- Published: 27/05/2012 at 12:00 AM
The latest and most dramatic incident is the threat by the father of a Matthayom 3 student who was rejected by Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School in Bangkok to set himself on fire if the school did not reconsider and accept his daughter. She was one of 57 Matthayom 3 Bodindecha students whose applications to enroll in Matthayom 4 at the school were rejected.
Somboon Charoenchantakarn, said he would immolate himself in front of Government House on Tuesday if the school's decision is not reversed. Hopefully, if the case is not resolved to Mr Somboon's satisfaction by then he will change his mind.
While such threats, along with the hunger strikes undertaken by four Bodindecha students in an effort to win seats, should not be encouraged, they do put a needed focus on the question of why there is not enough classroom space for students wanting to prepare for entrance to a good institute of higher learning.
On the surface it does not appear to be a question of money, as it would seem that operating a Matthayom school with a good reputation can be a highly profitable enterprise. There is no shortage of parents willing to pay the going rate plus ''extras'' to get seats for their children.
What's more, approximately 18% of the national budget goes for education, more than for national defence. The issue is how to distribute these funds more effectively to upgrade schools which are underperforming now and not providing students the necessary preparation for higher education. It is a huge task and it should be priority number one for this and future governments.
Thailand is currently ranked 85th in terms of quality of primary education in the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012.
The problem is greatly compounded by the fact that there are not nearly enough seats in good universities to accommodate all the students who wish to study. This creates a bottleneck that results in ever increasing pressure to get a seat at a prestigious Matthayom school.
According to Somkid Lertpaitoon, president of the Association of University Presidents and rector of Thammasat University, for the upcoming year, 122,169 students applied for seats in 723 faculties at 90 universities and 82,102 of them passed the admission tests.
Many students apply to faculties in fields of study in which they are not really interested because it is too difficult to enter their preferred faculties. As with the Matthayom schools, a major part of the solution is in upgrading the institutes of higher learning which are now considered less competent, while at the same time keeping them affordable.
But this is probably not enough.
Established four-year universities such as Chulalongkorn, Thammasat and Mahidol need to expand their campuses and branch out and open new campuses across the country.
Another important but missing ingredient in solving Thailand's education crisis would be the establishment of what are known in some countries as ''junior colleges'', or two-year universities. Typically these offer a wide variety of good entry level courses, are more affordable than four-year universities and are much easier to get into. Most students at junior colleges go on to obtain a bachelor's degree at a four-year university after getting their basics out of the way.
Setting up junior colleges in Thailand would relieve the bottleneck at the university level, and also help to address another major flaw in higher education in this country _ the practice of making incoming students fresh out of Matthayom choose their faculty and a four-year course of study. This is fine for some students who are sure about what they want to do, but many would benefit from postponing that decision while broadening their educational horizons and perhaps raising their grade point averages.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 28/05/2012 at 05:20 AM
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Changing Thailand's present education system needs a social revolution in order to have real change yet who will lead this revolution without being stigmatized for trying to go against 'Thainess'..its a national culture thats been hyjacked by a social culture that inhibits progress so as to retain control in the hands of a few people.
- Discussion 2 : 28/05/2012 at 04:52 AM
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Khun Gordlimey #15, that's what I would love to do, especially, in Economics or history when I retire, if they let me, of course! However, there are so many English-speaking westerners living in Thailand now a day, so why don't we hire them to teach English in our schools? Let's face it, you don't go to another Westerner to learn to speak Thai, so why should we go to our fellow Thais to learn to speak English? Beat me!
- Discussion 3 : 27/05/2012 at 10:20 PM
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D12 SPICEMAN: Nice one, but can i add that if the Thai students were taught "how to think" in their own language, then the English teachers job would be so much easier and rewarding. Good results would quickly follow. One hour a week being taught as you were is not going to help many students i'm afraid. Maybe you should take up teaching. why not?
- Discussion 4 : 27/05/2012 at 09:44 PM
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Reforming anything takes about the same time a solar eclipse, rarely. Its difficult to change anything when thailand keep changing government at short notice, the education minister probably got his post through bribes. Leave it as it is still best option currently available, any changes usually results in protest anyway.
- Discussion 5 : 27/05/2012 at 05:36 PM
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Fundamental change in our educational system will take many years so it should start NOW. It would be wonderful if we could hear some realistic suggestions for change (which we all agree that change is essential). To only hear negatives and fantasies (eg. D8: "An order from the top (read government) will not do. Re-educating professors and teachers will not do. Implementing tablets will not do. What's needed is a change in mentality and mindset") helps nobody.
To make fundamental change does require will from the top (read government) and it does require properly training and motivating professors and teachers.
- Discussion 6 : 27/05/2012 at 03:13 PM
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I thought I was stupid when I failed Thailand's annual university's entrant examination. Until, I came to study in the US, that I found out that it was Thailand's educational system that failed me! I was just too independent to be brainwashed by it. Now, I can truly say, "I once was blind, but now I see." How to reform Thailand's educational system? How about begin teaching our kids how to think for themselves, without being told what to think, preferably in English!
- Discussion 7 : 27/05/2012 at 01:25 PM
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The two year junior college proposal just adds to the problem - students will just spend another two years of valueless learning and consume budget. They are an acknowledgement of the failure of the preceeding years of free education - which should be teaching the basics and providing a sufficient foundation for higher education. That is what needs to be fixed. As for 4 year university courses - how about make the students work a bit harder and get it done in 3 - then you would have 25% increased capacity in the uni system right away. Of course, without change in what and how you teach all that would mean is a 25% increase in under qualified job seekers
- Discussion 8 : 27/05/2012 at 12:12 PM
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Thai education is very poor, But why is that so? The rich and wealthy believe that the poor should not have an education.
It is the social class society.
Whether a school is a government one or a private one corruption is rife. In the news you see students attacking other students from different schools. This is not school rivalry as you can do that on the sports ground and academic field to show how good you are. It is just violence for the sake of violence and any deaths from the consequence of such violence the people involved should pay the price for their actions.
when 2015 comes around Thailand will not be ready on the education aspect. 2007/8 The government should have installed an education curriculum to prepare fo the coming of 2015. They did not.
- Discussion 9 : 27/05/2012 at 12:04 PM
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Teaching here is somewhat like the blind trying to lead the blind out of the wilderness but what's actually happened is that the blind are still lost and no better off than before.
- Discussion 10 : 27/05/2012 at 10:59 AM
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As a European I was not educated in Thailand, but can see around me what's happening. Yes, the Thai school system is poor, focused on behavior, obedience, memorization and so on.. Particularly focused on (historical) Thailand and not the future and the fast ever-changing world around us. An order from the top (read government) will not do. Re-educating professors and teachers will not do. Implementing tablets will not do. What's needed is a change in mentality and mindset. Free thinking, going your own way, debating, arguing and even disobedience are just a few issues not accepted in the Thai school system, which are really needed to challenge kids and keeping them interested and mentally hungry. But that needs more than an other school-system; it's asking for a social-culture change. But it seems it's easier for parents and educators to keep Thai kids uniform(ed) in thinking and behavior...just creating the next generation followers...who will do the same and then the same and the same...
- Discussion 11 : 27/05/2012 at 10:05 AM
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Thai education to be honest is very poor, maybe if the government / immigration made it easier for teachers to teach instead of putting obstacles in their way things may get a little better, many good teachers have left Thailand because the feel as if they are not wanted and treated very badly,
- Discussion 12 : 27/05/2012 at 09:57 AM
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Nothing changes ...
... the role models for our children and the example they set in 2012 will be of the same cut in 2042, as they were in the 1970's. The foreign educated kids (wealthy or otherwise) take their positions offshore and Thailand never sees the benefit of their knowledge or skills.
- Discussion 13 : 27/05/2012 at 09:50 AM
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I,m tired of asking for education reform .Its painfully obvious that either doesn't care or isn't clever enough to solve the problem .They can just send their kids to private schools so what do they care .Keep them dumb so they dont ask questions and placate them with populist handouts is the current program.
- Discussion 14 : 27/05/2012 at 09:43 AM
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D2 ASIAN HAND spot on. the Thai education system is set up for students to to learn "how to do" and not "how to think"
- Discussion 15 : 27/05/2012 at 08:48 AM
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Improvement of the system will rely upon the actual schools receiving that huge national budget. As it stands now, the money is being stolen before it ever gets to the school.
- Discussion 16 : 27/05/2012 at 08:37 AM
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There is no political or social will in Thailand to improve the education system. Those in power send their kids either to international schools or overseas so they can maintain the status quo into the next generation. Thats just the way they want it and it is the way it has always been. Keep the working class uneducated. A philosophy of the dark ages.
- Discussion 17 : 27/05/2012 at 07:01 AM
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Improvement of the system should come after the improvement of the educators.
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