Education System Overhaul

Discussion on schools, colleges, universities, educational facilities, teaching, and learning resources for adults and children.
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PeteC
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Education System Overhaul

Post by PeteC »

Will it really happen this time? I wouldn't hold my breath, but I'll be very pleased if he indeed does at least something. Pete :cheers:

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... m-overhaul

Pongthep readies school curriculum overhaul
SPECIAL INTERVIEW: New education minister says Thais lagging behind international standards

Published: 11/12/2012 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Newly appointed Education Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana says it is time to make changes to the curriculum as part of an overhaul of the education system.

Pongthep: Reform needed ‘at all levels’

"Overhauling the country's curriculum is one of my early priorities and urgent policies but I won't rush to do it," Mr Pongthep told the Bangkok Post recently in an exclusive interview.

Mr Pongthep said he wants to push for curriculum reform at all levels after learning that several international assessments show Thai students' academic achievement lagging significantly, with no signs of improvement.

He cited the scores of the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment (Pisa) conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The assessment measures reading, maths and scientific literacy of students from 65 member countries.

He said in the international exam Thai students scored on average 421 in reading, 419 in maths and 425 in sciences. The average Thai scores in each category were well below the international averages _ 493 (reading), 496 (maths) and 501 (sciences).

"Thai students spend a lot of time in the classroom but they learn less from it," Mr Pongthep said, adding that foreign students appear to perform better while spending less time in the classroom.

"However, this doesn't mean classroom learning for Thai students should be shortened," he said, suggesting that Thai students should be encouraged to learn more efficiently.

Mr Pongthep said the compulsory education curriculum from Prathom 1 (Grade 1) to Mathayom 6 (Grade 12) should be redesigned as soon as possible.

Curriculum reform will begin soon after the ministry's curriculum reform committee is set up, he said. The committee will comprise all education sectors and will review subjects, content and methods.

The minister said the policy of curriculum reform will remain a long-term priority for the government. The minister's adviser Pawit Thongroj will draft a roadmap for this current round of curriculum reform, he said.

Curriculum reform is among several facets of the second stage of the country's education overhaul which began in 2009 and will continue until 2018.

Mr Pongthep said apart from boosting test scores, the ministry also plans to improve student discipline and morale. Students need to have more respect for each other and for others, he said.

"A student who is intelligent, but who cares nothing about others and society, is not the type of student that we want," he said.

Mr Pongthep said he also has concerns over the safety and welfare of teachers in the far South. He promised to improve the situation.

He said the government has a policy to solve the problems that schools in the far South face and improving the quality of education in the region is among the solutions.

Mr Pongthep last week visited teachers in Pattani to provide them with moral support and to listen to their plight.

His visit reciprocated a recent visit to the Education Ministry by southern teachers who asked him to provide better safety and welfare for the teachers in the far South.

The teachers have requested the monthly risk allowance be boosted from 2,500 to 3,500 baht. They have also asked for more flexibility to seek higher academic accreditation, and a tax deduction provision.

The teachers' requests came after Nanthana Kaewchan. director of Ban Tha Kam Sam School in Pattani's Nong Chik district, was murdered late last month.

Her death prompted more than 600 schools in Pattani and Narathiwat to shut temporarily to pressure for a review of security measures.

So far, the southern violence has killed 155 teachers and injured many others.

All of the schools have since resumed their operations.

Mr Pongthep, who graduated in law, was asked why he was appointed as the education minister.

He said he did not ask the prime minister for her reasoning.

The role of education minister does not necessarily require an education background, he said, though he pointed out that he used to lecture at a university and chaired a university council.
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Roel
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Re: Education System Overhaul

Post by Roel »

Quote: "A student who is intelligent, but who cares nothing about others and society, is not the type of student that we want,"

You can describe the present situation by leaving out "but who cares nothing about others and society".

Call me cynical but I cannot see it happen in my lifetime that the handful of Thai families that own and rule this country allow essential changes in the education system that might result in the rise of a group of intelligentsia that is going to demand and implement changes in society and question the old system and values.
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Re: Education System Overhaul

Post by barrys »

"Curriculum reform is among several facets of the second stage of the country's education overhaul which began in 2009 and will continue until 2018."


Just picked that quote from the article.
Begs the question - what on earth was the 1st stage of the overhaul and when did that take place?
And what has happened during the 2nd stage from 2009 up to now?
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Re: Education System Overhaul

Post by johnnyk »

A huge cultural adjustment is required first to a society that values education, skills and hard work rather than relying on favours and cronies. Two words: Home Pro.
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Re: Education System Overhaul

Post by Nereus »

I will post this here, rather than clutter up the forum. This crap make my blood boil. It is small wonder that many Thai kids grow up having no respect for anybody, or anything, else.
I no longer have school age kids, but I do have a 7 year old Thai Granddaughter, and I have seen first hand what she goes through when her selfish mother does not turn up at her school when she has some such show on.

Another thing that I have just run up against with her school is this:
Her class, and most of the others in the EP program I believe, have been practising for a show called the Adams Family. It was supposed to be held on the 4th of December, but a few days before the date they changed it to the new year, the excuse being that it was too close to Fathers day!
BUT, the crunch line is that the school is charging parents to go and watch it!
3 different levels of tickets, 100, 200 and 300 Baht. Maybe their twisted logic is trying to prevent what follows!
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Published: 27/12/2012 at 12:00 AM Newspaper section BangkokPost:

The holiday season is in full force and I've been enjoying a number of wonderful parties since late last week. One of the more important ones for me was the Open House ceremony at my son's school which takes place at this time each and every year. It is a time when parents have a chance to watch children in class, talk to the teachers, and watch them perform on stage. I have been doing this for six years already.

This year, my son and his classmates proudly performed a Gangnam style dance. It was the first show of the day so everyone was in full spirit to enjoy the fun. One boy on the stage even called out loudly to his dad to take his photo. After his first dance, my son had another performance with the melodica band to end the show.

A teacher emcee explained to the parents that the kids had been working very hard for the past few weeks to prepare for the show and were very excited to perform.

I remembered that I had asked my son many times before the Open House to show me a glimpse of his dance. He told me it was a secret. "You'll have to go to see me on stage."

Last year, there were only five stage performances. I remembered very well that my son, a kindergarten 3 student at that time, had two shows, one a Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer dance with his class and another with the melodica band. Everything went well that day. All the parents stayed until the very end and gave rousing applause as if they were the greatest shows on earth. The whole thing took only one hour.

This year, however, there were almost 20 shows. The big meeting hall was packed with parents when the show started. Like many other parents, I was busy taking photos and taking videos of the kids' performances. Some of the younger children cried, others missed the dance steps. But who cares? For us parents, it was a great joy just to see our kids growing up and performing for us.

My son's Gangnam style dance was at the start of the show and he had to wait backstage for a very long time for his melodica show, which was scheduled at the end of long series of performances.

During the performances, many parents gradually left the hall after their kids performed. So when the last show was approaching, there were just a few people left in the audience, including my family.

When the melodica band took the stage, some kids looked upset when they stood in front of an near-empty hall. But the show must go on, and the kids showed their spirit by giving their best.

While I admire the kids' spirit, I wonder about the parents who lacked consideration for the children's feelings. Imagine you were a kid in the last show and there was almost no one there. How would you feel?

Most parents expect their children's schools to encourage the students to be confident and demonstrate their talents. The parents should do their part as well. They should pay attention to their kids' _ and other kids' _ hard work. Parents shouldn't be leaving the annual performance until the show ends.

And if it is not a matter of life and death, then parents should be at the show.

A little girl who performed with my son during his first dance looked absolutely dispirited. She was unhappy because her mum was not there. By the end of the show that little girl had come down with a fever. A teacher tried calling her parents so they could take her to see the doctor. The poor thing!

I hope her parents may have a good excuse for not being there, because the girl's feelings were clearly hurt.

But there's always next year, and I promise I'll be there till the very end, and not just to see the kid's performances, but also the parent's.
Happy holidays, everyone.
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Re: Education System Overhaul

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Somebody told me recently that one of the administrative changes in the education system would involve Thailand moving its term times to match those of other ASEAN countries and that apparently this would require, in 2014, a 5-month break from March to August.

I don't really see the need, but the theory put forward was that this would facilitate educational exchanges. Presumably on the rather bold assumption that students from other ASEAN nations would want to risk exposure to Thailand's system...

Does anyone know anything about this? If it's true, would it involve changing from two 'semesters' to three 'terms'?
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Re: Education System Overhaul

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Nothing will happen, I can't even find out from one university and one school when the terms are so what chance have they got for implementing a decent education system.
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Re: Education System Overhaul

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dtaai-maai wrote:Somebody told me recently that one of the administrative changes in the education system would involve Thailand moving its term times to match those of other ASEAN countries and that apparently this would require, in 2014, a 5-month break from March to August.

I don't really see the need, but the theory put forward was that this would facilitate educational exchanges. Presumably on the rather bold assumption that students from other ASEAN nations would want to risk exposure to Thailand's system...

Does anyone know anything about this? If it's true, would it involve changing from two 'semesters' to three 'terms'?
I saw an article on this and the minister advised they will not be changing terms as this would not be beneficial to tourism and holidays
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Re: Education System Overhaul

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dtaai-maai wrote:Does anyone know anything about this? If it's true, would it involve changing from two 'semesters' to three 'terms'?
When my Granddaughter attended Kindergarten (English Montessori), they used 3 terms and closed down for a couple of weeks at Christmas. Once she was old enough to start primary school we had to pull her out at the end of term 2, so that she could start primary and she therefore never completed the 3 terms. Then, the school that she is now enrolled in, started to object to the fact she had not finished Kindergarten, and were reluctant to take her until I intervened!

It would be much better to spread the breaks across 3 terms, thus giving a more balanced set of times. As it is the "summer" break is too long. :banghead:
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Re: Education System Overhaul

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Yes, most Inter schools here use the 3 term schedule. Summer break is only from the last week in June to the last week in August, Short as compared to many systems. Generous breaks though after the end of terms throughout the year. End of 1st term now and off from Dec 20-Jan 3. End of 2nd will be about the same around Easter. They use a 6 day week as well, but in school only 5 days a week....I'll explain that later. :shock: Pete :cheers:
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Re: Education System Overhaul

Post by Bamboo Grove »

I agree with those who think nothing will change. The change must start in the salaries for teachers, then they will start getting competition for teachers' training institutions. With that the level of teachers will go up and only then can they expect that the level of knowledge of the students will go up.

This is a very similar situation that I saw during my recent visit to Chile.
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Re: Education System Overhaul

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Bamboo Grove wrote:I agree with those who think nothing will change. The change must start in the salaries for teachers, then they will start getting competition for teachers' training institutions. With that the level of teachers will go up and only then can they expect that the level of knowledge of the students will go up.
This is a very similar situation that I saw during my recent visit to Chile.
I agree that there needs to be more incentive for better teacher training and reward.

But, the system will not change while you have parents as quoted in the above link. It has to start with parents not accepting the abysmal system that is directed by people that have only a monetary interest. In addition, it needs a complete mindset change, whereby teachers are not regarded as some higher caste that nobody can question. It beggars belief that the vast majority of parents allow the system to exist as it does. If their mechanic were to treat their car in the same manner they would be running off to some lawyer threatening to take him to court. :cuss:
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Re: Education System Overhaul

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dtaai-maai wrote:Somebody told me recently that one of the administrative changes in the education system would involve Thailand moving its term times to match those of other ASEAN countries and that apparently this would require, in 2014, a 5-month break from March to August.

I don't really see the need, but the theory put forward was that this would facilitate educational exchanges. Presumably on the rather bold assumption that students from other ASEAN nations would want to risk exposure to Thailand's system...

Does anyone know anything about this? If it's true, would it involve changing from two 'semesters' to three 'terms'?
Well, the university year has just begun and the word is that this change will definitely take place next year to bring Thailand in line with other ASEAN countries. When this academic year finishes in March 2014, government universities will close until August. The two-semester system will be retained.

It seems to me that things like the academic year evolve naturally, in line with local traditions, weather patterns, holidays, etc. One glaring fact that stands out for me is that Songkran will fall during term time, 2-3 weeks before the final exams. I dare say it will become another unofficial week's holiday, like New Year.

Less definite is a possible change to the school year, with schools re-opening in June.

I haven't seen anything in writing, but that is hardly surprising - but bear in mind that this is so far unsubstantiated.
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Re: Education System Overhaul

Post by nanyang »

I think you will find that Songkran is in April and, therefore, in the proposed holiday period.
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Re: Education System Overhaul

Post by dtaai-maai »

Next year only - after that the holiday will obviously start proportionately later, i.e. end April- early May.
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