Thai education and the rich-poor divide

Student assessments in Thai education are dominated by national standardised tests. The most important is the high-stakes O-Net test in the final year of secondary school, the results of which determine whether one gets to go to university, and which university. But, rather than an instrument that helps all students learn and improve, the O-Net is a social divider that rewards some and punishes the rest.

Since university degrees are valued for the status they confer, as opposed to what is actually learned, this cut-throat university-entrance competition compels teachers and private tutors to teach students to memorise facts and practise tests in a bid to maximise marks in the multiple-choice O-Net. Very few bother about teaching analytical skills and other abilities useful in the real world. Formative assessments are also neglected. 

Overall, the current system does not provide education for all, but merely training for the relatively small group of technicians and skilled workers that policymakers need to keep the bureaucracy and economy running.

I agree with the report, that Thai education needs serious reforms, particularly to the curriculum, teaching methods, student assessments and quality of teachers. 

However, the root cause lies in the hierarchical and bureaucratic nature of Thai society. What’s required is fundamental reform to redistribute wealth and income, and to promote access to good-quality education and other social rights. 

Thai education reform should have three priorities: 

* Decentralisation of power, budget and responsibilities from the Education Ministry to provincial and local school levels;

* Retraining of teachers and education leaders – all teachers should sit a basic test so we know who needs retraining;

* And reforms to the curriculum, assessments and teaching methods to focus on the teaching of analytical skills. 

Witayakorn Chiengkul