Shock results in many tests show urgent need to fix root problems

Thais from all walks of life seem to be appalled. But then, what’s next? Out of 144 countries, Thailand ranks 78th in educational-system quality. Cambodia is 58th. 

Vice Minister for Education Pavich Thongroj blew the whistle last week, citing findings from the internationally-recognised WEF Global Competitiveness Report 2012-13. 

This same report puts Singapore third and Malaysia 14th when it came to the quality of the educational system. 

Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang insisted that it was good to know how Thailand’s educational system ranked in the world. 

“I want to know about it and I hope educational officials know about it. Only after we’re acutely aware of it can we tackle the problems seriously enough,” he said. 

But will this latest shock really spur all players into creating a change for the better? If history can serve as an indicator, I’m afraid that the answer will be a “No” rather than a “Yes”.

Thailand, after all, has encountered shocking news about its education many times. Everyone is stunned. Debates and discussions follow. Yet, those moves don’t really translate into any practical solution. 

According to a report of PISA 2009 and PISA 2009+ (the Programme for International Students Assessment), Thai students’ average score in reading literacy was 421 while average score of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries was 493. The average score for science was 501, while Thai students achieved only 425. In mathematics, Thai students scored 419 while the OECD’s average stood at 496.

In the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), Thai students’ performances have dropped. The scores of Grade 8 (Mathayom 2) students plunged from 441 in 2007 to 427 in 2011 in math, while science slipped from 471 in 2007 to 451 in 2011. Thai pupils were ranked 28th in mathematics and 25th in science among students from 45 countries and 14 states in TIMSS 2011.

In 2011, Thailand also ranked 51st out of 57 countries worldwide in a competitive education proficiency assessment by the International Institute for Management Development, compared to 46th in the 2007 survey.

Thailand was ranked 55th out of 58 countries globally for English proficiency in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2012. This means Thais’ English command on average is poorer than that of Indonesians and Malaysians. 

The shocking findings come not just from the international assessors. In fact, assessments by Thai authorities have also reflected the many flaws in Thailand’s educational system. 

For example, the 2012 Ordinary National Educational Test showed that Mathayom 6 students scored less than half of the possible total in all main subjects, namely Thai, social studies, English, mathematics and science. In fact, their average scores are even lower than 30 in math and English. 

All these findings were shocking and depressing. Besides reflecting the quality of education, these rankings and scores have also told a lot about Thailand’s human resources.

Yet, the same old story keeps repeating. Shocking news arrives. The country is shocked but the educational quality in Thailand has never really improved. 

Who are to be blamed? 

While it is true that all stakeholders should play a role in the improvement of educational services, it’s policymakers who have to make the real, serious effort to build the momentum that will get into full swing, involve all stakeholders and sustain the better changes. 

When Germany found that its students’ scores on the 1995 TIMSS was poor, it turned what was described as “TIMSS Shock” into fuel that has actively spurred educational upgrading. The efforts have paid off nicely. German students have performed better in international academic tests. 

Judging by his reaction to the latest WEF findings, Chaturon seems to believe deep down inside him that when the shockwaves ripple across all sectors, all players will do something to better Thailand’s education. 

But as the man at the top of the Education Ministry, he can’t just have a hope. He has to set a clear vision and introduce a long-term plan to achieve the desired results. 

For the shockwaves to really deliver an impact, Chaturon needs to introduce a practical plan addressing the root causes of the shocking news about Thailand’s education.