Ombudsman: 15-year policy needs review

Siracha suggested the constitutional clause prescribing the state provision of 12 years of free education be amended. 

“The Constitution should require just nine years of free education,” he said, “If the government has adequate budget, it may increase the number of years itself without the need to have the legal stipulation”. 

According to Siracha, educational services in Thailand have been heading downward in terms of quality over the past decade because the Education Ministry has placed its focus on free education for all. This free education has been given even to children who do not really need it.

“The budget for children who do not need free education would have been better spent on the needy,” the ombudsman said.

The Office of Ombudsman assigned Dr Kittiya Evans, an independent researcher, to study the 15 years of free education policy. Using both quantitative and qualitative techniques, research has found the policy failed to provide genuinely free education and educational services overall were poor in quality. On the cost of education, parents covered by the research claimed they still had to pay schools for it. The difference is the payment is now made in the form of donations.

On the quality of educational services, Siracha pointed out that the National Institute of Educational Testing Service found students’ scores dropping over past years, with average scores lower than half in all subjects.

He said the Swissbased International Institute for Management Development (IMD) also found the quality of Thai students had diminished after the government introduced the 15yearsoffreeeducation policy.

“The Education Ministry must review this policy before it fails children and brings Thailand to crisis,” Siracha said.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej has threatened to take legal action against his detractors. He has become the subject of intense criticism after suggesting that famous schools consider recruiting the children of their financial donors. 

“I’ve never said the donations will secure school seats. Donations are not corruption,” Suchart said.

He claimed some media outlets misinterpreted his words.

“The donated money is for the benefits of all at schools, not just for any particular individual. The donation is not tea money,” the education minister said.