Obec issues guideline on repeating a school year

For example, if primary students fail more than half the subjects in their study, they will have to repeat classes for the whole academic year.
This is according to guideline issued recently by the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec).
Obec secretary-general Karoon Sakulpradit said the guideline had been issued to ensure all schools and parties involved had a mutual understanding.
“If Prathom 1 or 2 students, at the end of their academic year, are unable to read or write at all – or fail to do some calculations – they will have to repeat classes for the whole academic year,” he said.
He pointed out that for secondary students, a grade point average of less than 1.00 would subject students to such a repeat.
“At secondary education level, those getting ‘0’, ‘I’ and “not qualified to sit exams” in more than half their subjects will have to repeat classes for one whole academic year as well,’ he added.
Karoon said for students who failed in less than half their subjects, even with a chance to attend intensive courses and to sit up to two make-up exams, could repeat their classes in those subjects at weekends, after normal class hours, summer holidays, or lunch breaks.
“In the event of optional subjects, they may be allowed by their schools to pick other optional subjects instead,” he said.
Karoon said a committee of schools would make decisions on repeating a class. When a repeat is prescribed, parents and students will receive explanations as to why the move was necessary.
Karoon said Obec had never scrapped the class-repeat measure but there was laxity in the implementation of the measure in the past few decades and as a result several people were convinced that students were no longer required to repeat their academic class, no matter what.
“We have never relaxed the measure. It’s just that many schools may not have fully understood the guideline in students’ academic performance evaluations,” he said.
Karoon disclosed that Education Minister General Dapong Ratanasuwan had recently instructed Obec to study the pros and cons of repeating classes.
The study compiled opinions from various stakeholders, including parents, school executives, teachers, academics, and psychologists.
According to the study findings, supporters believed that repeating ensure students had the knowledge to study at the higher academic level. With this measure in place, students would also be more focused on their class and try their best to understand the content.
So far, the study has found that the measures do have a negative impact. Some psychologists, however, were worried that repeating a class would affect the social behaviour of students who had to repeat classes.
“Children may be under stress. At secondary schools, some students may even decide to drop out,” Karoon said about the possible negative impacts. He added that some parents also felt class repeating would only lead to a waste of time.