Populist vote-catching schemes aren't the way to lift education standards
Regardless of which party, politicians rising to the helm of the Education Ministry are bent on selling their ideas to score political points and enchant the public. Naturally, all want to impress voters and be remembered when the next general election comes around.
In order to achieve this somewhat selfish aim, they pursue their own pet projects during their term. Naturally, they cite the interest of students and parents at the heart of their project.
Yet, as recent history has shown, such projects are usually quickly forgotten, sidelined or abandoned in the end when the next man or woman takes over the portfolio.
When he was at the helm of the Education Ministry, Jurin Laksanawisit of the Democrat Party floated an idea to develop schools at not just national, but also at district and tambon, levels under a Bt2.3-billion budget. Today, no one talks about his idea anymore.
Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat secured Bt1.704 billion from the second phase of the government's stimulus package for a project to develop 182 tambon-level schools into quality facilities. If the money is shared out equally, each school will get up to Bt9.36 million. Improving infrastructure appeared to be his target. It's something concrete that makes it easier for voters to remember.
But improved infrastructure, such as more computers, science labs and swimming pools, may not necessarily translate into better student test scores.
The problem with such an approach is not that it is bad. The problem has to do with the fact few are geared towards the long term or reflect the need to meet today's challenges and realities.
For a start, politicians need to think about the reason behind why Thailand's higher educational institutes have failed to produce graduates in response to the labour market's demands.
Like secondary schools, Thailand's colleges and universities are not much different in terms of failing grades. Several thousand Thais graduate from college every year, but many are not prepared for the real world. Qualified human resources are an essential element in driving the country's social and economic growth in a sustainable way.
Thailand has a wide range of higher education and vocational colleges, but the standards among them vary greatly. So-called good institutions often rely on reputation. But reputation alone does not guarantee capable students or produce capable professionals if policy makers do not understand the challenges of our rapidly changing and competitive world.
One area that is obviously in short supply is proper counselling to assist high school students planning for college. And once a wrong choice is made, college and university regulations make it virtually impossible to change track or career plan.
Some universities lower their entry exams so they can attract more student applicants in order to attract more government money. But they end up seeing these students dropping out after a semester or two.
Few if any institutions invest in retention programmes, especially for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Another area that desperately needs improvement is developing critical thinking and analytical skills. Too often, students are not taught to think for themselves but to memorise what their instructors say. Thai institutions must move away from teaching to learning. Information does not necessarily translate into knowledge.
But unfortunately, these important aspects of education don't seem to appeal to education ministers, partly because it takes time and partly because they are not quantifiable in such a way that they can be boasted about to constituencies on the campaign trail.
Our institutions give out diplomas like hot cakes while students' knowledge remains mediocre.
A long term vision and education reform must also hold the performance of teachers accountable. While teachers who have been charged with incompetence or misconduct must be removed from payroll, the performances of their students should also be a factor in promotion or in the evaluation process.
But before we could do that we need to move away from traditional bureaucratic mindsets that see careers in public schools as a guaranteed paycheck.
We need to seriously rethink the entire pay scale and performances of teachers if the ministry is to attract qualified instructors to public school system.
Sad to say, as it is right now, college students studying to become teachers are largely people who couldn't get into the university of their choice.