Basic Education Levels Worrisome: Thailand

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Basic Education Levels Worrisome: Thailand

BANGKOK: -- The Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA) said it had certified only 5,690 of the 7,985 basic educational institutes it assessed.

An academic achievement assessment conducted using O-NET (Ordinary National Educational Test) scores, meanwhile, found that only 18 out of the 100 assessed schools passed.

Announcing its 2011 report of the Third Round of Quality Assurance (2011-2015), ONESQA director Channarong Pornrungroj said basic education standards were still worrisome, while vocational institutes and universities were at a "satisfactory" level.

ONESQA also found that 1,896 schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) needed improvements, 73 of them in need of emergency improvements, he said.

Channarong said the poor academic achievement resulted from a shortage of teachers, teachers instructing students in subjects for which they are not qualified, and teachers' lack of training in diverse teaching methods relevant to their curricula.

He urged small schools with limited per-head subsidies, which often fall behind in these assessments, to overcome their obstacles by recruiting volunteer teachers (such as university students or parents) and creating "friend-help-friend" networks with nearby schools to boost academic achievement.

Urging educational institutions to improve their attitudes toward the assessment and place importance on developments in teaching and learning, he said the issue of low academic achievement must be solved on a system-wide basis, including testing. Exams should aim for student and teacher development, he said. For example, correct exam questions should be explained to pupils and the exams should promote more analytical thinking.

Channarong said the agency's assessment of 179 vocational institutes resulted in only 106 places being certified, while 53 others were certified with conditions.

Among the 20 failed institutes, 15 were privately run and five state-run. At theses institutes, students' achievement and innovations didn't meet the criteria, while some vocational projects were also rated rather poorly. He urged vocational schools to promote creativity to build innovation - rather than just focusing on fixing or maintaining things - and urged the central agency to instil a creativity-boosting atmosphere with many contests.

ONESQA assessed 47 higher education institutions' quality, research and innovation, academic achievement, art and cultural promotion, management administration and internal quality assessment. Channarong said 45 universities passed and were certified, with Khon Kaen University and Phuket Rajabhat University getting very good results.

Hat Yai University and Lumnamping College didn't pass, however, because some faculties/departments didn't meet all the standards. Channarong urged college and university lecturers to improve their performance and conduct more research, which he said should be more relevant to Thai society.

The Nation 2012-07-13

[Alan]

 
 Marks for effort = 0

[urleft]

Living in a village, I am amazed at the how many Thais do not speak English.  Out of about 5000, I can only name 3 that can do English. 

Yes, Thai is the country language, but English is the current international Language. 

[isanbirder]

Many of the older village people are illiterate.  The next generation, if it's lucky, got an education up to P.6, or at best M.3.  The teachers who taught English in these schools were not English majors, and few of them could speak English themselves.  Even now, in most of the rural schools I know, up to M.6, the kids do not speak English in the classroom, and even the English teachers are reluctant to speak English.  And the school standards in other subjects are often not much better,

At least these days, many of the kids in the village greet me in English when they see me.

[ischme]

Living in a village, I am amazed at the how many Thais do not speak English.  Out of about 5000, I can only name 3 that can do English. 

Yes, Thai is the country language, but English is the current international Language.

Why would village people need an international language anyway. When  one has learned a second language the main thing that is needed is to use that language frequently. Hence those that did have a good education cannot speak English either as they have no way of using it.

I know many Brits who cannot speak French, even though they learned it at school for about 10 years.

[Nobby]

Living in a village, I am amazed at the how many Thais do not speak English.  Out of about 5000, I can only name 3 that can do English. 

Yes, Thai is the country language, but English is the current international Language.

Why would village people need an international language anyway. When  one has learned a second language the main thing that is needed is to use that language frequently. Hence those that did have a good education cannot speak English either as they have no way of using it.

I know many Brits who cannot speak French, even though they learned it at school for about 10 years.

That is very true, but in this age of technology, the English Language rules.

 I am one of those Brits as described in your last para (unfortunetly). I learnt French and German 40 years ago and that was the last time I needed those languages. I regret not remembering more, now.   

[Starman]

A while ago, during one of my English classes is a Government school here in Buriram, I asked my students,in Thai, why they were not interested in learning to speak English.

The reply that I got was that they already speak 2 or 3 languages and there was no need for anymore. I mentioned things like computers and the internet. I got some blank stares. Then one lad said that there was no need to speak English as the buffaloes that his family use for farming can only understand Thai and Khmer. I could not reply to that as he was, afterall, just telling the truth.

There are certain aspects of life where English language will most definately never rule.

[Nobby]

There are certain aspects of life where English language will most definately never rule.

Its life Jim, but not as we know it! 

[BillH52]

So often when villagers come face to face with me - they freeze; and don't know what to say or do.  A "Sawasdee, kurp" usually calms them down.
I was recently thinking about the fact that only one person in the whole village could say more than "Hi, how you"; that being my wife.  As I walked through the neighborhood, I was about to pass a local farmer, (about 30ish), who not only greeted me in English, but continued on with a 5 minute conversation about weather, etc. using surprisingly clear English.  Turns out, he was drunk as a skunk  which greased his tongue.  Normally, he is too shy to say anything, Thai or English; usually just nods and gives a huge smile.
Makes me wonder how many more are just to shy to speak up.

[tonypace01]

Bill H52 has articulated a great deal of the problem for English teachers. While teaching at Rhatchabhat a little while back, I kept trying to get a couple of students to participate in the class but they had shown no interest in trying to speak English. Finally, I called one student out and told her in English that there was no way she could catch up to pass and I was one teacher who did not give mercy grades. She got very upset and, in English, begged me not to give her a failing grade because she could not graduate without the credits. I asked her why she did not speak English like that before. She said she was too shy. She blew the on three other students who were inn a similar situation and I was able to get them to get out of their shells a bit and be productive in language.
But this shyness, especially on the part of females, is the second worst obstacle to teaching English.
As to why they should learn English: 2015 is the beginning of a new era of prosperity in Southeast Asia. It will be the era of ASEAN. The language of ASEAN is English. When major ASEAN programs are developed, contractors are going to hire technicians, mechanics, engineers, and support personnel will be recruited from among skilled personnel who speak English. And, if they cannot find them in Thailand for a Thai project, they will go elsewhere and bring them into Thailand. Then, like many lesser educated people in the U.S. and U.K., the Thais can watch their incomes and futures floating off to other ASEAN countries.

[Nobby]

Well said Bill & Tony

I might mention this to my students tomorrow.

[tommy]

Bill H52 has articulated a great deal of the problem for English teachers. While teaching at Rhatchabhat a little while back, I kept trying to get a couple of students to participate in the class but they had shown no interest in trying to speak English. Finally, I called one student out and told her in English that there was no way she could catch up to pass and I was one teacher who did not give mercy grades. She got very upset and, in English, begged me not to give her a failing grade because she could not graduate without the credits. I asked her why she did not speak English like that before. She said she was too shy. She blew the on three other students who were inn a similar situation and I was able to get them to get out of their shells a bit and be productive in language.
But this shyness, especially on the part of females, is the second worst obstacle to teaching English.
As to why they should learn English: 2015 is the beginning of a new era of prosperity in Southeast Asia. It will be the era of ASEAN. The language of ASEAN is English. When major ASEAN programs are developed, contractors are going to hire technicians, mechanics, engineers, and support personnel will be recruited from among skilled personnel who speak English. And, if they cannot find them in Thailand for a Thai project, they will go elsewhere and bring them into Thailand. Then, like many lesser educated people in the U.S. and U.K., the Thais can watch their incomes and futures floating off to other ASEAN countries.

Maybe if you spoke Thai to the students it may help,instead of making them lose face in front of each other,after all we are all living in Thailand,or are you just upset with the fact that maybe your students speak more English than you speak Thai.

[Nobby]

Why would a Thai School employ anyone to teach their students English and then speak Thai in the classroom. I understand teachers are asked specifically to only speak English within his/her classroom.

[urleft]

Why would a Thai School employ anyone to teach their students English and then speak Thai in the classroom. I understand teachers are asked specifically to only speak English within his/her classroom.

The USA is suffering from this crap to ensure the students "self-esteem" is not affected.  No one fails, they are moved on regardless.   

[tommy]

Why would a Thai School employ anyone to teach their students English and then speak Thai in the classroom. I understand teachers are asked specifically to only speak English within his/her classroom.

So as the child understands what has been said,yes it's an English lesson but in order for the child to respond to the teacher he or she must understand what has been said.
I know of 2 teachers that have implemented this in the classroom and have become well respected within the school they teach.