The Ministry of Education is taking steps to introduce education reform in order to improve Thailand’s education standards.
Stressing the need to urgently develop the Thai education system, Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang said that, starting from October 2013, three major strategies would be implemented as part of the reform.
The first strategy seeks to overhaul vocational education. A working group has been formed to look into the adjustment of the vocational curriculum and management and the production of vocational personnel in response to the demands of the industrial sector. Efforts will be made to encourage more students to turn to vocational education, so that the number of vocational students will increase.
The Office of the Vocational Education Commission will work closely with manufacturers in providing short-term and long-term training for vocational students and allow the private sector to participate in the process of producing qualified manpower for the industrial sector.
The second strategy seeks to create better understanding about new teaching and learning management. Experts will be invited to demonstrate to people involved how to teach and learn with greater efficiency. Students will be equipped with more skills in analytical thinking.
In the third strategy, the use of information and communication technology in education will be developed and promoted. An ICT master plan for education will be mapped out within three months.
The Education Minister said that a brainstorming session on the upgrading of education quality was held on 22 September 2013. In the session, the Ministry of Education, the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade of Thailand, and the Thai Chamber of Commerce shared the view that it is necessary to create manpower in line with the needs of the country and to cope with the rapidly changing world.
The Ministry of Education will conduct research and development on this issue. Results of the study will be used as guidelines for education management and curriculum development. An institute for curriculum research and development will be established, as well. The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board has been asked to study the needs of manpower in various fields, so that the Ministry of Education will produce personnel to meet the demands. This will help solve the shortage of skilled labor in major industries.
The Office urged the Ministry of Education to focus more on promoting research work, especially studies concerning the country’s demographic changes.
The Education Minister will push for the inclusion of education reform in the national agenda.
Reports the Government Public Relations Department