Are our children ready to face new challenges?

Are Thai students ready academically for the advent of the Asean Economic Community in 2015? After all, the formation of a more integrated Asean entity will potentially mean better opportunities both economically and socially for those who are really prepared. 

At the same time, those who are not ready could easily be left at a disadvantage amidst the likelihood of much fiercer competition for jobs and resources. The “battlefield” will not only be limited to expanding local and regional markets; it will eventually come to include the whole world.

The important question now is whether Thai students will be fully equipped to thrive in this new environment. Given the current state of education in Thailand, there is the very real danger they will not be adequately prepared. If a majority of Thai youngsters fail to capitalise on the opportunities offered by this new and wider market, then the future of the nation will become a cause for concern.

The Asean Economic Community is designed to encourage the free flow of goods, services and labour. It means that national boundaries between Asean’s ten member countries in effect no longer exist, and that there will be fewer limits on economic opportunity for more and more people. 

Traditionally, countries tend to have laws that limit the opportunities for foreigners to carry out certain business activities or to directly compete with local people for business or employment. But that will no longer be the case once the AEC becomes fully operational. The question is whether we have sufficiently prepared our younger generations to meet the challenge of closer regional cooperation.

Thai students certainly do not stand out against those from other countries in the region. Singapore is generally regarded as the leader in Asean in terms of education. In fact, the island nation is known to be one of the best in Asia as a whole.

Thai students lag behind in many fields such as mathematics, the sciences and, especially, languages. Thai students in general perform moderately in maths and sciences, with the exception of some gifted students from the best international and private schools in the country.

The level of Thai students’ English-language proficiency is lower than most countries in the region. This is not to mention the fact that our students’ ability to use the Thai language is not much better. There have been a series of recent complaints over Thai students’ inability to write good essays even in their native language.

Language is the most important means for communication. Perhaps English proficiency is less critical than the ability to eloquently express one’s thoughts, but youngsters today are becoming familiar with the abbreviations and acronymic language of social media to communicate. These incomplete sentences cannot serve the purpose of building strong arguments and the ability to communicate at an acceptable business level with people from other countries and cultures.

Apart from the traditional academic subjects, there is also the question of what additional knowledge Thai students should be taught to prepare them for the AEC. While the focus is more on the technical side, students should also learn about the different cultures and traditions of our neighbours. The best way to learn about the cultural differences is to start with a good understanding of oneself. Self-understanding will make students appreciate their identity and culture. At the same time, understanding of the other Asean nations will enable them to see the opportunities that can arise from understanding cultural differences.

An analytical mind is better able to apply knowledge to various circumstances, but this is a feature that is sadly absent in the Thai curriculum. Educators cannot tell students all they will have to face in the future, but what they can do is to prepare students for future challenges by focusing on problem-solving skills. The resulting self-esteem and understanding will enable more students to “think outside the box”.

Thai students have traditionally been taught simply to pass exams, most of which are in a multiple choice format. But that attitude must change. The objective of schooling must be realigned to prepare students for a changing world. It is inevitable, and the AEC must be a catalyst for us to re-think our entire approach to education.