State of Thailand's educational system

[jvt22222]

I have just read a piece severely critical of the Thai educational system .... have no idea what ax the author has to grind, but the tone and content is truly mind boggling ...... certainly worth spending a few minutes on. ....... www.voices.yahoo.com/education-thailand ... tml?cat=16 (http://www.voices.yahoo.com/education-thailand-terrible-failure-889841.html?cat=16)

[Patexpat]

No axe to grind ... the article is sadly very accurate.

[Thai Dyed]

The article, which is four years old, and is an outburst from a woman who taught in Thailand for only three years, reflects ideas that could be made about 90% of the school systems of the world today. Why single out Thailand? I think she does have an axe to grind. In fact, lots of schools in the developed West have far more problems than those she mentions in Thailand. This woman should get down from her high horse and smell the rot in her own country.

It's also obvious she has a serious problem with men as when she says: "if the government simply mandated that a college degree and a TEFL certificate were the basic qualifications to teach in Thailand, this would rid them of most of the Western men here who aren't qualified to teach." She really believes that Western women are all, de facto, qualified to teach? Let's face it, she didn't like Thailand and this is one way in her own catty style, she can try to take vengeance. Forget about her.

Whilst a necessary evil, I have found that most if not all professional "teachers" are best avoided in any kind of social setting.

Invariably, and for some perverse reason, they have to tell you within about 2 minutes that they are "A Teacher"
They are mostly incapable of treating other adults as adults, and are control freaks who seek to take charge at every opportunity.

I think the female that Thai Dyed quotes, would be a perfect example.

:occasion9:

[Thai Dyed]

Exactly scottish-guy!

[a447]

lazy students and a system that forces teachers to pass students even though they've actually failed....
Thai students are not taught to think for themselves so have no critical thinking skills. At government schools, more than 50 students in a class is the norm. Half the kids just sleep through class, as the teacher doesn't notice if they're listening or not.

Could just as easily be talking about Japan...hehe. Sorry if that destroys some stereotypes.

In the UK we don't have 50 in a class - but we have reached the ludicrous stage where 30% is regarded as a"PASS" and often that 30% is attained through "modules" and assignments rather than an exam!
If a student "fails" an individual module or assignment, it is simply re-taken/re-submitted until a "pass" is achieved.

I know a (publicly funded) student who is around 30+ with dubious educational qualifications from a former Soviet Bloc country, who can barely speak English, and who is now on his 3rd attempt at passing a degree course which will allow him to offer Healthcare to the public. God help his future patients!

So, as others have said, it's not just Thailand!

:occasion9:

[Hmmm]

You don't have to look far to find general agreement for the abysmal state of the Thai education system. Teachers here moan about it wherever you look across the internet. A look at tertiary curricula suggests that most degrees possibly get the students to something around high school graduation level in developed countries. The university textbooks I've seen are abysmal. And of course there's rampant cronyism and corruption, just like the rest of Thai society. The longer you spend with Thais, the more you realize that their general knowledge is very poor. The one thing they do have going for them is good memories, as learning is by rote. And they're the world champions when it comes to indoctrination in old wives tales.

While this women may have an axe to grind about men, it is true that most Western teachers here are male and came here for the women. And they're not great teachers because they're not generally qualified, because that's all the Thais can get for the peanuts they pay.

The bigger question is whether the powers-that-be in this country actually want an educated populace.

[Smiles]

" ... The bigger question is whether the powers-that-be in this country actually want an educated populace ... "
Indeed ... that question is right on the button.
Autocratic, paternalistic and status-based social systems ~ as Thailand is, in spades ~ tend to grow wary of any institution which may, even theoretically, become an existential threat to their happy status quo: thus they tend to ignore quality universal education systems which might produce actual 'thinking' adults by the thousands (i.e. 'revolutionaries!! troublemakers!!! :umn: ). 'They' are most fearful of that.
The Thai elite are quite content to send their sons and daughters to England and America and Switzerland, but they'd rather keep the children of the proles back on the farm.

A broad generalization I know, but I'm sure it's a reasonable ~ and sad ~ description of the bigger picture.