New science institutes launched

A NEW school and a new higher-educational institute are springing into operation for a special mission to try to generate quality workers for science and technology.
Kamnoetwit Science Academy started teaching senior secondary students last month while Vidyasirimedhi Institute will begin classes in August. Focusing on the teaching of science and technology, both have materialised under the auspices of PTT Plc, the national oil and gas conglomerate.
“The new school and university which focus on fostering the genius in science and technology which will boost national development in the future and also build a new standard for the Thai education system – to concentrate on quality of the student rather than the quantity,” PTT chief executive Pailin Chuchottaworn said as he announced the opening of high school for students gifted in science and technology, Kamneotvidya, and Vidyasirimedhi Institute, the university to enhance study and research in science and technology.
He spoke at the third meeting of science deans at Srinakharinwirot University last Friday.
Kamneotvidya opened in May. Some 72 students study in a boarding school system, while Vidyasirimedhi Institute is due to open in August. The two institutes are in Rayong’s Wangchan district.
“The founding of a new science school and university is due to our [PTT] concern that Thailand still lacks professionals in science and technology, which are very important for the country’s development,” he said.
“The new school and university are teaching in English and have a ratio of teachers per student at one teacher per 18 students [at Kamneotvidya] and one teacher per six students [at Vidyasirimedhi], respectively. This way our institutes can ensure the quality of teaching and learning.”
Science and technology were important for national development he said, citing the example of Japan and South Korea, which are now far more developed than Thailand even though modernisation of their countries started in the same period as Thailand.
“The country needs science and technology to create new innovation and drive the country just like South Korea was able to turn their country from a poor agricultural nation to a modernised developed country by science and technology within just a few decades,” Pailin said.
He said if one looked at Japan and South Korea’s education systems, one would see that they focused on investing in higher education in science and technology and valued education as the main priority.
“But looking at Thailand’s situation, we are focusing more on mass education in general, which the intent of producing more graduates for the labour market. This is in total contrast to the quality universities worldwide, which focus more on specific fields of academics. They are also focusing on producing quality researchers and invent new innovations.”
The PTT chief noted that Thais had the mistaken impression that researchers could not make a living, compared to the medical profession, as many parents encouraged their children to be doctors.
“This is a very wrong line of thought which has kept our best science students from being researchers and delayed our country’s development,” he said.