Education initiative with the OCED is very welcome

Several days ago it was reported that Thailand is working on an
initiative to promote creativity and analytical thinking among Thai students, in collaboration with
the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, better known as the OECD.
In a way, it’s long overdue, but as the old saying goes – better late than never.
The initiative will come in various phases, with the first focusing on research to develop tools to stimulate students’ greater creative and analytical power.
Aside from the OECD, participants in this initiative are the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec), the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching and Technology (IPST), the Foundation of Virtuous Youth, and the Quality Learning Foundation (QLF).
It will involve 13 schools under Obec supervision plus seven schools supervised by local administrative bodies in Lampang, Phuket, and Chon Buri provinces. Altogether, there are 1,100 students and 50 teachers at these schools. The scheme works on arts classes for Prathom 3 students and Maths/Science classes for Mathayom 2 students.
The pilot project will conclude in about seven months time and from there the results will be used to improve following phases and the years to come.
Deputy Education Minister Thirakiat Charoensethasilp told reporters the skills that employers look for in the 21st century are creativity, critical thinking, as well as the ability to communicate well and collaborate with others, plus skills with information communication technology.
Sad to say, a sizeable chunk of our education system and institutions, public and private, are dedicated to just helping students to pass exams while overlooking other essential skills and qualities that will help them succeed in life and in their career.
This is where creative thinking comes into the picture. But the current military regime, and previous governments, have often stressed conformity and order, because of their long-standing top-down mentality about governance and social order.
Their idea of a good student is one who can memorise the junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha’s 12 main Thai values and not ask any question as to what any of these points really mean.
Our leaders never really understood or see the benefit of liberal education, or liberal arts education, because few could see how a person with such a degree can contribute meaningfully to development of the nation.
Because of such attitudes, Thai society tends to treat university education no different than vocational schools – a place where one learns to think, not how to think.
Today, however, the market and the leaders in the business world have spoken. And they are saying loud and clear that if the country is to move forward at par with the rest of the world, our future workforce will have to be more creative, more outspoken and be able to think critically.
Indeed, if one looks at more advanced education in OECD countries, we can see that higher institutes of learning that unite science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields, plus liberal arts have provided these crucial abilities. From that, new career trajectories emerge.
In a classroom, each of the STEM areas is an academic discipline in its own. But in the real world, these fields are deeply intertwined.
In the final analysis, we need to go beyond this OECD-backed pilot project aimed at creating critical thinkers to look for ways to foster to protect academic environments that permit deep and integrated education to flourish.
Our political leaders, regardless of their political leaning, need to recognise that liberal education is the foundation for a creative future.
Many educators have been saying this for a very long time. But now, leaders in the private sector are echoing them as well. And they are saying they need candidates who can do more than complete given tasks. They are seeking employees who can think constructively with a vision for long-term success and growth.