Thai students woefully under-prepared for next industrial revolution

[webfact]

OPINION

Thai students woefully under-prepared for next industrial revolution
By Daniel Maxwell, Peerasit Kamnuansilpa
Special to The Nation

 

Last month, schools across Thailand began a new academic year.

 

The new school year brings with it new friends, new teachers and new experiences, but one aspect of school life will remain unchanged: the outdated and ineffective system of teaching, learning and assessment, so appalling it now threatens to abandon children in a previous century, implying a “Thailand 0.4” instead of the government’s dream of a national reboot. 

 

The failings of the education system have been well documented, with the country consistently ranking poorly in international reports. Traditionally, graduates from Thailand’s substandard education system were at least guaranteed some form of employment, as the country positioned itself as a hub for low-cost labour. As such, official unemployment figures remained low and the country was able to employ Thai Lao or Lao and Myanmar migrant immigrants to fill the more dangerous occupations such as construction and fishing.

 

Unfortunately, the rise of robotics and automation will drastically reduce global demand for low-cost labour, as machines take over a vast range of occupations, operating more cheaply and more efficiently than people. This seismic economic shift, which has already begun, will have a huge impact on the economy, employment and social stability. Unless Thailand’s education system is radically reformed for the 21st century, millions of former students will soon be unemployed and unemployable.

 

It had been predicted that the robotics revolution would impact developed countries before affecting developing nations, with their low labour costs. However there is increasing realisation that countries like Thailand, which rely on low-cost labour, will be some of the hardest hit by the next industrial revolution. The World Bank predicts automation will wipe out two-thirds of all jobs in developing countries. A recent report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) concluded that in Southeast Asia, approximately 56 per cent of all salaried employment in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam is at risk in the next 20 years.

 

The ILO report suggests labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, clothing and footwear, which employ millions of Southeast Asian workers, will be the hardest hit. The Asean Economic Community’s automotive industry, employing more than 800,000 workers, was also identified as a sector set to be hugely disrupted by the rise of artificial intelligence. In Thailand, the “Detroit of Southeast Asia”, the automotive sector accounts for around 10 per cent of gross domestic product and employs 10 per cent of manufacturing employees. With robots becoming better at assembly, cheaper, and increasingly sophisticated, over 70 per cent of workers are at high risk of losing work.

 

Deborah France-Massin, director of the ILO’s Bureau for Employers’ Activities, urges AEC countries to prepare for these changes: “Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves. Policymakers need to create a more conducive environment that leads to greater human capital investment, research and development, and high-value production.”

 

And it is no longer just manufacturing that is threatened by automation. New technologies will threaten more skilled employment, as well as work in the service sector, jeopardising millions of jobs previously considered safe from automation. Banking and retail will see unprecedented changes as machines replace humans. Self-service cash registers, already common at retail outlets in Europe and North America, will become a familiar sight in Thailand.

 

Students entering this new economic environment need to have the relevant knowledge and skills to remain competitive. The rise of automation and robotics will provide opportunities for the educated and skilled. Organisations will need tech-savvy individuals to monitor, programme and fix robots’ work. Individuals with the necessary skills to write computer code and programme technology will be sought to develop the next generation of software, applications and artificial intelligence.

 

Globally, there is a huge shortage of graduates with computer engineering skills. Developed nations are keenly aware they need more graduates with science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills. For this reason, the US and much of Europe have made significant investments in promoting STEM education at schools and universities. 

 

AEC neighbours Singapore and Vietnam are much better prepared for the next industrial revolution than Thailand. Both countries have significantly improved education systems which rank highly in international benchmarking. Students’ tech abilities and STEM skills are also high in these countries, along with an entrepreneurial spirit. 

 

The Thai regime’s economic model “Thailand 4.0” is intended to make the country a hub for innovation and high technology. This “master plan” has been promoted to help the country escape the middle-income trap and become a competitive provider of technological hardware and services. However, without massive investment in STEM education, it is nothing more than a pipe dream.

 

The only progress towards providing students with relevant 21st-century skills has come from a handful of leading universities, demonstration schools and private schools. Unfortunately, opportunities for students to develop STEM skills are only being offered to a small elite of mainly Central Thai and urban students.

 

The majority of Thai children continue to be educated in a 19th-century system that requiring submission and conformity. It was designed to produce a workforce for factories. This helped create a low-cost, low-skilled workforce that attracted foreign manufacturers.

 

Unfortunately, for the next industrial revolution, workers need to be unlike robots, otherwise they will simply be replaced by automation. Today’s learners have to acquire 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving and creativity – the basis of STEM skills. 

 

The government must accept the urgent responsibility for revolutionising education and human capital and radically update the country’s education system, overhauling the Ministry of Education. Ignoring this imminent economic transformation, with the immense social and economic repercussions, will have dire economic and social consequences and would mark the regime as unfit to govern.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/opinion/30317924

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-13

[wakeupplease]

Well there is only one lot to blame for this the so-called Sh>Elites, so when the robots take over as they will (ref harddrives) what does the local do for a living. Not much choice but do as the Sh>elites do now?

Edited June 12, 2017 by wakeupplease

[ezzra]

Thai student have facebook and Line and other apps that their live are

revolve and depended on it,  industrial revolution? Arai Wa?

is there an app for it?.....

[trogers]

Jumping the gun.

 

They are still not prepared for the present Industrial Revolution - Somchais driving motor vehicles like they are riding their buffaloes.

[jaltsc]

"Thai students woefully under-prepared for next industrial revolution."

 

They are under-prepared for anything more complex than a shovel and hammer. Anything that involves electricity or a motor, automatically become a life threatening situation, for them and anyone within 10 meters of them. 

Edited June 12, 2017 by jaltsc

[canuckamuck]

They can always do the jobs that the robots are too advanced for.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2017 by canuckamuck

[Mickmouse1]

M.O.Ed should develop courses to improve teaching skills and apply modern teaching methods. 

You can not blame students. ?

[wakeupplease]

22 minutes ago, Mickmouse1 said:

M.O.Ed should develop courses to improve teaching skills and apply modern teaching methods. 

You can not blame students. ?

I don't think many will blame the students

 

its those upstairs with no downstairs that are to blame, you cannot educate anyone to be more intelligent that you are so the local teaching goes

 

Boy there is a big hole developing here.

[esprit]

never mind about being underprepared for the next industrial revolution,  they are underprepared for next week !!!

[thehelmsman]

The som tam vender still has job security.

[kannot]

55 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

They can always do the jobs that the robots are too advanced for.

 

 

polishing the robots?

[kannot]

2 minutes ago, thehelmsman said:

The som tam vender still has job security.

i wouldnt be too sure on that one "Mc SomTam" coming soon??

[Moti24]

"Thai students woefully under-prepared for next industrial revolution"

 

I think the word "unprepared" would be a better fit.

[nausea]

Nothing new here, generals are always fighting the last war, not the next one. 

[impulse]

Every educational system in the world leaves their students under prepared for the future, especially when there won't be enough decent paying jobs for many (most?) of them.

 

[thehelmsman]

The time will come when the people are totally dependant on the gov. for all our basic needs.

[Displaynameinusebyanotherm]

1 hour ago, Moti24 said:

"Thai students woefully under-prepared for next industrial revolution"

 

I think the word "unprepared" would be a better fit.

I go for "unintersted in any sort of revolution"... 

[Kasset Tak]

The thing is that you can not expect that much from the students when the teachers are not that good in their subjects either...

* In the college where I work we have 3 Thai English teachers, they all speak Thai with me as they can not speak English.

* Last year CP gave us 200 geese, most of them died because the teacher set to take care of them did not know what top do... he has a Masters degree in poultry farming.
* This morning I was teaching about pig production and the Thai teacher (another teacher) taught the students that "bacon pig breads" have striped muscles, he seriously did not know that most bacon is made from pork belly and consists of both muscle and fat and that whats called "bacon breads" are basically pig "breads" that have long slender bodies as they have more belly to produce bacon from. Yes, he had written bread instead of breed in his PowerPoint presentation...  He also had "laed breads" and "meet breads"

Edited June 13, 2017 by Kasset Tak

[klauskunkel]

Combine this

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai students woefully under-prepared for next industrial revolution

with that

Quote

Fiscal deficits can run for 8 more years in growth-boosting drive, Apisak says

in a nation of lottery dependents...

[soalbundy]

The bar girls will save the nation

[ben2talk]

1 hour ago, Kasset Tak said:

The thing is that you can not expect that much from the students when the teachers are not that good in their subjects either...

The culture of 'obedience' and 'subservience'. Superiority is only based on money and education certificates, never upon ability... The only thing evident in schools is that obedience is good and that questioning is simply revealing your own 'ignorance of the facts' which obviously makes you stupid. Not already knowing the answer is criminal - anything can be memorised. Thai students never say 'I don't understand' only 'I don't remember' meaning 'I have failed, as yet, to sufficiently memorise everything I need to learn'.

 

I was recently informed that 'Powder is 'necessary to give a clean and fresh face'. Strangely I assumed that 'clean and fresh' was achieved with a cold water splash and powder might be regarded as less than clean or fresh - more as a means to control oily skin. Obviously I am wrong.

 

Such ideas should never be questioned. Lists of words taught in Kindergarten have been the same for 50 years, no need to change a winning formula or update the methods that have worked so well.

[Krataiboy]

What a cogently-argued, long overdue wake-up call for a country which spends a larger percentage of its budget than almost any other per capita, but gets utterly deplorable results.

 

Unfortunately, the present administration appears to be made up of education dinosaurs content to keep children dumbed down factory fodder for their outdated economic model.

 

Only the wealthy can afford to send their children to decent schools and university is an unattainable dream for millions of Thai children who have the talent but not the well-heeled parents to buy them degrees.

 

With three kids still in the educational system, I despair at the head-in-the-sand attitude of the Government and the education ministry they throw money at like confetti, irrespective of the results. Together, whether they have the nouse to realise it or not, they are robbing future generations of the ability to grown up financially self-sufficient - and self-sufficiency is a  virtue rightly embraced by the late King  - and in doing so ensure the nation's success in world markets.

 

Thailand's only hope of meeting the challenge of the Robotic Revolution is a more enlightened future government - if the electorate is ever given the opportunity to choose one  - which will totally transform a failed educational model little changed since the 18th century and the needs of the first Industrial Revolution.

 

A bunch of robots armed with artificial intelligence could do a better job than the current educational hierarchy - and for a fraction of the cost.

[timber]

The root of the problem in Thailand is planning for the future.  Not making proper training available, developing the jobs, and workforce will lead to unemployment of a large segment of young people which will in turn create a lot of social unrest and crime.  It's not a difficult assessment on what needs to be done.  It seems to be difficult  to put into operation.   The legacy that it leaves your children or grandchildren is what makes them a good government.  There is a lot that needs to be done.  Maybe someone from outside Thailand needs to help in the assessment.  There actually are a lot of ex patriots in Thailand that can help if allowed to.

[Displaynameinusebyanotherm]

3 hours ago, thehelmsman said:

The som tam vender still has job security.

Yeah making 300thb a day. The luxury, the luxury!

[Displaynameinusebyanotherm]

11 minutes ago, ben2talk said:

The culture of 'obedience' and 'subservience'. Superiority is only based on money and education certificates, never upon ability... The only thing evident in schools is that obedience is good and that questioning is simply revealing your own 'ignorance of the facts' which obviously makes you stupid. Not already knowing the answer is criminal - anything can be memorised. Thai students never say 'I don't understand' only 'I don't remember' meaning 'I have failed, as yet, to sufficiently memorise everything I need to learn'.

 

I was recently informed that 'Powder is 'necessary to give a clean and fresh face'. Strangely I assumed that 'clean and fresh' was achieved with a cold water splash and powder might be regarded as less than clean or fresh - more as a means to control oily skin. Obviously I am wrong.

 

Such ideas should never be questioned. Lists of words taught in Kindergarten have been the same for 50 years, no need to change a winning formula or update the methods that have worked so well.

Very true and totally depressing. But hey: up to them!

[pattayadgw]

Nest 'Industrial Revolution'.... you gotta kidding??  They haven't grasped the present era yet let alone the future.... 

[timber]

Before you say too much about Thailand, many countries in this world are heading toward the same problem and doing little about it.

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

the government’s dream of a national reboot

 

A reboot to Windows 1895.

 

[thehelmsman]

5 hours ago, Displaynameinusebyanotherm said:

Yeah making 300thb a day. The luxury, the luxury!

Welcome to Thailand.

[Chongalulu]

On 13/06/2017 at 9:48 AM, impulse said:

Every educational system in the world leaves their students under prepared for the future, especially when there won't be enough decent paying jobs for many (most?) of them.

 

Try looking at Singapore's system then- and their performance in PISA tables. With no natural resources they understood long ago that the only thing they had to trade is their knowledge.