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Published on August 11, 2007

The new version of the One District One Scholarship (ODOS) project will draw up stricter rules for its scholars after nearly 100 students from the project's first two years gave up their decision to pursue an overseas degree and returned to Thailand.

"We may make it a rule that scholars must enrol at top universities and in programmes that respond to the country's needs," Education Minister Wijit Srisa-arn said yesterday.

He said such a rule would ensure that the money was well spent.

Launched by the previous administration, the ODOS project has found that many scholars from its first batch were struggling overseas.

In addition to some 90 students heading back to Thailand, 160 others were unsure whether they could complete their overseas undergraduate courses.

About 96 other grantees will also need more time than usual to complete their courses.

When asked why the

students could not live up to expectations, Wijit said scholars in their first year were not properly prepared as they were rushed into going abroad.

"Some are children of political canvassers," he added, hinting that they might not be the cream of the provinces.

Wijit said most of the students who had returned to Thailand had now chosen to pursue a university degree in social sciences at private universities in Thailand.

"This is not the field the country needs," he said.

Since the interim government came to power late last year, it has renamed the ODOS project the Community Development Scholarship project.

The project will reduce the number of scholars each year and will search for more "qualified" candidates.

Wijit has now asked the Office of the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the Higher Education Commission to draw up detailed reports on the scholars' choices of higher-educational institutes and their fields of study.

"It will not be worth it if the scholars enrol in unwanted courses at substandard institutes," he said.

He said the scholarships were intended to ensure that brilliant students received education at great institutes so that they could make a contribution to the country's development.

Although the scholarship does not require the students to offer their services to the government after their graduation, they are required to return to Thailand.

Supinda na Mahachai

The Nation