Teaching scholarships for science graduates

Under the plan, the government will offer scholarships to science graduates interested in taking a yearlong course on teaching.

"We will hand out 580 scholarships each year between 2010 and 2017," Deputy Education Minister Chaiwuti Bannawat said. "Each scholarship is worth Bt140,000."

He said after completing the course, scholarship recipients would be given jobs at state schools.

"Then, after two years of service, they can apply for a scholarship to pursue a master's degree," Chaiwuti said. "Once they graduate, there will be teaching jobs waiting for them."

Chaiwuti said this plan aimed to solve the shortage of qualified science teachers at state schools.