We need a blueprint set in stone

2014 is drawing to a close, with major political changes looming in the country and big impacts being felt in Thailand’s education sector. 

No matter who comes to power, via an election or a coup, children are growing up and in need of quality education to become strong and able employees. 

So just as the powers-that-be are set to reform the country’s education sector in line with the National Council for Peace and Order’s (NCPO) road map, they will need to ensure that the national interest is in focus. 

The National Reform Council (NRC)’s committee on education has already made a nice proposal. 

The key point, however, is whether the desired goals can be achieved. 

The NRC committee has already pointed out that education must get priority from the government because it is a means to develop people for the country’s future. It has also suggested that education policies should be integrated into the development of the country in all other aspects. 

The NRC committee on education says all authorities must join forces in implementing efficient reforms to ensure that improvement of education services is not solely aimed at boosting Thai students’ academic scores in international tests. 

It is necessary that education services can cater to the needs of industry and society too. 

The committee suggested the government adjust its role in the provision of education services. It needs to act more as a promoter and supporter, not as an organiser, it said, because all stakeholders should be engaged in the pro-visioning. Decentralisation in the educational sector should definitely go ahead. 

The committee has also supported the idea of giving educational institutions a free hand in running their operations. Like what the Thailand Development Research Institute has long emphasised, schools and universities should then held accountable for their performance. 

Many experts believe that because administrators of educational institutions are not directly held accountable, they fail to deliver maximum efficiency.

The proposal from the NRC committee on education is also good because it underlines the need to achieve educational equality and the need for the government to provide adequate subsidies. It has pointed out that the subsidy should not be a flat rate. It should match well with the context and the need at each educational institution.

Last but not least, the NRC committee on education is also trying to ensure that the new constitution prescribes education policies that boast continuity, transparency, accountability and independence from any interest group.

“While it is urgent to push ahead with education reform, it is also necessary that the government lay down national mechanisms and assign people to implement education reform for at least 10 straight years,” said Amornwich Nakornthap, spokesman of the NRC committee on education and human resources development.

Continuity and consistency in educational policies are indeed very important. In recent decades, Thailand has already seen so many men rising to the helm of the Education Ministry and changing or downplaying the policies of their predecessors. 

In a matter of just 10 years, Thailand has seen eight governments and 16 education ministers namely Somchai Wongsawat, Srimuang Chareonsiri, Suwit Khunkitti, Chinnaworn Boonyakiat, Suchart Tadathamrongvech, Adisai Bodharamik, Narong Pipatanasai, Jurin Laksanawisit, Chaturon Chaisang (two-time education minister), Woravat Auapinyakul, Chinnaworn Boonyakiat, Pongpol Adireksarn, Phongthep Thepkanjana, Thaksin Shinawatra, Kasem Watanachai and Wijit Sri-sa-arn. 

When he comes to power, each minister is prone to ignoring the schemes initiated and highlighted by his predecessors. So in the end, even great projects like the “New Breed of Teachers”, which focuses on the quality of teachers, lost momentum.

When the Abhisit Vejjajiva-led government launched the New-Breed Teacher Project years ago, many educators were delighted, believing that good teachers from the project would definitely improve Thailand’s educational quality. However, when new politicians took over the Education Ministry or the government, this project hardly received any attention. 

Education in Thailand still lags behind many other countries because education policies have never gone into a sanctified blueprint. If they do reach this level, whatever party comes to power and whoever takes the reins of the Education Ministry will have to support and implement them. Only with consistency and continuity can good educational polices deliver sustainable benefits.

To be fair, every government has some good education policies. But sooner or later, they will be either ignored or scrapped amid tides of political change. 

So, just as the NCPO promises real education reform for the country, it should make serious effort to ensure Thailand finally gets a blueprint for developing education – that holders of political office can’t manipulate for their own gain. 

The country cannot afford to let new populist projects by a politician, educator or anyone else who happens to enjoy power to overshadow or derail efforts to improve our education system again.

Get the blueprint clear and stand firm on that track for better education services. This is the only way that reform will surely deliver clear results in the near future.