Deputy Education Minister Say’s Thai Education Needs Urgent Reforms

BANGKOK – Deputy Education Minister Dr. Krissanapong Kirtikara has stated that despite receiving a huge portion of the government budget each year, Thailand’s education quality is still ranked poor even among ASEAN member countries and that the education system in the country needs to be reformed.

Mr Krissanapong said during his speech that the educational system in the kingdom needs to focus on culture that relates to Islam, which a majority of southerners are practitioners, or sensitive to other religions worshipped by hill-tribes in the North.

He said students must be taught on how to live well in the 21st century and at the same time practice ethical behavior.

“It must be admitted that reforms on education held twice earlier (in Thailand) were utter failures,” said Mr Krissanapong.

Educational reform will have to be more related with religion, he said, adding that regarding hygiene, Thai Muslim students should be taught that they must wear proper clothing and that religion frowns upon dirtiness.

In mathematics, instead of teaching students only how to add or subtract, they should also be taught the value of saving money.

“Most importantly, parents of students must have confidence that this kind of new teaching wouldn’t affect their religious beliefs,” said Mr Krissanapong.

The World Economic Forum in its report issued late last year ranked the quality of Thailand’s education system at the bottom of eight ASEAN member countries, behind Cambodia and Vietnam which stood at sixth and seventh, respectively.