Education minister needs hearing lessons

After a month in office, he unveiled a series of policies considered revolutionary for the ministry, which is criticised for its slow movement.

Yet, nothing guarantees results, given the government's policies conjured up without any implementation plan. Added to this is doubt on how Woravat can overcome criticisms and hurdles involved with each of his policies. Woravat cannot blow away dark clouds over Thai education, but will add darker clouds to the scene.

Woravat started his first day with the announcement of a new executive management style; all units under the Education Ministry will be pulled together, while suggestions from local administrative bodies will be sought.

To date, there has been no single move on his plan to create a national education strategy committee that will govern 19 regional committees, to respond to his quest for integrated policies. Conceived to ensure that all graduates find jobs, the strategy contains many flaws. It is unclear what role the local administrative bodies will play in the sub-committees. It is also unclear how education can be remodelled to serve employers' requirements in particular areas.

Heavily criticised was his admittance of the existence of "paejia", a special sum parents give to schools (actually headmasters and parents' committees) in return for a place in the school. He disappointed listeners with the plan to put this "tea money" on the table. In other countries where citizens are guaranteed equitable public services, admitting the existence of this kind of bribery and failing to take action could lose Woravat his job. Luckily, his opponents have so far paid no attention. 

He could do better. Overseas, residents in an area can donate to schools for excellence in academia, sport or other fields. Paejia in Thailand originates from the fact that few schools show proven academic standards, and parents agree to pay for a place at "acknowledged" schools in the belief this will guarantee a brighter future for their children.

Allowing paejia to be paid in public won't fix this problem and worse, Woravat admitted that as the education minister, he cannot ensure equitable services to all parents and children.

One of his policies deals with the education loan programme. There are criticisms that many borrowers who graduate in social fields cannot find jobs. Revolutionary Woravat reacted to this by saying that the scheme will cut loans to students in social fields and focus only on science. If he has any idea on how to deal with students who have no ability to pursue studies in science, it has not yet been revealed.

In the past few years, there has been talk about a new breed of teacher, to increase education efficiency. There were attempts to put teachers into extensive training and recruit new teachers who are academically talented and properly trained. Woravat is ready to wipe out this proposal, which is sad given that many of the "new breed" are in mathematics, science and English. With the low number of scientists and researchers per head, as well as Thailand's desperate efforts to be a major player in the region and maintain its competitiveness, the new breed deserves investment.

Yet, Woravat announced that there is no need for this. His idea is that existing teachers will receive training. Meanwhile, locals will be invited to assist teachers in particular areas. The minister is certain that with dedicated teachers and experts, students will improve and hence be able to find jobs. Yet, as many private universities - despite their financial power - have discovered, qualified teachers are rare. Those that do want to teach are deemed good for university students, not young students who need basic skills before learning from experience. Local experts are welcome only to open students' perspectives, not to enhance their knowledge.

Woravat's push for the handout of tablet PCs to Pathom 1 students is also controversial.

Associate Professor Nittaya Kotchabhakdi, an expert in child behaviour and development from the Royal College of Paediatricians of Thailand, recently told a seminar that she disagreed with the government's plan to give tablet PCs to Pathom 1 students, or even Pathom 2 or Pathom 3 students.

According to her, children in that age range are still too young to benefit fully from such devices and their learning in fact should focus on activity including physical exercise.

"It would be best if tablet PCs are given to Pathom 4 students. By that time, children are able to read and write well enough," Nittaya said.

She also believed the tablets should be lent, not given.

"It is not necessary to give every student one tablet. The devices can be shared. Budget can then be spent on other development activities," she said.

So far, Woravat has not really listened. The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) has already designed digital learning content for students from Pathom 1 to Pathom 3 because the education minister is determined to let Pathom 1 students get hold of the tablet PCs in the next academic year. 

Woravat has made the decision even though Obec Secretary-General Chinnapat Bhumirat reckons that it would be best to wait for findings from research on whether tablet PCs will be good for learning among Pathom 1 students.

Among the ministers of the Pheu Thai government, Woravat is now a darling to reporters. He is easy to talk to and he is not shy in expressing his opinions. Compared to his two deputies, he is the most outspoken. To date, the deputies have not been assigned to take care of any particular areas. Woravat is alone, inclined to talk about what he thinks, apparently with full confidence that his ideas will help lift Thai education to another level.

Sadly, his ideas are pulling things down to a lower level. It seems to be the right time for the minister to seek advice from experts, who can help him refine his thoughts before they go public. Only then can we expect concrete implementation and favourable results. We are all are ready to applaud him for any rare hint of improvement in Thailand's education system. But he cannot achieve this with his unrefined thinking. 

Talk alone does not guarantee action, let alone success.