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Political Uncertainty Has Slowed Education Reforms |
Above is an image of Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha. The photo on September 30th, 2014 at the Thai Army Headquarters in Bangkok during a hand-cover ceremony for the new Royal Thai Army Chief. (Lefevre)
Above is an image of one of the political protests that took place recently in Thailand. ("THAILAND Bangkok: Political crisis slows economy, in 2014 the GDP will fall below 3% - Asia News")
The chart above shows statistical evidence that proves how Thailand's education system is failing in properly equipping juveniles to join the job market. (Khaopa)
The bar and line graphs above compare Thailand to other country economic groups. For instance, Thailand's economic freedom score is 62.4 which makes its economy the 75th freest according to the 2015 Index. However, since last year there have been deteriorations in financial freedom, property rights, as well as the control of government spending outweighing small improvements in six out of the ten economic freedoms including labor freedom, fiscal freedom, and freedom from corruption. ("2015 Index of Economic Freedom: Thailand")
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For nearly a decade, Thailand has faced political unrest following the military coup that ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006. In addition, opponents of Mr. Shinawatra consistently charged him of corruption, and worse, operating the government for his own financial gain. Thus, why middle class Bangkok residents feared that electing Mr. Shinawatra’s sister in 2011 would mean allowing the former prime minister to hold onto power even while he was in exile outside of the country. Thus, before initiating any processes of reform in Thailand, it is important to understand several of the main reasons why the country has been in political turmoil for the last decade, why legislative policy has taken a back seat, and how this has significantly stalled the passage of any meaningful and needed reform within the education system to take place.
First and foremost, in the midst of the ongoing anti-government protests and intense political instability in Thailand in the spring of 2014, the Royal Thai army had no choice but to declare martial law across the nation and it was then that a coup called the junta, otherwise known as the National Peace and Order Maintaining Council, installed military power throughout. However, despite how hard the government tried to make significant investments in the sector, a great deal of hope to enact meaningful improvements to the education system in Thailand was lost which gave way to many signs of uneasiness among students as well as an increased interest in outbound mobility. Furthermore, in August of 2014 after the prime minister announced his new cabinet, the Ministry of Education was assigned two deputy ministers to help support the Minister of Education, Admiral Narong Pipatanasai and General Prayuth’s touted reform plans. Additionally, the junta has made efforts to place significant emphasis on “Thai values and morals” rather than much-needed overhaul of the curriculum to promote critical thinking and analysis. As such, skepticism remains regarding the actual content of the promised reforms, and according to an October 2014 article in Asian Correspondent, only “superficial reforms” such as proposals for more field trips, more interactive learning, and less homework have been created as well as yet to be formally announced despite the widely recognized challenges the Thai education system is currently facing. (Maxwell) For instance, in the latest World Economic Forum report on education, Thailand was ranked last out of eight Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). However, in the latest Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) rankings, Thailand came in below the international standard and ranked 50th from 65 nations - well below a number of other Asian states, including Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. ("PISA 2012 Results - OECD”) Also, in the Times Higher Education University Rankings of 2014, Thailand only had two universities among the top 100 universities in Asia - none of which ranked within the top 50, nor did any Thai universities rank in the Times ranking of the world’s top 400. (Asia University Rankings) In other words, there latest figures have occurred against the backdrop of the country’s ambitions to position itself as a regional education powerhouse. As reported earlier by ICEF Monitor, Thailand’s former government had “big plans to take advantage of greater intra-mobility and closer cooperation among ASEAN nations” by growing Thailand’s education profile in the region and attracting more inbound students. ("Opportunities await foreign educational providers as Thailand prepares for ASEAN Community - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment”) Yet, this led to a number of pre-coup policy announcements, including a May 2013 pledge to prepare key universities to be ready for the government’s plan to turn Thailand into an international education hub by increasing programs in English as well as enhancing internationalization efforts at the institutional level. Furthermore, a recent piece in The New York Times has pointed out some of the "additional challenges ahead". (Cookson) Although, despite earlier claims made by the Bank of Thailand that "the economy had recovered following the coup”, the latest economic figures clearly describe a sluggish Thai economy with expected GDP growth for 2014 that was revised to 0.8% from previous estimates of 1.5% made earlier in the year. (Cookson) Overall, The Times estimates that this most recent coup - the 10th in Thailand no less since 1932 - has cost the Thai economy an amount equivalent to $15 million US dollars, and counting. Thus, it remains to be seen whether or not the deteriorating economic situation will have further impacts on the country’s education system. (Cookson) In other news, the prime minister recently suggested that “elections originally promised for late 2015 may need to be postponed” depending on the pace of broader reforms announced by his government of course. (Lefevre) Though, to be more specific, in another recent ten from Reuters quoted Prime Minister Prayuth as he outlined in his planned reforms: “The election must come with a new constitution and 11 reform areas...everything depends on the roadmap so we must see first if the roadmap can be completed. Elections take time to organize.” (Lefevre) |
Above is an infographic that was created to show how the bureaucratic system of Thailand has broken down Thailand's draft budget. (Saiyasombut)
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Concerns For Parents & Students |
The map below shows the Global Competitiveness Index Percentile Rank among 144 economies. According to this report, the Southeast Asian regions five largest countries which include Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, have all made slow progress in the rankings. ("Report Highlights") To take a closer look, access the link below which will direct you to a PDF containing more in-depth details regarding the Global Forum Competitiveness Report for 2014-2015. ("Report Highlights")
http://reports.weforum.org/global-competitiveness-report-2014-2015/wp-content/blogs.dir/54/mp/files/pages/files/wef-gcr14-15-gatefold.pdf |
Delays in planned reforms for the education system continue to cause concern among many Thai parents and students, despite the fact that the kingdom has consistently spent a greater proportion of its budget and GDP on education (more so that many regional and developed countries). In that regard, The Nation recently reported that in the 2014 competitiveness study of 60 economies by the Swiss-based International Institute of management Development (IMD), Thailand’s education system was ranked 54th. ("The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 - 2015") In addition, the same article cites the latest World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report, which ranked Thailand’s education system 75th out of 144 countries and territories, behind Senegal, Rwanda, and Albania. Thailand is also among the handful of countries with “very low proficiency” in English according to the latest Education First English proficiency Index, which looks at the average adult’s English language skills in 60 countries and territories. ("Global language survey links English proficiency to economic and social development - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment")
As a result, students and parents are beginning to voice their concern. The Nation also points to student protests against Thailand’s reliance on rote learning and an absence of deep critical reflection in the Thai system. This correlates with the government’s emphasis on embedding twelve “flawless” Thai values and morals into the curriculum - among them, “being honest, sacrificial and patient with [a] positive attitude for the common good of the public” and “maintaining discipline, being respectful of laws and the elderly and seniority” have also been criticized by educators and academics. All who say attention should be placed on the slow pace of more significant reforms. (Maxwell) Also on a related note, the Asian Correspondent has estimated that there are now over 100,000 “cram schools” across Thailand and catering to students between 1st and 12th grade, citing a report by the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) that estimates the average student in Bangkok spends over 6,000 baht (roughly $185 US) per year on extra tuition. Additionally, the Correspondent also notes that the number of international schools in Thailand has grown from just ten in 1992 to more than 160 today. (Maxwell) |
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Opportunities For Education Providers |
The infographic above shows the results of a survey based on 121 educators in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia response to several factors regarding education, creativity, and employability within the Southeast Asia and APAC regions.
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Despite the staled reforms, international education connections continue to be made between Thailand and other countries. As state previously, Thailand’s strategic role as headquarters for the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), the Passage to ASEAN (P2A) and the ASEAN University Network (AUN), gives it unusual leverage in the pursuit of deeper regional mobility. More specifically, “regional cooperation and a deepening of education, trade, and labour links among ASEAN nations continues to press ahead.” ("ASEAN poised to usher in new era of regional student mobility - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment”) Furthermore, there is still an urgent need to improve English language skills among the nation’s labour force which requires the existing number of English language programs set to expand. The Nation recently reported on “the need to strengthen the motivation of Thai middle school students to learn English” (Loima). Reason being, is that the growth in English programs is expected to be particularly acute in the digital world, with many providers offering “low-cost or even free online exams as a way to establish a competitive edge” according to an article published by The Wall Street Journal. (Abkowitz)
Lastly, it remains to be seen whether the 2015 democratic elections will press ahead as promised. Also, while the current climate of restlessness among Thai students as well as others in the education sphere suggests the need for deeper reforms, the demand for quality education in Thailand, along with the country’s admirations to be a key education player in Southeast Asia, means opportunities will continue to develop in a range of areas, including recruitment, English language training, and digital delivery. |
Bibliographic References
Abkowitz, A. (2014, September 12). Upstart English-Testing Services Take Aim at Longtime Market Leaders. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
ASEAN poised to usher in new era of regional student mobility - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. (2014, January 21). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Asia University Rankings. (2015, April 13). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Cookson, F., & Joehnk, T. (2015, January 2). Thailand and the Coup Trap. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Global language survey links English proficiency to economic and social development - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. (2014, January 29). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Lefevre, A. (2014, October 15). Leader of Thai junta hints at delay in return to elections. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Loima, J. (2014, June 2). Motivating kids to learn English is vital for the country's future growth - The Nation. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Maxwell, D. (2014, October 17). Education in Thailand: Changing times? Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Opportunities await foreign educational providers as Thailand prepares for ASEAN Community - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. (2013, May 24). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
PISA 2012 Results - OECD. (2012). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 - 2015. (2014). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
ASEAN poised to usher in new era of regional student mobility - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. (2014, January 21). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Asia University Rankings. (2015, April 13). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Cookson, F., & Joehnk, T. (2015, January 2). Thailand and the Coup Trap. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Global language survey links English proficiency to economic and social development - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. (2014, January 29). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Lefevre, A. (2014, October 15). Leader of Thai junta hints at delay in return to elections. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Loima, J. (2014, June 2). Motivating kids to learn English is vital for the country's future growth - The Nation. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Maxwell, D. (2014, October 17). Education in Thailand: Changing times? Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Opportunities await foreign educational providers as Thailand prepares for ASEAN Community - ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. (2013, May 24). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
PISA 2012 Results - OECD. (2012). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 - 2015. (2014). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Image Sources
Saiyasombut, S. (2014, August 19). The Thai junta’s 2015 draft budget, explained in 4 graphs. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Report Highlights. (2014). Retrieved November 6, 2015.
THAILAND Bangkok: Political crisis slows economy, in 2014 the GDP will fall below 3% - Asia News. (2014, January 29). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Thungkasemvathana, P. (2014). Bangkok Post article. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
2015 Index of Economic Freedom: Thailand. (2015). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Report Highlights. (2014). Retrieved November 6, 2015.
THAILAND Bangkok: Political crisis slows economy, in 2014 the GDP will fall below 3% - Asia News. (2014, January 29). Retrieved November 4, 2015.
Thungkasemvathana, P. (2014). Bangkok Post article. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
2015 Index of Economic Freedom: Thailand. (2015). Retrieved November 4, 2015.