English proficiency indicators to be drawn up
THE Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (TPQI) is preparing to develop English-proficiency indicators for 40 occupational fields.
Among the fields are interpreting, aircraft maintenance, and Thai food services.
“We are going to identify the indicators in collaboration with Chulalongkorn and Thammasat universities,” TPQI director Veerachai Srikajon said this week.
He said in the process, TPQI and its partners would also gather opinions of entrepreneurs.
He added that the move was in line with the Education Ministry’s policy to have reliable and practical tools for testing the level of English competency.
English is expected to be used more widely in Southeast Asia including Thailand in the near future, as the Asean community comes into being.
Some big conglomerates on Thai soil have already announced plans to use English as the main language for their work communications by 2018.
TPQI president General Lertrat Ratanavanich said when the TPQI and the two universities establish an English-proficiency standard, offices of the Basic Education Commission, the Higher Education Commission and the Vocational Education Commission would have guidelines to help develop their curriculum and tests. Deputy Education Minister Thirakiat Charoense-thasilp believed the move would boost the development of English-language learning/teaching and English-performance evaluations for students at all levels. “Our ministry has made it a key policy to increase Thais’ English capabilities,” he said.
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