannot be possible that a small group of people at the very top of the Thai pyramid have become obscenely wealthy while the rest have been kept obscenely un-wealthy by accident. That's a bit like saying that we evolved from microbes by a series of very fortuitous accidents... It just stretches credulity way too far. And it's not how the world works in all other things.

 

Winnie

Edited September 3, 2016 by Winniedapu