AIS launches Thailand’s first “Aunjai Cyber Course” to level up digital education

AIS has partnered with four key institutions: Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Interior and King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi in signing an MoU to launch “Aunjai Cyber”, a course in cyber immunity, for the first time ever in Thailand.

It is a joint effort between the state and private sectors to upgrade education in the digital age, protect against cyber threats and build immunity in digital lifestyles for all ages from children to members of the public.

Teachers can learn for themselves and then apply that to their students on the digital LearnDi platform and the Aunjai Cyber App.

Content has been designed in reference to the DQ Framework (Digital Intelligence Quotient) standards. Materials have also been adapted to the context of Thai society by mental health professionals.

This is now a target for rollout to over 30,000 educational institutions around the country which are under the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Interior.

All Thai people, regardless of gender or age, are invited to test their digital skills with the “Aunjai Cyber” syllabus, and upgrade their knowledge of Digital Citizenship.

Somchai Lertsutiwong, CEO of AIS, said, “At AIS, the focus of our work is more than developing our network quality to meet users’ needs. We are also actively aware of building a better digital society. Since 2019 we have implemented our Aunjai Cyber program as the hub of a network for every sector to come together and make positive changes to Thailand’s digital society. We use digital tech both as a tool for secure use, and to enhance digital intelligence. The body of knowledge promoting digital skills for Thai people gives them adequate warnings, so they can enjoy the digital world securely and creatively.

“AIS is fulfilling this mission in cooperation with the country’s three most important ministries. Digital learning materials have been created for the Aunjai Cyber Course. The Department of Mental Health under the Ministry of Public Health has developed a course in partnership with King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, which has a strong graphics and animation component. The Ministry of Education, through the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), has been helping to certify that these courses are compliant with educational standards, and hence can be made available to students. The Ministry of Interior will also bring this course to the schools under their supervision.”

“Aunjai Cyber course” is presented in 4 Professional Skill Modules (4P4) covering the following digital skills:

1.    Practice: Instilling the knowledge and understanding of using digital tech correctly and appropriately 

2.    Personality: Recommendations to protect online privacy 

3.    Protection:  Learning how to prevent online cyber threats

4.    Participation: Interactive learning of appropriate online communications skills and behaviour  

Since January 2022, the program has been trialled in a virtual sandbox. Over 160,000 teachers and students have taken the course and passed the test

Amporn Benjaponpitak, M.D., FRCPsychT Director-General of the Department of Mental Health said, “One of our missions at the Public Health Ministry is mental health, executed by the Department of Mental Health as the responsible body for mental healthcare in Thailand. Our mission is focused on providing the Thai public with the resources they need to look after their mental health sustainably. Working with AIS to develop the Aunjai Cyber Course is a very concrete application of this policy. The Department of Mental Health has provided content suitable for every social group and age cohort in the form of warnings, recommendations and suggestions to cope with online challenges securely and creatively, very much in tune with our vision at the Ministry of Public Health.”

King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) President, Assoc Prof Suvit Saetia,  commented on the university’s cooperation to develop educational materials for the Aunjai Cyber Course. “This cooperation came about from the sincere intention to work together of the faculty and other personnel, particularly by unleashing the potential of the Faculty of Industrial Education and Technology. This is in line with our long-term goals to develop educational innovation. We have developed digital media for the Aunjai Cyber Course. Alongside digital media for teaching, there is a test to assess the student’s digital skills and understanding of digital citizenship. We sincerely hope that by following this course, everybody will be helped to adjust their lifestyles in the digital age and be good digital citizens, able to access the online world securely.”

Treenuch Thienthong, Minister of Education, noted, “The Aunjai Cyber Course is another important step for Thai education in keeping abreast of a rapidly changing digital world. The mission of the Education Ministry is dedicated to expanding access to educational services. The course we are launching today has been certified by the Office of the Teacher Civil Service and Educational Personnel Commission (OTEPC) as a course suitable for teachers and instructors at institutions under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC). Teachers have been able to count development hours in requests for promotion, as stipulated by OTEPC.

“Now, educational supervisors, teachers and instructors from different educational institutions around the country have all come together. They all have a part in disseminating the Aunjai Cyber Course with the provided media to students nationwide, at schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC), Office of Vocational Education Commission, Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC) and the Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education (NFE). We will continue to expand our coverage as much as possible, so that both teachers and kids have the necessary digital skills to deal with hidden cyber threats on the Internet. They will also get the maximum use out of the technology.” 

Songsak Thongsri, from the Ministry of Interior, added that the Ministry was disseminating the course to schools governed by local administrative organisations: “As well as our goal of maintaining order, public safety and internal security, the Ministry of Interior is committed to making communities and local economies more resilient. This includes supporting urban development and infrastructure. One of our goals is to enable the public to spend time online happily and securely by having the necessary skills to use the Internet properly at the current time. We will support our teachers and instructors, as well as over xxx,xxx students at institutions under local administrative organisations to study the “Aunjai Cyber” course, which will be of the greatest usefulness in their lives."

The Aunjai Cyber course has become a key element of teaching in the official system. The public can learn more and grow their digital skills for free at https://learndiaunjaicyber.ais.co.th/