More than 4.5 million students are studying in schools with alarmingly poor standards, according to the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Onesqa).

The schools accounted for half of some 30,010 educational institutions assessed in Onesqa's first round of checks. "There are more than 15,000 schools that badly need quality improvements. Most of these are small primary schools in rural provinces," Onesqa director Somwang Pitiyanuwat said yesterday.

He was speaking on the basis of assessments conducted between 2001 and 2005. He estimated that it would cost Bt15 billion to raise these schools' standards to meet Onesqa's minimum requirements. Somwang said Oneqsa had assessed the abilities of students, teachers and school administrators before giving marks to each school.

The assessments checked the students' academic performances and analytical thinking ability, the teachers' maturity and ability to teach, as well as the school administrators' vision and leadership. The schools' laboratories and equipment were also assessed.

The first round of quality checks had three scales of marking: three for good, two for fair and one for needing improvements. Somwang said the Education Ministry had taken action since the findings came out. However, the ministry's initial plan was held up in a Cabinet screening committee early this year, after which the House dissolution took place and nothing could be done since then.

"I hope the new government will urgently pay attention to this," he said.

In the first round of quality checks, more than 5,000 schools were identified as having fair standards while over 8,000 others were found with good standards on all counts.

Onesqa has already begun its second round of quality checks. Its findings should be available in October. "The second round has found a school in Nakhon Pathom that failed on all counts. We immediately informed Education Ministry permanent secretary Khunying Kasama Varavarn and she has already inspected the school to provide the necessary assistance," Somwang said.

The Office of Basic Education Commission's secretary-general Pornnipha Limpaphayom said she was not surprised that so many schools seriously needed improvements. She said her office had long reported a serious shortage of teachers in many schools but the problem had not been solved.

"The findings should serve to highlight the fact that the shortage of teachers affects teaching quality and students' academic performance," Pornnipha said.

Jidakan Limkoonsate,

Chularat Saengpassa

The Nation