Thailand’s Experience in Addressing the Challenges of Secondary Education Development By Khunying Kasama Varavarn Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Thailand.

Thailand

POPULATION million SCHOOL AGE POPULATION (AGED 3-21) 18.5 million GROSS ENROLMENT RATIO PRIMARY EDUCATION LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION 94.5 UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION 63.7

Thailand AVERAGE YEARS OF SCHOOLING OF WORKFORCE 8.3 YEARS RATIO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EDUCATION IN LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION 90 : 10 RATIO PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EDUCATION IN UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION 84 : 16 % EDUCATION EXPENDITURE OF NATIONAL BUDGET 21 % % SECONDARY EDUCATION OF EDUCATION BUDGET 22 %

HISTORY OF SECONDARY EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT THAI EDUCATION STARTED WITHIN THE PALACE AND BUDDHIST TEMPLES FIRST SCHOOL FOR THE PUBLIC 1884 FIRST COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT 1921 BY 1971 PRIMARY EDUCATION ENROLMENT 83 % NATIONAL LITERACY RATE 86 % BUT SECONDARY ENROLMENT 14 % SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR ALL INITIATIVES FROM 1972 NINE-YEAR COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT 2002

SECONDARY EDUCATION STRATEGIES DURING THE PAST THREE DECADES ( )  ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SECONDARY EDUCATION  IMPROVING QUALITY AND RELEVANCE IN SECONDARY EDUCATION  PREPARING FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD

ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SECONDARY EDUCATION EXTENDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS WITH THREE- YEAR LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION SERVING 21% OF RURAL PRIMARY SCHOOL GRADUATES ESTABLISHMENT OF RURAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS AT DISTRICT AND SUB-DISTRICT LEVELS SPECIAL EDUCATION AND WELFARE EDUCATION

ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SECONDARY EDUCATION FREE TUITION FEES SUPPORTED BY SCHOLARSHIPS AT BASIC EDUCATION LEVELS, INCOME CONTINGENT LOAN AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND STUDENT WORK PROGRAM

ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SECONDARY EDUCATION ALTERNATIVE EQUIVALENCY PROGRAMS Non-formal education equivalency courses with curricula and learning arrangement specially designed for different groups of learners. Distance education and on-line training programs Recognition of religious education as basic education Transfer of work experiences for the workforce

IMPROVING QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION TRANSFORMATION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION CURRICULUM Shift from preparation for higher education to providing basic education for all More diversified curriculum with learning standards in 8 areas and emphasis on critical thinking, self learning strategies, and moral development. Priorities given to life skill development and learner centered counseling and guidance services. New system of incentives and professional development

IMPROVING QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION STRENGTHENING VOCATIONAL SECONDARY EDUCATION Integration of career and technology contents in general education curricula Shift from comprehensive secondary schools to joint projects between secondary schools, vocational schools, non-formal education, workplace, and the communities Popularization of secondary vocational education through competency based curricula, new branding of vocational education, action learning and dual training system, free of tuition fees, and opportunities to technical higher education.

IMPROVING QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION NEW UNIVERSITY ADMISSION POLICIES School performance and grades taken into account in selection of students to university National examination corresponding to secondary school curricula

IMPROVING QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM External standards assessment of all schools and educational institutions every five years. Participation and ownership by student council, parent groups, alumni and the community.

PREPARING THE FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD  ICT IN EDUCATION  Satellite transmitted Distance Education to support teaching and learning in schools  Internet connections of all government schools  Computers for schools without adequate numbers of computers  Nationwide training of teachers to use ICT in learning and teaching process ( at present 80% computer literate)  Joint projects to select, adapt and develop educational softwares

PREPARING THE FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD  PROMOTING LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD  Recognition of the “wealth of diversities”  Nationwide campaign to upgrade teaching of English and Chinese  Expansion of bilingual schools of various forms  Support of the teaching of other languages including languages of neighboring countries.

PREPARING THE FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD  UPGRADING TEACHING OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY  Training of science and math teachers  Science in school projects  Science centers and other Science for All projects

PREPARING THE FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD  EDUCATION FOR THE GIFTED AND THE TALENTED  Specialized Schools and specialized classes in regular schools for talented students : science, music, sports  Enrichment programs and competitions  Joint programs between secondary schools and the university for honor students  Long-term scholarships

PREPARING THE FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD  ONE DISTRICT ONE LAB SCHOOL/ONE SCHOLARSHIP  Development of one top quality school in every district (921 schools)  Scholarship to study abroad for one secondary school graduate in every district

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THIALAND’S EXPERIENCES

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THAILAND’S EXPERIENCES  RECOGNITION OF THE NEED TO TRANSFORM FROM EXCLUSIVE TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION  PREPARATION FOR THE NET GENERATION  SHIFT FROM INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT TO DEVELOPMENT OF PERSONNEL AND SHARING OF RESOURCES  ACHIEVING A BALANCE BETWEEN SCHOOL BASED MANAGEMENT, SCHOOL SYSTEM SUPPORT, COMMUNITY SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT AND NATIONAL POLICIES.

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