Thailand’s Experience in Addressing

the Challenges of Secondary Education Development

ByByKhunying Kasama VaravarnKhunying Kasama Varavarn

Permanent Secretary, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Thailand.Ministry of Education, Thailand.

Thailand

Thailand

POPULATION 2005 62 million

SCHOOL AGE POPULATION (AGED 3-21) 18.5 million

GROSS ENROLMENT RATIOPRIMARY EDUCATION 104.17

LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION 94.5

UPPER SECONDARY EDUCATION 63.7

ThailandAVERAGE 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 1884FIRST COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT 1921

BY 1971 PRIMARY EDUCATION ENROLMENT 83 %NATIONAL LITERACY RATE 86 %

BUTSECONDARY ENROLMENT 14 %

SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR ALL INITIATIVES FROM 1972NINE-YEAR COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT 2002

SECONDARY EDUCATION STRATEGIES DURINGTHE PAST THREE DECADES (1972-2006)

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 programsRecognition of religious education as basic educationTransfer 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 criticalthinking, 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 WORLDRecognition of the “wealth of diversities”Nationwide campaign to upgrade teaching of

English and ChineseExpansion of bilingual schools of various formsSupport of the teaching of other languages

including languages of neighboring countries.

PREPARING THE FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD

UPGRADING TEACHING OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYTraining of science and math teachersScience in school projectsScience centers and other

Science for All projects

PREPARING THE FUTURE GENERATION FOR GLOBALIZING WORLD

EDUCATION FOR THE GIFTED AND THE TALENTEDSpecialized Schools and specialized classes in

regular schools for talented students : science , music, sports

Enrichment programs and competitionsJoint 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 SCHOLARSHIPDevelopment of one top quality

school in every district (921 schools)

Scholarship to study abroad for one secondary school graduate in every district

LESSONS LEARNED LESSONS LEARNED FROM FROM

THIALAND’S EXPERIENCESTHIALAND’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.

Thank youThank you