PM Prayut instructs MOE to review educational curriculum

[robsamui]

With the best will in the world, education reform in Thailand is something which will not even begin to emerge until several more generations have passed.

 

For any system (of any sort) to work, it needs to have become established. In the case of education Thailand has spent 800 years in deliberately not educating their people - while at the same time the modern-day nation's elite send their children abroad for secondary and higher education.

 

Thus a long-established system is in place where the teachers themselves have been woefully educated and are attempting to teach a narrow and nationalistic curriculum to students, the majority of whom have little or no motivation and no social tradition of study to guide them.

 

The development of any nation is  a slow progression. Countries which have an established and respected tradition of academic excellence have gained this over centuries of change and improvement.  Admiration and respect for learning and the cultural atmosphere to reward and support this (via the motivation of enhanced employment opportunities and lifestyle) isn't something that can happen overnight.

 

Thailand is still spending all its bureaucratic and administrative energies in rejecting foreigners (as well as culturally belittling them). It is this blind (and hilariously outdated) nationalistic pride which has sadly brought the nation to a halt, unchanged and immobile, while the rest of the world has been moving forward.

 

Eventually, as increasingly more of the children of the privileged classes go out into the world and return, they will move into positions of power and influence. Slowly, over several generation of this, Thailand's political and cultural attitudes will change and broaden. And then, perhaps, the  long process of establishing a society which not only seeks education but is also is given the academic framework to encourage this will slowly begin.

 

However, until the teachers themselves are equipped with more information and knowledge than a bright European 16 year-old, it can't happen. Until there is a rigid grading system in schools where students pass or fail according to their achievement, it won't happen. And as long as Thai universities only ever compare themselves with other Thai universities  (at an academic level that equivalates to kids of 16 in the west) it'll never happen. And when it finally does, Thailand will emerge in a similar cultural atmosphere to Europe in the 1950s, with still a long way to go until they become a respected and competitive nation worldwide.

 

But it ain't gonna happen in my lifetime. This nation has deliberately dug itself into a big deep hole to keep the rest of the word away and is now trying to save face and pretend all is normal - because it's now realising that it can't climb out of the pit, even if it wanted to. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 9, 2017 by robsamui

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, Eric Loh said:

Off topic but isn't YL been charged for her responsibilities in the rice scheme ? Supreme Court for malfeasance and executive order to pay up are the prices she paid for her responsibilities. Importantly, she will have to face the electorate who will have a say of her leadership and policies. 

 

Will Prayut be held responsible  for his policies? He don't even have to face the electorate. 

 

Hope you get the facts right. 

 

Im not going into this anymore as you said its off topic.. says enough that you think that one PM should be held accountable  but an other should not. While I think all should be held accountable. (ill say it again.. the electorate is not a court of law if you mess up you should be accountable.. and not only to the electorate)

[Happyman58]

8 hours ago, MarkusAUST said:

Not sure how English is going to improve when the Thai teachers can't speak it themselves.

My god mark so right

 

[wirat69]

6 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

One would assume that this might be something the MoEd would be accustomed to doing all on their own.

 

I think MoE have reviewed the curriculum for each and every Minister of Education over past 10+ years... I.e. They review the curriculum more often than I reviewed my condom!!! Have to admit that Deputy Minister Wiboon Shamsheun was headed in a positive direction, but the establishment was not behind him...

 

since 2000 the school could set its own curriculum within the Ministry guidelines, but few have achieved the success envisaged...

 

It is not just the low salary that stalls progress... less meetings and more action would in itself be an improvement for the Teachers

 

(Before you bark, I have had almost 35 years experience on the periphery of the Thai education system!!)

[janpharma]

As long as "directors" and "officials" maintain their corruptive system where up to 900.000.- Thb is asked from new teachers in order to get (buy) a job...nothing will improve and only the most fortunate (and most of the time not capable) individuals will be there...not able to teach children...and the LOS will remain a third world country.

[seajae]

strangely enough when my wife went to school here she had to pass her exams etc to advance right through her schooling and into university, this was changed supposedly to save face so they said at the time but the reality is it was changed so that education didnt make the population smart enough to realize they were being duped by the govt. Chase it up and see who was pm when they changed it and then look at what he did, if the thais had a decent education they would not accept the lies etc fed to them by the govts and they would vote accordingly, something that is not wanted by the ones that have  brainwashed people into believing them

[klauskunkel]

The yearly instruction to reform Education has now been uttered. Again.

A news headline of the yearly uttering has been published, emphasizing that the uttering came from the PM. Again.

A good job was done by all. Again.

Edited May 9, 2017 by klauskunkel

[diehard60]

to improve english teaching you must improve your english teachers. and that can't be done.

[maddox41]

9 hours ago, MarkusAUST said:

Not sure how English is going to improve when the Thai teachers can't speak it themselves.

My thoughts exactly ??

[Redline]

It's been reviewed over and over and over~no results

[rodney earl]

Gee. What a surprise.!!

[Happyman58]

2 hours ago, maddox41 said:

My thoughts exactly ??

mine to seen it with my own eyes thai teachers standing in front of class trying to teach english and cant speak it themselves poor kids learn nothing

[tominbkk]

Smart guy, I attended a couple seminars of his and he knows the issues.   Will take a herculean fight to get done what he wants.

[debate101]

The whole concept is always wrong. Top-down, dictatorial micromanagement is the only strategy that has ever been tried, and that doesn't lead to education. Only to conformity, obedience, narrow-mindedness, and incuriousness. Thai students today learn more about the world in one hour online than they do in a week at an MOE-run school, and that is their only saving grace. Oh, and some of the newer tutorial centers seem to "get it" now as well. 

[jesimps]

12 hours ago, jaymbkk said:

 

I don't recall the previous elected government doing anything about the educational system huge deficiencies. Passed the cynicism you've got to admit that at least he's trying.

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Yes, he's very trying.

 

My missus is a teacher and she and her colleagues don't know where they are because of the constantly changing curriculum. Every time they think they're coming to grips with it, someone comes along and changes it. Each change means massive amounts of paperwork for the teachers and of course, less time for teaching.

 

The main problem is that the people ordering the new curriculum know beggar all about education.

 

I'm sure for a teacher, Mr Prayut would make a good general.

 

 

[jesimps]

1 hour ago, tominbkk said:

Smart guy, I attended a couple seminars of his and he knows the issues.   Will take a herculean fight to get done what he wants.

Fight??? Give us a break.

 

With complete and unopposed power AND article 44 at his disposal he doesn't have to fight for anything. 

 

Those seminars must have been interesting, a bit like watching paint dry. You must lead an exciting life.

 

[timewilltell]

You can do what you like with the curriculum but if the teachers are paid so badly and English is taught by Thais who cannot really speak it or form proper sentences, then really not much progress will be made. With the huge education budget it us clear that there is either gross mismanagement and waste or huge corruption siphoning the money off. Probably both!

[sawadeeken]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

Speaking in a meeting of the strategic administration committee chaired by PM Prayut on Monday, the premier asked the Education Ministry to review the country's curriculum to ensure that it can increase students’ knowledge, improve society and enhance the country’s potential, said Chaiyapruek. 

 

This from the main post.........................

Makes me wonder if the 'good PM' offered more money for improvements to the Education System??????

And if so...... was it anywhere near the amount he is planning on spending on Submarines and Tanks (to fight- or help- WHO?????)............  TIT

[piersbeckett]

13 hours ago, kotsak said:

All is well.. Serfdom needs serfs 

 

And talk is cheap

[Rhys]

,,hmmmm the money is going int the construction ?C? game...

[Pattaya28]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

to review the country's education curriculum

Review ? 

Been many "reviews" over the past few years.

 

19 hours ago, webfact said:

most important mechanism is the teacher

Then why are teachers paid so little ?

If importance was put on teachers, salary would reflect this.

 

19 hours ago, webfact said:

adjust their teaching methods by learning with the students

What does this mean ?

How can teachers "learn" with the students ?

[Pattaya28]

19 hours ago, webfact said:

 

This, in its' entirety, is absolute "waffle".

A selection of meaningless words.

[Pattaya28]

A few months back, I was asked to help a 15 year old with his English homework.

The questionaire he was given was 100% nonsensical rubbish.

It was unanswerable.

Is there any wonder Thais aren't too smart ?

 

And need a calculator for simple sums like 17 + 7.

 

[Krataiboy]

On 5/9/2017 at 9:26 AM, mtls2005 said:

PM instructs MOE to review educational curriculum
 

It is interesting that the PM needs to "instruct" the Ministry of Education to review the "educational curriculum".

 

One would assume that this might be something the MoEd would be accustomed to doing all on their own.

 

Thankfully the PM is on hand to "instruct" everyone.

 

What he really needs to review is what the Ministry does with the massive education budget - one of the biggest, per capita, in the world - thrown into its lap every Budget day. 

 

If I were a Thai taxpayer, let alone a tax-paying parent, I would be demanding far more accountability from a Government department which doesn't seem to know what value for money even means let alone how to deliver it.

 

 

[tominbkk]

On 5/9/2017 at 10:28 PM, jesimps said:

Fight??? Give us a break.

 

With complete and unopposed power AND article 44 at his disposal he doesn't have to fight for anything. 

 

Those seminars must have been interesting, a bit like watching paint dry. You must lead an exciting life.

 

Why so much hate?  His English is impeccable, he is very knowledgeable about UK, US, and German education systems.  A strong proponent for student centered learning, developing critical thinking skills, renovating the vocational education.  He has a lot of enthusiasm but admits that with the way things are now it will take a good long time to move forward.

 

The least thing he was was cynical and jaded like you.