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Published on November 13, 2007

To make up the shortfall, the ministry will propose hiring new teachers within three years and also replace retirees in the next five years.

Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an said yesterday that the ministry's five main commissions and related offices had held a meeting to discuss the calculation method to determine teacher shortage.

A study by the Office of the Education Council had revealed a shortage of 24,000 teachers in mid- or large-sized primary and secondary schools, plus some supporting personnel, he said.

Wijit said he would propose to the Cabinet that the 24,000 posts be filled within three years along with recruitment of supporting personnel according to necessity and existing budget.

To tackle the teacher shortage without creating too much of a financial burden, the ministry would also propose 100 per cent recruitment to replace retirees from this year to 2012, he said. This method would then be evaluated to see if it was still needed after the five-year period was over.

Wijit said that the old calculation method assumed a ratio of one teacher to 25 students, but this was considered unrealistic as not all teachers could teach all subjects and they also served as student consultants and administrators.

The new method adjusted the primary classroom to an average of 30 students and the secondary classroom to up to 40 students while setting teachers' working hours at 30 hours per week - 18 hours for actual classroom teaching and 10 hours for preparations.

The Nation