Woravat comes out against changed semesters
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Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul yesterday expressed opposition to a key decision readjusting school semesters in Thailand at undergraduate level to match regional periods, saying the change would not suit Thailand's culture and climate.
The major break in Thailand in April falls in the hot season, making travel and living conditions difficult for students to concentrate on study; while a regional break period between August and September was the flood or high tide season in Thailand, he explained.
“While the break may benefit Thai students acquiring study overseas, they are the minority at about 10 per cent of all university students. What would affect most people should be avoided,” he added.
The Council of University Presidents of Thailand (CUPT) on Sunday announced the change, which it said would accommodate the Asean Community 2014.
Those providing an international curriculum will see their first semester open in August and September 2013, while general and other universities under the CUPT will do the same in the following year, said CUPT sitting head Prasart Suebkha.
He said the change was needed to make for easier coordination with exchange programmes of universities in Asean member countries after the 2014 agreement takes effect.
Somkhid Lertphaithoon, the next CUPT head, said the regional school break period also matched that practised in Europe and would benefit Thailand’s education system in the long run. “CUPT will not back off from its decision [ordering the change], but would move on and coordinate with universities to gradually readjust all schedules relevant to school semesters,” he added.
There are two school breaks in Thailand – with April and May the major one between each year, and between October and November the minor one.
