The Equitable Education Fund (EEF) is collaborating with 11 government entities in Thailand to reduce the number of students dropping out of the education system to as few as 200,000 in five years. Last year, that figure exceeded one million.
EEF managing director Kraiyos Patrawart said all related parties are pushing the “Thailand Zero Dropout” policy forward in order to reduce the number of students who drop out of formal education to zero. The cabinet acknowledged the policy on Tuesday and assigned 11 agencies to act on the EEF’s proposal.
To achieve this goal, the EEF is working with 11 agencies, including the Ministries of Education, Interior, Digital Economy and Society, and Social Development and Human Security. The first meeting with them will take place on June 14.
Mr Kraiyos stated that the number of children excluded from the schooling system and at risk of dropping out has been increasing nationwide in recent years, particularly when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.
Thailand;s Declining Birth Rate
Hundreds of thousands of households are quite likely to remain in poverty, he warned, and there is a risk that the children of these households will not obtain a higher education than their parents did for another generation.
Furthermore, because Thailand has become an aging society with fewer than 500,000 births each year, he believes the country will remain in the middle-income bracket for several years. According to the Education Data Center (EDC), around 11 million children attend all levels of education, from nursery school to high school.
Meanwhile, according to data from the Ministry of Interior’s Bureau of Registration Administration, 1.02 million youngsters did not attend school last year. The number comprised young children who did not attend nursery or primary school, children who began school later than usual.
Students who left out mid-semester, and student who did not have access to education.
“Helping students outside the education system is the last milestone of Thailand’s education sector because it is hard to achieve education for all,” said Kraiyos.
Ending Students Dropouts
“The Zero Dropout project will not instantly bring all children back to school, but it will provide them with alternative ways to get an education and develop flexibly in a way that fulfills their life goals.”
Kraiyos said dropout rates among Thai students are continuing to rise, owing to financial difficulties, with families unable to afford educational expenses. Others suffer social pressures, such as teenage pregnancies or the need to work to support their family.
The education system also has an impact, with antiquated teaching methods and a lack of participation leading to apathy. These circumstances combine to create a vicious cycle in which students feel driven to leave, restricting their future chances and contributing to a national crisis.
To keep children in school, the government and schools must address the underlying issues.
