Six high schools teach job skills

[webfact]

Six high schools teach job skills

By Nattaphat Phromkaew 
The Nation

 

Government spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd

 

BANGKOK: -- Students who take government-backed vocational courses in high school are expected to quickly find jobs in their hometowns, said government spokesman Lt-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd.

 

Many high schools have already adopted vocational classrooms, particularly those in the deep South such as in Yala and Narathiwas provinces.

 

In addition to traditional curriculum, the vocational classroom teaches skills that are in high demand in the workplace. In a policy passed down from Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, lessons are customised to meet local community demand, said Sansern.

 

He points to Betong Wiraratprasarn School in Betong district of Yala province, which is collaborating with Betong Industrial and Community College to open a new curriculum of hotel management and domestic science. It reflects the skills demand of the community as it develops into a tourist city, Sansern added.

 

Suwan Wittayakom School in Narathiwas launched a similar project, he adds. 

 

A new curriculum of business, computer, and welding would be open for its first cohort of students in the upcoming semester, he said. 

 

Students would receive two degrees — high school and vocational diplomas. They’ll be trained to meet the workforce needs from the area’s booming investment and construction industries. 

 

Students after graduation could choose whether to go to college or to work, Sansern said. Those thinking about becoming an entrepreneur could also choose to take a basic business administration course upon graduation.

 

Six schools in special development zones have adopted the policy and launched the project. Three are in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwas. The others are in Chiang Rai and Tak. 

 

PM Prayut had shown support for schools working on the project, which he sees as giving more choices to students, Sansern said. 

 

The PM has also stressed to the education ministry that they work with local businesses and the community to ensure that graduates meet their needs, he said.

 

Parents also have a role, Sansern said. They need to understand that vocational students are no less competent than others. Rather, they could start working and earning earlier than others.

 

In the future, the projects will be developed in other areas across the country, he said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30321560

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-07-24

[greenchair]

On a guess, about half of thai teenagers are wasting their time in school. it's about time thailand realised not everyone needs a degree. Give them job skills and get them into jobs straight from school. A Mathayom 4 education is enough. These kids are not able to progress anymore educationaly and cause chaos and Mahem stopping the children that are able to learn from learning. However, they are a valuable resource to the labour shortage in Thailand, and more often than not work very well. forcing them to stay in school has been a national educational disaster. 

Edited July 23, 2017 by greenchair
didn't finish post.

[connda]

Find jobs in their hometowns?  Like Rice Planting 101?  Advanced Laboring 340. Yaba smoking 400?  As an expat living in rural Thailand, I can tell you for a fact that there are no vocational jobs out here in the sticks.  And the local vocational school is a dumping ground for those financially or intellectually unable to go to university.  There are a lot of kids out here that see no future.  They don't want to follow in their parents footsteps, and relegate their jobs to a more motivated Myanmar labor force.  It's definitely a social problem that is not addressed by the hisos running the show.
The Lt.Gen should try addressing that little conundrum.  But, out of sight, out of mind.  

Edited July 24, 2017 by connda

[connda]

4 hours ago, greenchair said:

On a guess, about half of thai teenagers are wasting their time in school. it's about time thailand realised not everyone needs a degree. Give them job skills and get them into jobs straight from school. A Mathayom 4 education is enough. These kids are not able to progress anymore educationaly and cause chaos and Mahem stopping the children that are able to learn from learning. However, they are a valuable resource to the labour shortage in Thailand, and more often than not work very well. forcing them to stay in school has been a national educational disaster. 

There is a huge discrepancy between the educational opportunities in the rural villages and the cities.  Anyone with two baht to rub together will send their kids to school in the city 35 kilometers away.  Everyone here knows that the quality of education is significantly better in the city.  And this is because the government chooses to unequally allocate funds and resources to schools in the cities as opposed to the underfunded and inadequately staffed schools in the rural sticks.
The government spokesmen can gloss that over all they want, but the problem remains until they directly address it.  This is all just 'shine.'  

[RichardColeman]

So lots of training on the taxi motorbike, 7/11 and handing off baby to grandparents to run off to Pattaya then. 

 

Schools need to adopt more apprenticeships schemes - with real jobs at the end. Meaningless training in whatever fields I think is pretty much pointless without the jobs there.

[graemeaylward]

"Students would receive two degrees - high school and vocational diplomas"

In most countries, these qualifications are not degrees!

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