Thailand has lessons to learn

Re: "We are a nation driven by the lowest common denominator", Opinion, April 4.

In response to Khun Pornpimol's recent column, I have been closely associated with the education system and the Ministry of Education of Thailand for almost 20 years and am equally frustrated by the lack of an answer to her question. Why is it that "nobody takes the real responsibility of providing our children with a genuinely high standard of education"? With frequent changes of education ministers, much of the minister's time spent seeking a "better" portfolio, and some very bright, high-level officials being shuffled in and out of high-level jobs and spending much of their time educating the new minister and trying to discourage him (never a her) from unrealistic initiatives (like computers for Grade 1), it is no wonder that serious, long-term reform is often discussed yet never really gets implemented.

This is compounded by indifference concerning the true state of education in Thailand. The disastrous assessments of individual schools by the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment, as well as results of international comparative assessments of achievement in English, sciences, mathematics and reading, have done nothing to dent the self-satisfaction that has characterised the ministry for decades. It is still living off its reputation from 20 years ago, when it probably was one of the best in the region.

This self-satisfaction is evidenced as well by the ministry's long-time refusal to accept (or even explore the reasons for) internationally comparative statistics from the Unesco Institute of Statistics, which have shown higher-than-expected percentages of out-of-school children and illiterates in Thailand. It is also reflected in the ministry's unwillingness to work with specialist UN agencies that have consistently volunteered to help in its frequent curriculum reforms. "We know best" is the usual response.

This rejection of new ideas is exemplified by the response of a former education minister when offered research results on the positive impact of using the mother tongue for initial literacy. (The approach is in fact now [proving its merit in pilot projects around the country, leading to better mastery of Thai). "You can send me the research," the minister said, "but I won't read it."

There are simple things that can be done. Ensure all children have a year or two of child-centred pre-school education. Ensure the best teachers and the lowest pupil-teachers ratios through Grade 5. Pay teachers well enough to attract more competent professionals. Ensure a rigorous pre-service education, closely linked to real school experience and with competence that meets specific certification. Develop a comprehensive induction and probation process to weed out unfit teachers. Enforce continuous professional development throughout a teacher's career. And (admittedly not so simple) use more of Thailand's 76 languages as the initial language of instruction, with successful bridging to mastery of the national language - and then English.

These are things that have been shown to work in many countries. Why is Thailand not able or willing to learn from such experience?

Frustrated

Bangkok

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/04/16/thailand-has-lessons-to-learn/