So the 90-year-old Idaho Falls resident is going back to school,pursuing a master's degree in business administration. He started school last week.
Felicia Little, manager at the school's College Education Center,says he's the oldest student they have.
But that's not stopping Wagnon.The former real estate agent and mobile home salesman says he's looking forward to graduating and finding a new career.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Teacher-pupil lesbian affair ends with jail
A teacher at a private school who said she was "pressured" into a lesbian affair by a 15-year-old pupil,was jailed for 15 months yesterday.
Music teacher Helen Goddard,26, of Greenwich, southeast London, pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with the girl between February and July,earlier this year.
Southwark Crown Court heard how Goddard, who was nicknamed "the Jazz Lady", befriended the youngster as they met for coffee after lessons.
Their relationship eventually became sexual, a development the youngster's parents condemned as a "complete betrayal" of trust.
The five-month affair included an overnight stay at her home and a romantic weekend in Paris, the court heard. Their forbidden trysts remained a secret until someone sent the school an anonymous tip-off about their relationship.
Music teacher Helen Goddard,26, of Greenwich, southeast London, pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual activity with the girl between February and July,earlier this year.
Southwark Crown Court heard how Goddard, who was nicknamed "the Jazz Lady", befriended the youngster as they met for coffee after lessons.
Their relationship eventually became sexual, a development the youngster's parents condemned as a "complete betrayal" of trust.
The five-month affair included an overnight stay at her home and a romantic weekend in Paris, the court heard. Their forbidden trysts remained a secret until someone sent the school an anonymous tip-off about their relationship.
Harvard's first new education degree since 1935
Citing what it calls a "leadership deficit" in the nation's schools, Harvard University is introducing a doctoral education programme aimed at attracting top talent to transform the US education system by shaking up the status quo.
The Doctor of Education Leadership is the first new degree to be offered in 74 years by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and comes as US students continue to lag behind their peers worldwide.
The degree is designed for people who want to be top-level managers - such as superintendents of large districts or state education agency heads and seeks to attract upper-echelon candidates who normally would choose other, more lucrative fields.
"Education is getting better, it's just not getting better fast enough," said Robert Schwartz, the school's academic dean. He says that for too long, colleges have produced administrators isolated from other disciplines and geared more toward managing existing systems than pushing badly needed reform.
"Radically accelerating the pace of improvement is an urgent national priority.... We need people who really are trained in large-scale organisational development and change," he said. Harvard acknowledges "a widely shared view that US schools are failing",in a description of its new programme and also blames "a leadership deficit in education."
Schwartz said many school leaders don't know what good teaching looks like and are unpractised at navigating the policy-making process that allocates major education funding and unprepared to remake large, complex and always-changing organisations.
International assessments show US students near the bottom in academic achievement. In 2006,15-yearolds in the US ranked 21st out of 30 countries in maths and 25th out of 30 in science, according to the Program for International Student Assessment.
Arthur Levine, a prominent critic of current education school programmes, said Harvard's programme shows promise. He praised its collaboration with the business and government schools, and its third and final year, which he said offers the substantial, practical training absent in too many programmes. Changing
technology, demographics and economics are presenting challenges educators haven't figured out,but urgently need to, Levine said.
The Harvard programme will start in the autumn of 2010 with just 25 students. It's tuition-free and includes a living stipend to attract a broader range of students.
The Doctor of Education Leadership is the first new degree to be offered in 74 years by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and comes as US students continue to lag behind their peers worldwide.
The degree is designed for people who want to be top-level managers - such as superintendents of large districts or state education agency heads and seeks to attract upper-echelon candidates who normally would choose other, more lucrative fields.
"Education is getting better, it's just not getting better fast enough," said Robert Schwartz, the school's academic dean. He says that for too long, colleges have produced administrators isolated from other disciplines and geared more toward managing existing systems than pushing badly needed reform.
"Radically accelerating the pace of improvement is an urgent national priority.... We need people who really are trained in large-scale organisational development and change," he said. Harvard acknowledges "a widely shared view that US schools are failing",in a description of its new programme and also blames "a leadership deficit in education."
Schwartz said many school leaders don't know what good teaching looks like and are unpractised at navigating the policy-making process that allocates major education funding and unprepared to remake large, complex and always-changing organisations.
International assessments show US students near the bottom in academic achievement. In 2006,15-yearolds in the US ranked 21st out of 30 countries in maths and 25th out of 30 in science, according to the Program for International Student Assessment.
Arthur Levine, a prominent critic of current education school programmes, said Harvard's programme shows promise. He praised its collaboration with the business and government schools, and its third and final year, which he said offers the substantial, practical training absent in too many programmes. Changing
technology, demographics and economics are presenting challenges educators haven't figured out,but urgently need to, Levine said.
The Harvard programme will start in the autumn of 2010 with just 25 students. It's tuition-free and includes a living stipend to attract a broader range of students.
Kasama quits as Obec chief
Khunying Kasama Voravan Na Ayudhaya has tendered her resignation from the top post at the Office of the Basic Education Commission.
The Obec secretary-general yesterday insisted she had quit of her own accord,without being pressured by anyone.
She believed the time was right for her to resign because she has been working in the post for a long time. As an education reform scheme is being carried out, she wanted to give an opportunity to others to prove their worth.
She was breaking her silence as there had been speculation she had quit.
Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit earlier remained tight-lipped over reports Khunying Kasama had stepped down.
Although she had quit, she had not left education altogether as she was still a member of several education panels.
Mr Jurin declined to confirm when asked if the Obec chief had quit, saying it was a matter of etiquette that he should not speak first on the issue. He would let Khunying Kasama discuss the matter.
She would hold a press conference about her resignation after the education minister approved her exit, she said.She would remain the Obec chief until Oct 26, the day she turns 60.
A source at the Obec said Khunying Kasama had tendered her resignation several months ago, but the minister had put her departure on hold. He just approved the resignation letter last week.
The Obec secretary-general yesterday insisted she had quit of her own accord,without being pressured by anyone.
She believed the time was right for her to resign because she has been working in the post for a long time. As an education reform scheme is being carried out, she wanted to give an opportunity to others to prove their worth.
She was breaking her silence as there had been speculation she had quit.
Education Minister Jurin Laksanavisit earlier remained tight-lipped over reports Khunying Kasama had stepped down.
Although she had quit, she had not left education altogether as she was still a member of several education panels.
Mr Jurin declined to confirm when asked if the Obec chief had quit, saying it was a matter of etiquette that he should not speak first on the issue. He would let Khunying Kasama discuss the matter.
She would hold a press conference about her resignation after the education minister approved her exit, she said.She would remain the Obec chief until Oct 26, the day she turns 60.
A source at the Obec said Khunying Kasama had tendered her resignation several months ago, but the minister had put her departure on hold. He just approved the resignation letter last week.
Accurate reading with IBM
Students may find reading lessons more enjoyable than before as IBM Thailand recently launched an online web-based reading programme,named "Reading Companion".
The company has granted the programme to two schools: Chulalongkorn University Demonstration (CUD) Elementary School and Kasetsart University Laboratory School Center for Educational Research and Development (KUS).
For Thais to be successful at the international level, it is important that they master their English-language skills, according to Thanwa Laohasiriwong, country general manager at IBM Thailand.However, many Thais are still facing the English-language barrier. This has led to the company initiating the use of its technology to advance the oral communicative excellence of Thai students. Features
"Reading Companion" is an online virtual library, which currently offers over 200 books online. Users can read the reading materials aloud into the microphone and the programme will provide immediate audio comments on the accuracy of the pronunciation via its proprietary speech-recognition technology.
Accurate readers receive positive reinforcement while readers who have difficulties will be provided with gentle reminders and corrections and are encouraged to read again. Readers can also listen to reading samples of the texts.
As it is a online programme, users can access the programme at any time and place. All that is needed is an internet connection and a headset.
The programme also enables teachers to create and add their own content to the library. It also generates an evaluation report on each reader's progress on the website for teachers and students to follow up on progress and achievements. Pilot schools
"Initially, we will use the programme in Prathom 5 and 6(Grades 5 and 6) as a free elective course. Later, the application will be expanded to Prathom 3 and 4 students (Grades 3 and 4)," commented Assoc Prof Supranee Jiranarong,principal of CUD Elementary School.
The programme will also be used by students who have difficulties in English reading and pronunciation, as well as by the teachers themselves, Prof Supranee added.
"This is an interesting programme because after we read aloud, the system will respond back immediately. This is like an immediate evaluation, which students really like, unlike other assignments where teachers have to spend days checking the answers," she said.
Assoc Prof Dr Daranee Utairatanakit,principle of KUS, said the programme will help students with pronunciation and sentence structure.
"Although the programme does not provide comprehension features, students can hear correct pronunciations and see proper sentence structures. By repeating phrases while reading and learning pronunciation, students will create their own learning process, which they can apply to other lessons," Prof Daranee added.
"Today, we encourage students to take a self-learning approach. This programme will inculcate more confidence in students to pursue their education through self-learning and to spur them to seek knowledge by themselves," she continued.
KUS will apply the programme to gifted, average and weak students and conduct research on how the programme contributes to academic success among these three student groups. Teachers who seek to improve their English are also welcome to use the programme,according to Prof Daranee.
IBM invites other schools to apply to participate in the programme.
According to On-uma V. Rerkpattanapipat, IBM Thailand's country mar-keting and communications manager,the approved schools are required to put the programme into real use, and the company conducts an evaluation exercise every six months. Prospective schools that are interested to take part in the programme would need to have a sound lab and teachers with some English and computer skills.
Schools that are interested in participating in IBM's 'Reading Companion' project are invited to contact IBM Thailand at 02-273-4633 or for more information, visit www.readingcompanion.org.
The company has granted the programme to two schools: Chulalongkorn University Demonstration (CUD) Elementary School and Kasetsart University Laboratory School Center for Educational Research and Development (KUS).
For Thais to be successful at the international level, it is important that they master their English-language skills, according to Thanwa Laohasiriwong, country general manager at IBM Thailand.However, many Thais are still facing the English-language barrier. This has led to the company initiating the use of its technology to advance the oral communicative excellence of Thai students. Features
"Reading Companion" is an online virtual library, which currently offers over 200 books online. Users can read the reading materials aloud into the microphone and the programme will provide immediate audio comments on the accuracy of the pronunciation via its proprietary speech-recognition technology.
Accurate readers receive positive reinforcement while readers who have difficulties will be provided with gentle reminders and corrections and are encouraged to read again. Readers can also listen to reading samples of the texts.
As it is a online programme, users can access the programme at any time and place. All that is needed is an internet connection and a headset.
The programme also enables teachers to create and add their own content to the library. It also generates an evaluation report on each reader's progress on the website for teachers and students to follow up on progress and achievements. Pilot schools
"Initially, we will use the programme in Prathom 5 and 6(Grades 5 and 6) as a free elective course. Later, the application will be expanded to Prathom 3 and 4 students (Grades 3 and 4)," commented Assoc Prof Supranee Jiranarong,principal of CUD Elementary School.
The programme will also be used by students who have difficulties in English reading and pronunciation, as well as by the teachers themselves, Prof Supranee added.
"This is an interesting programme because after we read aloud, the system will respond back immediately. This is like an immediate evaluation, which students really like, unlike other assignments where teachers have to spend days checking the answers," she said.
Assoc Prof Dr Daranee Utairatanakit,principle of KUS, said the programme will help students with pronunciation and sentence structure.
"Although the programme does not provide comprehension features, students can hear correct pronunciations and see proper sentence structures. By repeating phrases while reading and learning pronunciation, students will create their own learning process, which they can apply to other lessons," Prof Daranee added.
"Today, we encourage students to take a self-learning approach. This programme will inculcate more confidence in students to pursue their education through self-learning and to spur them to seek knowledge by themselves," she continued.
KUS will apply the programme to gifted, average and weak students and conduct research on how the programme contributes to academic success among these three student groups. Teachers who seek to improve their English are also welcome to use the programme,according to Prof Daranee.
IBM invites other schools to apply to participate in the programme.
According to On-uma V. Rerkpattanapipat, IBM Thailand's country mar-keting and communications manager,the approved schools are required to put the programme into real use, and the company conducts an evaluation exercise every six months. Prospective schools that are interested to take part in the programme would need to have a sound lab and teachers with some English and computer skills.
Schools that are interested in participating in IBM's 'Reading Companion' project are invited to contact IBM Thailand at 02-273-4633 or for more information, visit www.readingcompanion.org.
Rankings or assessments
Mirror, mirror on the wall,which Thai university is best of them all?"Well," said the magic mirror,"you might not like the answer to that question,and before I give you the answer, these are the criteria on which I made my judgment ...."
It's hard to be a well-balanced, nonbiased, truthful mirror.
When the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Onesqa) released its assessment of the quality of university-level institutions recently, there were complaints and a few hostilities here and there against what most people perceived as being the Thai-university "rankings".Using the correct
terminology
A university ranking is an evaluation and positioning of two or more universities against each other in a hierarchy - one above the other; whereas an assessment is the evaluation of a university against itself, the main goal of which is to foster self-improvement.
Of course, Onesqa was quick to emphasize that the report did not "rank"Thailand's universities, but its voice was not heard over the boisterous din of detractors.
Onesqa clarified that the main objective of the quality assessment of universities and educational institutions was to inform each university, individually,of its true quality and performance. This would empower them to improve their own performances and achieve higher quality standards in the future.
That is what has been needed for a long time. And publishing the results for everybody to see reinforces the transparency that is often absent when tabulations are kept secret.
Therefore, each university should not waste time arguing about who is "No.1", but instead should be asking how it did this year compared to last year and how it can do better next year. Reasons for assessments
Onesqa was established in 2000 as a public organisation to assess - not to rank - the performance of all education institutions in the Kingdom.
Many education-related agencies, including the Ministry of Education, the Office of the Higher Education Commission, and even Onesqa, are reluctant to come up with outright official university rankings like those in the US News & World Report or the Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Academic Ranking of World Universities .However, for many years, academics with broader perspectives have urged for a publication of a true evaluation of all 37,000 schools in Thailand - elementary schools, high schools, vocational and commercial schools, international schools, colleges and universities - and that the results should be made public.
It is important to have assessments because they provide valuable information on the independent standings of universities to be used by prospective students and their parents who may be trying to select a university or special programme. For too long, students have had to search in the dark, or to depend on subjective conclusions by others regarding the quality of a university or academic programme.
The public distribution of objective assessments can assist parents, teachers,administrators and students in making informed decisions concerning their education.
The individual assessments also act as a mirror that enables each university to see itself and its performances and its strengths and weaknesses through the eyes of its peers. This allows each university to identify which areas it needs to improve and marks which areas of strength it should promote. Chaiyo for Onesqa!
Whether the public calls the listing an assessment or a ranking, the most important point is that Onesqa should be applauded, not only for its bold move in publishing its university assessments,but also for doing so transparently and without bias - a rare event in Thailand.
In publishing the list, Onesqa took a courageous step knowing that it would receive lots of criticism and claims of unfairness. One of the main brickbats is that the criteria on which Onesqa based its assessments might not be fair and accurate.
But that's the point of having one's own set of criteria for making assessments. There is no universal set of standards or criteria that are used and accepted for assessments or rankings throughout the world.
For instance - and using examples from the rankings world - the US News & World Report , the leading universityrankings publication, uses a different set of criteria from the Times Higher Education's world university rankings.Each assessor has its own set of criteria,indicators and, therefore, results.
In addition, the Washington Monthly magazine recently came up with its own university rankings with the emphasis on measuring which US universities do the most for social good. Surprisingly,Harvard University (ranked No. 1 on both the US News and the UK's Times Higher Education lists) was ranked No.11 by the Washington Monthly , with Yale at No.23 and Princeton at No.28.
Therefore, Onesqa's set of criteria,for all its intents and purposes, is Onesqa's set of criteria, period. Evaluation criteria
Thailand's 200 universities are assessed systematically over a five-year period. Not all universities are evaluated every year, but every university is evaluated at least once in the mandatory five-year cycle.
According to Onesqa, its assessment methodology is rigorous, systematic and beyond reproach, and that the criteria used are complex and comprehensive.
In assessing all the universities, Onesqa focuses on evaluating all aspects of the institution, including areas like the quality of graduates, research programmes, academic services, the preservation of arts and culture, curriculum and teaching/learning standards, and many others,including human resources management and employee benefits.
Additionally, the peer-review method was used in the evaluation process.
Onesqa's evaluation teams comprise more than 300 academic experts from all the universities that are being assessed.Each assessment team has a minimum of three members, but may have many more. The assessment teams are required to visit and evaluate each assigned university by means of an evaluation process that is very thorough and which takes a minimum of three days to complete.
The criteria for selecting each evalu-ation team member are as follows: the first person must have worked under the supervision of Onesqa during the previous university assessment cycle,and must have a full understanding of the requirements and applicable criteria.The second person must come from the university that is being assessed, so that he or she has in-depth knowledge of the university. The third person is chosen randomly from a pool of highly respected experts and is assigned by Onesqa to the evaluation team. Time to improve
The most important thing is that Onesqa's assessment results are now public. Now it's up to us to use the assessment results to the benefit of each university and start improving the quality of our higher education institutions.
For institutions that received high marks across the board,"Well done!"And keep it up. However, to those universities that didn't receive maximum points in specific categories, you have no excuses. You now know where the weak points are, thanks to Onesqa. Dig in and start improving yourself.
Universities shouldn't waste time criticising the system or faulting other schools because they did better; instead, do your part to improve Thailand's higher education.
So, before you go back to the magic mirror to ask that tough question again,prepare yourself and make sure you work hard, because you can fool yourself that you look good, but remember that the mirror never lies. It just reflects your true being.
For the entire assessment report (in Thai),visit www.onesqa.or.th or call 02-216-3955.
It's hard to be a well-balanced, nonbiased, truthful mirror.
When the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (Onesqa) released its assessment of the quality of university-level institutions recently, there were complaints and a few hostilities here and there against what most people perceived as being the Thai-university "rankings".Using the correct
terminology
A university ranking is an evaluation and positioning of two or more universities against each other in a hierarchy - one above the other; whereas an assessment is the evaluation of a university against itself, the main goal of which is to foster self-improvement.
Of course, Onesqa was quick to emphasize that the report did not "rank"Thailand's universities, but its voice was not heard over the boisterous din of detractors.
Onesqa clarified that the main objective of the quality assessment of universities and educational institutions was to inform each university, individually,of its true quality and performance. This would empower them to improve their own performances and achieve higher quality standards in the future.
That is what has been needed for a long time. And publishing the results for everybody to see reinforces the transparency that is often absent when tabulations are kept secret.
Therefore, each university should not waste time arguing about who is "No.1", but instead should be asking how it did this year compared to last year and how it can do better next year. Reasons for assessments
Onesqa was established in 2000 as a public organisation to assess - not to rank - the performance of all education institutions in the Kingdom.
Many education-related agencies, including the Ministry of Education, the Office of the Higher Education Commission, and even Onesqa, are reluctant to come up with outright official university rankings like those in the US News & World Report or the Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Academic Ranking of World Universities .However, for many years, academics with broader perspectives have urged for a publication of a true evaluation of all 37,000 schools in Thailand - elementary schools, high schools, vocational and commercial schools, international schools, colleges and universities - and that the results should be made public.
It is important to have assessments because they provide valuable information on the independent standings of universities to be used by prospective students and their parents who may be trying to select a university or special programme. For too long, students have had to search in the dark, or to depend on subjective conclusions by others regarding the quality of a university or academic programme.
The public distribution of objective assessments can assist parents, teachers,administrators and students in making informed decisions concerning their education.
The individual assessments also act as a mirror that enables each university to see itself and its performances and its strengths and weaknesses through the eyes of its peers. This allows each university to identify which areas it needs to improve and marks which areas of strength it should promote. Chaiyo for Onesqa!
Whether the public calls the listing an assessment or a ranking, the most important point is that Onesqa should be applauded, not only for its bold move in publishing its university assessments,but also for doing so transparently and without bias - a rare event in Thailand.
In publishing the list, Onesqa took a courageous step knowing that it would receive lots of criticism and claims of unfairness. One of the main brickbats is that the criteria on which Onesqa based its assessments might not be fair and accurate.
But that's the point of having one's own set of criteria for making assessments. There is no universal set of standards or criteria that are used and accepted for assessments or rankings throughout the world.
For instance - and using examples from the rankings world - the US News & World Report , the leading universityrankings publication, uses a different set of criteria from the Times Higher Education's world university rankings.Each assessor has its own set of criteria,indicators and, therefore, results.
In addition, the Washington Monthly magazine recently came up with its own university rankings with the emphasis on measuring which US universities do the most for social good. Surprisingly,Harvard University (ranked No. 1 on both the US News and the UK's Times Higher Education lists) was ranked No.11 by the Washington Monthly , with Yale at No.23 and Princeton at No.28.
Therefore, Onesqa's set of criteria,for all its intents and purposes, is Onesqa's set of criteria, period. Evaluation criteria
Thailand's 200 universities are assessed systematically over a five-year period. Not all universities are evaluated every year, but every university is evaluated at least once in the mandatory five-year cycle.
According to Onesqa, its assessment methodology is rigorous, systematic and beyond reproach, and that the criteria used are complex and comprehensive.
In assessing all the universities, Onesqa focuses on evaluating all aspects of the institution, including areas like the quality of graduates, research programmes, academic services, the preservation of arts and culture, curriculum and teaching/learning standards, and many others,including human resources management and employee benefits.
Additionally, the peer-review method was used in the evaluation process.
Onesqa's evaluation teams comprise more than 300 academic experts from all the universities that are being assessed.Each assessment team has a minimum of three members, but may have many more. The assessment teams are required to visit and evaluate each assigned university by means of an evaluation process that is very thorough and which takes a minimum of three days to complete.
The criteria for selecting each evalu-ation team member are as follows: the first person must have worked under the supervision of Onesqa during the previous university assessment cycle,and must have a full understanding of the requirements and applicable criteria.The second person must come from the university that is being assessed, so that he or she has in-depth knowledge of the university. The third person is chosen randomly from a pool of highly respected experts and is assigned by Onesqa to the evaluation team. Time to improve
The most important thing is that Onesqa's assessment results are now public. Now it's up to us to use the assessment results to the benefit of each university and start improving the quality of our higher education institutions.
For institutions that received high marks across the board,"Well done!"And keep it up. However, to those universities that didn't receive maximum points in specific categories, you have no excuses. You now know where the weak points are, thanks to Onesqa. Dig in and start improving yourself.
Universities shouldn't waste time criticising the system or faulting other schools because they did better; instead, do your part to improve Thailand's higher education.
So, before you go back to the magic mirror to ask that tough question again,prepare yourself and make sure you work hard, because you can fool yourself that you look good, but remember that the mirror never lies. It just reflects your true being.
For the entire assessment report (in Thai),visit www.onesqa.or.th or call 02-216-3955.
Man filmed bashing pupil in classroom
A teacher has been caught on video savagely bashing a young boy in a crowded classroom, authorities say.
The footage was captured by another student using his mobile telephone.
Kwongsiew Thai-Chinese bilingual school authorities said they would punish the Bangkok secondary school teacher who repeatedly hit the student.
School director Srithai Damrongrat yesterday confirmed the video footage of the assault involving a 29-year-old science teacher and the school boy in class was genuine.
Mr Srithai said the teacher took the student to task for failing to bring a textbook. The Mathayom 2 student responded with colourful language that enraged the teacher, authorities said.
In the clip captured by a mobile phone camera by another student, the teacher is seen to have locked the student's neck with one hand and hit the boy's head several times.
The teacher is seen to have also slammed the boy's head against a blackboard.
The school director said the physical punishment was too harsh and it should not have happened.
He said the incident took place just after he had advised teachers of the school's punishment policy on Sept 4.
He ordered a disciplinary investigation into the incident which he said had tarnished the reputation of the school.
Mr Srithai said he could not suspend the teacher because students were approaching their examinations and there was not a substitute science teacher.
He said the student allegedly abused was not seriously injured and could attend classes as usual.
The science teacher said yesterday the school boy had not brought a textbook and, when questioned, the boy reacted by uttering a rude word.
The teacher admitted his physical punishment was too violent.
He said the boy was not seriously injured and students were often injured in a more serious manner during schoolyard fights.
The boy yesterday said he was not angry with the teacher and did not want the teacher to be investigated because he also did wrong.
He said he had not told his parents about the incident. The boy said his classmate had recorded the video clip.
The footage was captured by another student using his mobile telephone.
Kwongsiew Thai-Chinese bilingual school authorities said they would punish the Bangkok secondary school teacher who repeatedly hit the student.
School director Srithai Damrongrat yesterday confirmed the video footage of the assault involving a 29-year-old science teacher and the school boy in class was genuine.
Mr Srithai said the teacher took the student to task for failing to bring a textbook. The Mathayom 2 student responded with colourful language that enraged the teacher, authorities said.
In the clip captured by a mobile phone camera by another student, the teacher is seen to have locked the student's neck with one hand and hit the boy's head several times.
The teacher is seen to have also slammed the boy's head against a blackboard.
The school director said the physical punishment was too harsh and it should not have happened.
He said the incident took place just after he had advised teachers of the school's punishment policy on Sept 4.
He ordered a disciplinary investigation into the incident which he said had tarnished the reputation of the school.
Mr Srithai said he could not suspend the teacher because students were approaching their examinations and there was not a substitute science teacher.
He said the student allegedly abused was not seriously injured and could attend classes as usual.
The science teacher said yesterday the school boy had not brought a textbook and, when questioned, the boy reacted by uttering a rude word.
The teacher admitted his physical punishment was too violent.
He said the boy was not seriously injured and students were often injured in a more serious manner during schoolyard fights.
The boy yesterday said he was not angry with the teacher and did not want the teacher to be investigated because he also did wrong.
He said he had not told his parents about the incident. The boy said his classmate had recorded the video clip.
Flying on a wing and a prayer
Mong Thongdee, the 12-year-old stateless boy who won first prize in a paper airplane team competition, has been honoured as a science ambassador and promised a scholarship for a doctorate degree.
Science and Technology Minister Kalaya Sophonpanich yesterday led officials to greet Mong at Suvarnabhumi airport and said the boy had been rewarded for encouraging other children to study the sciences.
The Science and Technology Ministry will sponsor his study, Khunying Kalaya said.
"All Thais are proud of him and the ministry will offer him a scholarship to study for a doctorate," she said.
Mong's father, Yun, said that without the scholarship he could send the boy only to Prathom 6(Grade 6) because he and his wife earn just 190 baht each a day and they had a two-year-old daughter to take care of.
The boy now studies at Prathom 4 in Chiang Mai. He has no nationality because he was born to the ethnic Burmese construction workers in Thailand.
Mong yesterday returned to Thailand with the third prize in the individual contest for children and the first prize in the team contest in the Origami Airplane Contest in Chiba at the weekend.
Prasert Chalermkannon and Surin Intarachot won the second and third places in the men's individual category and Fongfon Sriswat came first in the wom-en's individual contest. Mong's paper airplane stayed in the air for 10.53 seconds, which was enough to win him third place in the individual category.
"I am so delighted, and this award will be given to His Majesty the King,"said the boy after alighting from the real aircraft at Suvarnabhumi airport.
"My technique to make the plane stay aloft longer was to fold its wings in equal parts. When I grow up I would like to be a pilot."
Mong nearly lost his chance to participate in the contest after the Interior Ministry refused to issue him a document to apply for travel papers because of his statelessness.
The ministry's decision was overturned.
Science and Technology Minister Kalaya Sophonpanich yesterday led officials to greet Mong at Suvarnabhumi airport and said the boy had been rewarded for encouraging other children to study the sciences.
The Science and Technology Ministry will sponsor his study, Khunying Kalaya said.
"All Thais are proud of him and the ministry will offer him a scholarship to study for a doctorate," she said.
Mong's father, Yun, said that without the scholarship he could send the boy only to Prathom 6(Grade 6) because he and his wife earn just 190 baht each a day and they had a two-year-old daughter to take care of.
The boy now studies at Prathom 4 in Chiang Mai. He has no nationality because he was born to the ethnic Burmese construction workers in Thailand.
Mong yesterday returned to Thailand with the third prize in the individual contest for children and the first prize in the team contest in the Origami Airplane Contest in Chiba at the weekend.
Prasert Chalermkannon and Surin Intarachot won the second and third places in the men's individual category and Fongfon Sriswat came first in the wom-en's individual contest. Mong's paper airplane stayed in the air for 10.53 seconds, which was enough to win him third place in the individual category.
"I am so delighted, and this award will be given to His Majesty the King,"said the boy after alighting from the real aircraft at Suvarnabhumi airport.
"My technique to make the plane stay aloft longer was to fold its wings in equal parts. When I grow up I would like to be a pilot."
Mong nearly lost his chance to participate in the contest after the Interior Ministry refused to issue him a document to apply for travel papers because of his statelessness.
The ministry's decision was overturned.
Mong's right at home
Stateless 12-year-old is feted by govt after winning contest for Thailand
The Science Ministry will appoint Mong Thongdee, a Thaiborn but stateless boy, as its youth ambassador.
Mong, 12, is just back from the Origami Airplane Contest in Japan where he won third prize for Thailand in the individual category but bagged first in the team competition.
Scholarships awarded
"We will offer him scholarships too," Science Minister Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich said yesterday.
She said the scholarships would enable Mong to get a degree and even a doctorate if he wanted.
"He deserves the scholarships because he bolstered the country's reputation and has become an inspiration for other children to learn more about science," Kalaya said.
His dream
Mong says his dream is to become either a pilot or a scientist. Born to Burmese migrant workers, Mong does not qualify for Thai nationality even though this is where he was born, lives and goes to school.
"I feel like a Thai," he says.
Mong was invited to participate in Japan as a local champion, but with no Thai nationality, his requests for a passport fell on deaf ears. Just as his monthslong quest seemed to have hit a dead end, his plight came to the attention of the media. After meeting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, he got his passport in time to travel and compete.
Win dedicated to HM
Returning with his prizes, Mong headed straight to Siriraj Hospital to wish His Majesty the King, who was admitted on Saturday, a quick recovery.
"I love the King. I'm glad to have the chance to sign a getwell message for him," he said, adding that he hoped one day to get an audience with His Majesty.
"What I'm doing is for the country and for His Majesty."
He also plans to get ordained as a novice for 10 days in dedication to the King.
The Science Ministry will appoint Mong Thongdee, a Thaiborn but stateless boy, as its youth ambassador.
Mong, 12, is just back from the Origami Airplane Contest in Japan where he won third prize for Thailand in the individual category but bagged first in the team competition.
Scholarships awarded
"We will offer him scholarships too," Science Minister Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich said yesterday.
She said the scholarships would enable Mong to get a degree and even a doctorate if he wanted.
"He deserves the scholarships because he bolstered the country's reputation and has become an inspiration for other children to learn more about science," Kalaya said.
His dream
Mong says his dream is to become either a pilot or a scientist. Born to Burmese migrant workers, Mong does not qualify for Thai nationality even though this is where he was born, lives and goes to school.
"I feel like a Thai," he says.
Mong was invited to participate in Japan as a local champion, but with no Thai nationality, his requests for a passport fell on deaf ears. Just as his monthslong quest seemed to have hit a dead end, his plight came to the attention of the media. After meeting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, he got his passport in time to travel and compete.
Win dedicated to HM
Returning with his prizes, Mong headed straight to Siriraj Hospital to wish His Majesty the King, who was admitted on Saturday, a quick recovery.
"I love the King. I'm glad to have the chance to sign a getwell message for him," he said, adding that he hoped one day to get an audience with His Majesty.
"What I'm doing is for the country and for His Majesty."
He also plans to get ordained as a novice for 10 days in dedication to the King.
Minister to face lawsuit over "unfair" tests
The ParentYouth Network for Educational Reform is threatening to file a criminal lawsuit against Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit for failing to revoke the current university admission system.
"The system is unfair," the network's president Kamolpan Cheewapansri said yesterday, adding that she planned to file a complaint against Jurin and the ministry with the Criminal Court on Friday.
"They are being negligent. They should have changed the system," she explained.
According to her, the current system requires students to be tested on 20 subjects, and the welloff end up having an advantage because they can afford tutorial courses.
"This means children from poor families and remote areas are at a disadvantage. This system is unfair and affects more than a billion children," Kamolpan said.
She also lamented that each student had to pay Bt200 to sit for the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Professional Aptitude Test (PAT).
"It's a heavy burden for poor families," she added.
"The system is unfair," the network's president Kamolpan Cheewapansri said yesterday, adding that she planned to file a complaint against Jurin and the ministry with the Criminal Court on Friday.
"They are being negligent. They should have changed the system," she explained.
According to her, the current system requires students to be tested on 20 subjects, and the welloff end up having an advantage because they can afford tutorial courses.
"This means children from poor families and remote areas are at a disadvantage. This system is unfair and affects more than a billion children," Kamolpan said.
She also lamented that each student had to pay Bt200 to sit for the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and Professional Aptitude Test (PAT).
"It's a heavy burden for poor families," she added.
LOCAL TEAM MAKES VACCINE FOR SPASMS
KKU academic says success rate is 100% on some symptoms
After two decades of research, a Khon Kaen University academic has produced medication created with extracts of botulinum toxin that can be used to treat muscle spasms.
Prof Dr Sutthiphan Jitphimolmas said his work was based on relevant studies conducted in many countries and that medications extracted from botulinum toxin were already available in Europe at high prices.
"The research team has produced vaccines that are effective and, at prices as low as Bt3,000, easily affordable for Thai patients," he added.
Citing studies and research under his supervision, vaccines and medications can treat various kinds of muscle spasms, especially those on the face, eyelids, the back, migraine, heavy sweating and crossed eyes, said Sutthiphan, who is also dean of KKU's Faculty of Medicine.
"The success rate of treatment on these symptoms is 100 per cent," he added.
Patients given vaccines or medication via injections on affected muscles experience a drop of frequency of spasms within two weeks. The treatment takes about three months in severe cases.
"Of the 700 patients vaccinated or medicated, 90 per cent are on their way to recovery while 80 per cent have fully recovered," he added.
Sutthiphan said extensive research was underway on botulinum toxin in other countries for other uses such as cosmetic treatment for wrinkles or to reduce physical irritation during intercourse. Other symptoms that can possibly be cured with botulinum toxinbased medications include difficulty in urination, tension in the vocal cords and the treatment of congenitally distorted feet.
Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum that was discovered more than 200 years ago. It is the most toxic substance known to mankind, but can be used in very small doses to treat muscle spasms.
Outbreaks caused by botulinum toxin are not frequent in Thailand, with the most recent reported in 2006 in Nan, when more than 200 people became sick after eating food made of bamboo shoots. Canned foods and sausages that are not properly produced are the most common sources of contamination.
After two decades of research, a Khon Kaen University academic has produced medication created with extracts of botulinum toxin that can be used to treat muscle spasms.
Prof Dr Sutthiphan Jitphimolmas said his work was based on relevant studies conducted in many countries and that medications extracted from botulinum toxin were already available in Europe at high prices.
"The research team has produced vaccines that are effective and, at prices as low as Bt3,000, easily affordable for Thai patients," he added.
Citing studies and research under his supervision, vaccines and medications can treat various kinds of muscle spasms, especially those on the face, eyelids, the back, migraine, heavy sweating and crossed eyes, said Sutthiphan, who is also dean of KKU's Faculty of Medicine.
"The success rate of treatment on these symptoms is 100 per cent," he added.
Patients given vaccines or medication via injections on affected muscles experience a drop of frequency of spasms within two weeks. The treatment takes about three months in severe cases.
"Of the 700 patients vaccinated or medicated, 90 per cent are on their way to recovery while 80 per cent have fully recovered," he added.
Sutthiphan said extensive research was underway on botulinum toxin in other countries for other uses such as cosmetic treatment for wrinkles or to reduce physical irritation during intercourse. Other symptoms that can possibly be cured with botulinum toxinbased medications include difficulty in urination, tension in the vocal cords and the treatment of congenitally distorted feet.
Botulinum toxin is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum that was discovered more than 200 years ago. It is the most toxic substance known to mankind, but can be used in very small doses to treat muscle spasms.
Outbreaks caused by botulinum toxin are not frequent in Thailand, with the most recent reported in 2006 in Nan, when more than 200 people became sick after eating food made of bamboo shoots. Canned foods and sausages that are not properly produced are the most common sources of contamination.
BEC'S KASAMA HANDS IN HER RESIGNATION
Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit yesterday admitted that Basic Education Commission secretarygeneral Kunyhing Kasama Varawan Na Ayuthya had submitted her resignation.
He declined to comment on Kasam's reason for quitting, saying out of courtesy Kasama should be the one who explained it.
Jurin claimed there was no work conflict or pressure and that he had worked with Kasam harmoniously.
His comments were made yesterday while explaining a proposal to find replacements for level10 officials retiring next month. He said the plan would miss Cabinet's meeting today because of PM Abhisit Vejjajiva's absence.
Kasama admitted she had submitted the resignation letter but not because of any work conflict or pressure from others. She had intended for a long time to retire when she became 60 because she had worked for so long.
Since secondround educational reform was at a turning point and the Thai Khemkaeng stimulus package had begun, she wanted to give an opportunity to others to work in full swing and with continuity, she said.
"Even though I quit the post, I won't be out of the education circle because I still work as an educational committee member," she said, adding she would hold a press conference after her resignation was approved.
Kasama said she would remain in the post until October 26, which was also her 60th birthday anniversary.
He declined to comment on Kasam's reason for quitting, saying out of courtesy Kasama should be the one who explained it.
Jurin claimed there was no work conflict or pressure and that he had worked with Kasam harmoniously.
His comments were made yesterday while explaining a proposal to find replacements for level10 officials retiring next month. He said the plan would miss Cabinet's meeting today because of PM Abhisit Vejjajiva's absence.
Kasama admitted she had submitted the resignation letter but not because of any work conflict or pressure from others. She had intended for a long time to retire when she became 60 because she had worked for so long.
Since secondround educational reform was at a turning point and the Thai Khemkaeng stimulus package had begun, she wanted to give an opportunity to others to work in full swing and with continuity, she said.
"Even though I quit the post, I won't be out of the education circle because I still work as an educational committee member," she said, adding she would hold a press conference after her resignation was approved.
Kasama said she would remain in the post until October 26, which was also her 60th birthday anniversary.
JUST LOG OUT, TURN OFF AND EXPERIENCE LIFE
Online preoccupation in a virtual world is denying today's youth the real thing Today's youth and some adults may be spending too much time online and ending up losing opportunities to develop other skills and have meaningful off-line experience and face-to-face relationships. In Bangkok, schoolchildren and some adults spend an inordinate amount of the time at Internet cafes or in front of their notebook computers playing online games, checking out Facebook or literally Twittering their life away on their mobile phones.
A more balanced approach is needed lest these people end up treating their online virtual life as more important or a substitute to their off-line real life.
There is no debate about the merits and marvels of the Internet. Wikipedia and Google have opened access to a treasure trove of information in ways unimaginable to people two decades ago. Twitter has changed the face of revolt in Iran and will likely play a more crucial role in future political struggles elsewhere. And the seemingly less-hi-tech e-mail has managed to make inter-continental relationships possible as well as affordable. Facebook and MySpace have also reinvented virtual social networking. Today, one can also play online games with multiple others from various parts of the globe in real time.
Nevertheless, despite the obvious merit of these technological innovations, one must recognise that too much of anything is always harmful. Some people have ended up becoming addicted to online life and relations and fail to nurture their off-line life as a result. Others have ended up having less time for serious book reading and contemplation, preferring the easier way to google up everything.
The virtual world, to some, has become a replacement for the real world's face-to-face interaction and relations. No one should doubt that no matter how hi-tech and dazzling these new Internet technologies are, they can never replace the real-life experience of our five senses. Looking at any number of pages of snow online can never replace the real-life experience of being physically exposed to snowy winter. Google as many maps as you like about different parts of Rome but it cannot compensate for taking a leisurely stroll in that majestic old imperial capital by foot. Also, none of the sweet words online sent through e-mail can ever replace a real embrace and kiss of lovers or the joy of having a real face-to-face chat with friends while having lunch or dinner together.
Parents should spend more time with their children, face-to-face and enjoy the here and now. Often time, online activity distracts people from the present. Their minds drift far away and unfortunately are no longer rooted to the present, not mindful and contemplative about the moment.
In the US, a string of books have been written about the possible adverse effects of spending too much time online. Mark Bauerlein, a professor of English at Emory University and author of the 2008 best-selling book "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardises Our Future", asks if digital diversion of the young has cut kids off from history, civics, literature and fine art.
Bauerlein answers in the affirmative.
"Teenagers live in the present and the immediate. What happened long ago and far away doesn't impress them. They care about what occurred last week in the cafeteria, not what took place during the Great Depression. They heed the words of Facebook, not the Gettysburg Address. They focus on other kids in the English class, not leaders in Congress," the author wrote. "These young people are uninterested in world realities. They are actively cut off from them. Or a better way to put it is to say that they are encased in more immediate realities that shut out conditions beyond - friends, work, clothes, cars, pop music, sitcoms, Facebook."
His suggested remedy is that children need a reprieve and a retreat. "For them to grow up into mindful citizens and discerning consumers, then, adolescents must break the social circuit and think beyond the clique and the schoolyard. But they can't do it themselves - peer pressure is too strong - and so adults must help draw them away."
Do some people see a parallel of sorts to some youth (and even some adults) in Thailand? One may not need to totally agree with Bauerlein to appreciate his concerns.
Some Thai parents and adults may do well to think about the issue. In fact, teenagers and young adults should be encouraged to discuss and debate the pros and cons of their digital dependency, if not addiction, in the hope that they may eventually develop a less euphoric and more realistic view of what an online-dependent life really entails and what repercussions it has for not just themselves but society as a whole.
A more balanced approach is needed lest these people end up treating their online virtual life as more important or a substitute to their off-line real life.
There is no debate about the merits and marvels of the Internet. Wikipedia and Google have opened access to a treasure trove of information in ways unimaginable to people two decades ago. Twitter has changed the face of revolt in Iran and will likely play a more crucial role in future political struggles elsewhere. And the seemingly less-hi-tech e-mail has managed to make inter-continental relationships possible as well as affordable. Facebook and MySpace have also reinvented virtual social networking. Today, one can also play online games with multiple others from various parts of the globe in real time.
Nevertheless, despite the obvious merit of these technological innovations, one must recognise that too much of anything is always harmful. Some people have ended up becoming addicted to online life and relations and fail to nurture their off-line life as a result. Others have ended up having less time for serious book reading and contemplation, preferring the easier way to google up everything.
The virtual world, to some, has become a replacement for the real world's face-to-face interaction and relations. No one should doubt that no matter how hi-tech and dazzling these new Internet technologies are, they can never replace the real-life experience of our five senses. Looking at any number of pages of snow online can never replace the real-life experience of being physically exposed to snowy winter. Google as many maps as you like about different parts of Rome but it cannot compensate for taking a leisurely stroll in that majestic old imperial capital by foot. Also, none of the sweet words online sent through e-mail can ever replace a real embrace and kiss of lovers or the joy of having a real face-to-face chat with friends while having lunch or dinner together.
Parents should spend more time with their children, face-to-face and enjoy the here and now. Often time, online activity distracts people from the present. Their minds drift far away and unfortunately are no longer rooted to the present, not mindful and contemplative about the moment.
In the US, a string of books have been written about the possible adverse effects of spending too much time online. Mark Bauerlein, a professor of English at Emory University and author of the 2008 best-selling book "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardises Our Future", asks if digital diversion of the young has cut kids off from history, civics, literature and fine art.
Bauerlein answers in the affirmative.
"Teenagers live in the present and the immediate. What happened long ago and far away doesn't impress them. They care about what occurred last week in the cafeteria, not what took place during the Great Depression. They heed the words of Facebook, not the Gettysburg Address. They focus on other kids in the English class, not leaders in Congress," the author wrote. "These young people are uninterested in world realities. They are actively cut off from them. Or a better way to put it is to say that they are encased in more immediate realities that shut out conditions beyond - friends, work, clothes, cars, pop music, sitcoms, Facebook."
His suggested remedy is that children need a reprieve and a retreat. "For them to grow up into mindful citizens and discerning consumers, then, adolescents must break the social circuit and think beyond the clique and the schoolyard. But they can't do it themselves - peer pressure is too strong - and so adults must help draw them away."
Do some people see a parallel of sorts to some youth (and even some adults) in Thailand? One may not need to totally agree with Bauerlein to appreciate his concerns.
Some Thai parents and adults may do well to think about the issue. In fact, teenagers and young adults should be encouraged to discuss and debate the pros and cons of their digital dependency, if not addiction, in the hope that they may eventually develop a less euphoric and more realistic view of what an online-dependent life really entails and what repercussions it has for not just themselves but society as a whole.
Top medical award goes to Thai teacher
A Thai medical science teacher has won an Association for Medical Education in Europe award.
Paphan Musikawat, a medical science teacher at Maharaj Hospital in Nakhon Si Thammarat, won the Amee award in recognition of her assessment of medical science students under the hospital's project to produce doctors for rural people.
Dr Paphan was among a group of medical science educators who attended the annual Amee conference where the award was presented. The conference was held in Malaga, Spain, from August 29 to Sept 2.
There were five award categories: curriculum planning, assessment, teaching and learning, student issues and research in medical education. There were 450 entries for the awards, seven from Thailand.
Dr Paphan has been granted Amee membership and issued with free copies of Medical Teacher , an international journal of education in the health sciences,for one year.
Amee is a worldwide organisation with members in 90 countries on five continents. Members include educators, researchers, administrators, curriculum developers, assessors and students in medicine and healthcare professions.
It organises an annual conference and delivers courses on teaching, assessment and research skills for teachers in medicine and healthcare professions.
Paphan Musikawat, a medical science teacher at Maharaj Hospital in Nakhon Si Thammarat, won the Amee award in recognition of her assessment of medical science students under the hospital's project to produce doctors for rural people.
Dr Paphan was among a group of medical science educators who attended the annual Amee conference where the award was presented. The conference was held in Malaga, Spain, from August 29 to Sept 2.
There were five award categories: curriculum planning, assessment, teaching and learning, student issues and research in medical education. There were 450 entries for the awards, seven from Thailand.
Dr Paphan has been granted Amee membership and issued with free copies of Medical Teacher , an international journal of education in the health sciences,for one year.
Amee is a worldwide organisation with members in 90 countries on five continents. Members include educators, researchers, administrators, curriculum developers, assessors and students in medicine and healthcare professions.
It organises an annual conference and delivers courses on teaching, assessment and research skills for teachers in medicine and healthcare professions.
Mong gets third place in new event
Mong Thongdee, the stateless boy representing Thailand at the Japanese paper airplane contest, has captured third place in the individual event.
It was the second achievement in two days for the boy. On Saturday, Mong,12, and his three-member Thai team won the group competition.
Contestants quickly fold their planes,then throw them into the air.
Mong won a national paper airplane championship in Thailand in August 2008 after he threw a plane that flew for 12 seconds, and was later chosen to attend the Japanese contest in Chiba,near Tokyo.
But Mong, who lives in Chiang Mai,is the son of Burmese migrants who are stateless and so have no legal right to travel abroad.
His first application to leave Thailand was denied, but after media coverage of his plight the government granted him a temporary passport.
Mong yesterday appeared in a white T-shirt decorated with the Thai flag, whipping his carefully folded airplanes high into the air during the competition in front of hundreds of spectators.
He placed third in the division for elementary school students with a time of 10.53 seconds.
After the event he said he wanted his family back home to know he won third place, and that he was grateful to the people who supported him.
It was the second achievement in two days for the boy. On Saturday, Mong,12, and his three-member Thai team won the group competition.
Contestants quickly fold their planes,then throw them into the air.
Mong won a national paper airplane championship in Thailand in August 2008 after he threw a plane that flew for 12 seconds, and was later chosen to attend the Japanese contest in Chiba,near Tokyo.
But Mong, who lives in Chiang Mai,is the son of Burmese migrants who are stateless and so have no legal right to travel abroad.
His first application to leave Thailand was denied, but after media coverage of his plight the government granted him a temporary passport.
Mong yesterday appeared in a white T-shirt decorated with the Thai flag, whipping his carefully folded airplanes high into the air during the competition in front of hundreds of spectators.
He placed third in the division for elementary school students with a time of 10.53 seconds.
After the event he said he wanted his family back home to know he won third place, and that he was grateful to the people who supported him.
Monday, September 21, 2009
WII GOES TO COLLEGE, GRADUATES
Imagine a world in which college students can play Wii Fit and receive course credit for it. If you're enrolled at the University of Houston in the US state of Texas, you don't have to imagine it. You can do it.
Chuck Layne is the forward-thinking chairman of the university's health-and-human-performance department who was partly responsible for brianstorming the idea of introducing Wii Fit as part of the elective physical-education curriculum.
It made sense, he says, considering the campus' diversity and the department's affinity for using cutting-edge technology.
"About five years ago we began to add a number of non-traditional physical-activity courses, such as tai chi and judo, because we have a lot of people here who didn't grow up playing basketball or tennis or volleyball.
"Since they're electives, we made the decision to make it more customer-friendly."
The innovative classes have been popular, but when Layne heard about the Wii Fit, he thought it would be - well - a good fit for the department.
"It made sense, especially for people who aren't normally into exercise," he says.
Layne says the for-credit pilot course, which he believes is the first of its kind, could be a gateway exercise programme for those who feel uncomfortable in a traditional class setting or uneasy about trying something new, like yoga.
Depending on the programme, the Wii can be a good workout, elevating the heart rate and producing a sweat.
A racquetball court was converted into a Wii studio with 10 systems that can be played simultaneously. The class filled up in who days despite it not being on the course schedule (it was conceived too late) and having no advertising.
After three weeks, Layne says, student feedback is positive, and estimates that about half probably had some Wii Fit experience before taking this class. The class also inclused course work on nutrition and exercise.
One thing Layne particularly likes about the Wii Fit is its ability to track things such as physical activity and body-mass index, making users more aware of their progress.
Layne and his colleagues are already eyeing the programme as a source for research studies, and he's thaning of other applications as well, such as having families exercise together.
"There's no reason why we can't use the studio almost all day. We're hoping the students have a positive experience with it."
Chuck Layne is the forward-thinking chairman of the university's health-and-human-performance department who was partly responsible for brianstorming the idea of introducing Wii Fit as part of the elective physical-education curriculum.
It made sense, he says, considering the campus' diversity and the department's affinity for using cutting-edge technology.
"About five years ago we began to add a number of non-traditional physical-activity courses, such as tai chi and judo, because we have a lot of people here who didn't grow up playing basketball or tennis or volleyball.
"Since they're electives, we made the decision to make it more customer-friendly."
The innovative classes have been popular, but when Layne heard about the Wii Fit, he thought it would be - well - a good fit for the department.
"It made sense, especially for people who aren't normally into exercise," he says.
Layne says the for-credit pilot course, which he believes is the first of its kind, could be a gateway exercise programme for those who feel uncomfortable in a traditional class setting or uneasy about trying something new, like yoga.
Depending on the programme, the Wii can be a good workout, elevating the heart rate and producing a sweat.
A racquetball court was converted into a Wii studio with 10 systems that can be played simultaneously. The class filled up in who days despite it not being on the course schedule (it was conceived too late) and having no advertising.
After three weeks, Layne says, student feedback is positive, and estimates that about half probably had some Wii Fit experience before taking this class. The class also inclused course work on nutrition and exercise.
One thing Layne particularly likes about the Wii Fit is its ability to track things such as physical activity and body-mass index, making users more aware of their progress.
Layne and his colleagues are already eyeing the programme as a source for research studies, and he's thaning of other applications as well, such as having families exercise together.
"There's no reason why we can't use the studio almost all day. We're hoping the students have a positive experience with it."
Mong lands gold in team event
Mong Thongdee, a stateless child from Chiang Mai province representing Thailand in an international paper airplane flying contest in Japan, yesterday emerged the champion in the team event.
MONG GOES FOR GOLD: Mong Thongdee prepares to throw his paper plane in Japan yesterday.
The 12-year-old boy was part of a three-man team which included two adults at the All-Japan Origami Airplane competition being held at the Makuhari Complex in Chiba, Japan, according to Japanese newspaper Mainichi.
Mong's paper plane stayed in the air for 11 seconds, which was good enough for victory, but not good enough to break the record of 12.50 seconds set last year.
Mong was wearing a yellow shirt and a pair of jeans when he made his throw.
After the team victory, in which only the best throw is counted out of the three throws, he smiled and shook hands with members of the rival teams.
Mong said he wanted to thank all the people who supported him and said he would tell his parents he was proud to have represented Thailand and won.
He will be competing Sunday in the individual event.
Mong is a Prathom 4 (grade 4) student at the Ban Huay Sai School in Chiang Mai province.
Mong almost didn't make it to Japan for the competition as he is a stateless person in Thailand - his parents are Burmese - and he has no ID card and didn't qualify for a Thai passport.
But after the story of his plight first broke in the Bangkok Post Sunday, senior government officials stepped in.
Mong was then given the all-clear to travel to Japan after PM Abhisit Vejjajiva stepped in. A certificate and temporary passport were issued to the boy, allowing him to travel to Japan.
MONG GOES FOR GOLD: Mong Thongdee prepares to throw his paper plane in Japan yesterday.
The 12-year-old boy was part of a three-man team which included two adults at the All-Japan Origami Airplane competition being held at the Makuhari Complex in Chiba, Japan, according to Japanese newspaper Mainichi.
Mong's paper plane stayed in the air for 11 seconds, which was good enough for victory, but not good enough to break the record of 12.50 seconds set last year.
Mong was wearing a yellow shirt and a pair of jeans when he made his throw.
After the team victory, in which only the best throw is counted out of the three throws, he smiled and shook hands with members of the rival teams.
Mong said he wanted to thank all the people who supported him and said he would tell his parents he was proud to have represented Thailand and won.
He will be competing Sunday in the individual event.
Mong is a Prathom 4 (grade 4) student at the Ban Huay Sai School in Chiang Mai province.
Mong almost didn't make it to Japan for the competition as he is a stateless person in Thailand - his parents are Burmese - and he has no ID card and didn't qualify for a Thai passport.
But after the story of his plight first broke in the Bangkok Post Sunday, senior government officials stepped in.
Mong was then given the all-clear to travel to Japan after PM Abhisit Vejjajiva stepped in. A certificate and temporary passport were issued to the boy, allowing him to travel to Japan.
Training quality nurses
For some time, the southern border provinces have experienced the effects of violence and unrest. The events, which have caused untold loss and destruction to infrastructure and people, to many innocent people and this has been exacerbated by the fact that now there are fewer trained doctors and nurses returning to work in the troubled area to help the people affected by such events.
Presently, the entire country has a shortfall of around 30,000 nurses, with the universities of the Ministry of Public Health only able to produce 2,500 nurses per year. In the southern border provinces, there are currently around 3,000 trained nurses - around 600 per provinced. It is estimated that around 6,000 nurses are needed to meet the needs of the people in the south, meaning that another 3,000 are desperately needed.
It must also be realized that due to the unrest, doctors and nurses in the south have a greatly increased workload. Faced with such frightening and unsafe conditions, many of these medical professional have resettled in other parts of the country.
In light of this, the "Project to Produce Professional Nurses to Solve the Problems of the Southern Border Princes" has been initiated. The projects is the product of cooperation between associated state departments, including the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Education, the Southern Border Province Administration Centre, the Office of the Civil Service Commission, the Budget Bureau, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the National Intelligence Agency, the governors of the respective southern provinces, and the Thailand Nursing and Midwidfery Council.
The project is a focused effort to restore the numbers of trained nurses and medical professionals back to sufficient levels. The brainchild of ISOC, the project is now truly underway, wich each department involved in the initiative aware of and ready to carry out their responsibilities under the project.
Since the beginnings of the unrest in the south, ISOC has carried out its duties in the area and has witnessed first-hand the effects the shortage of nurses has had on the local community. ISOC says that the shortage gas added to the instability of the situation, with locals feeling as if they have been abandoned by the government as there have simply not been enough medical staff to treat the injured. It is vital for this situation to be remedied. The professional nurse training program will help to do this, restoring confidence in the authorities and quality of life to the local community.
The "Project to Produce Professional Nurses to Fix the Problems in the Southern Border Provinces," has the objective to relieve the problems of unrest in the southern border area and to guarantee stable healthcare, 24 hours a day, for the local people of Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala, Satul and Songkla. The project had been given an initial budget of 1,269 million baht for four years - about 70,000 baht per student, per year, with involved universities already able to accept new students.
Other than helping with the shortage of professional nurses, the project will creat excellent educational opportunities for the youth of the south and help to solve the problems of violence and unrest in the area. Education is the key, as it will allow students to not only develop professional skills, but analytical thinking, which can be applied to all areas of life. Around 3,000 local students will be selected from Yala, Pattani, Satul, and the four districts of Songkla (Sabayoi, Jana, Natawi), who will be given a chance to study in the program. Stidents will be overseen by a professional management committee who will take care of the student's needs before, during, and after graduating from the program. The program will be open to both Buddhist and Muslim students.
Educational institutes will publicize the offer to participate in the programme through various universities, with places for around 100 students per institution. The program will give students and excellent chance to gain life experiences and further broaden their cultural horizons.
Presently, the nursing students of the southern border provinces already involved in the programme are committed to studying to their full potential in educational year 2009 and are focused on completing their studies so they may return to their native provinces and help. Rest assured that ISOC, the driving force behind the project, will continuously push for a sustained drive to produce professionals to help the people of the south.
Presently, the entire country has a shortfall of around 30,000 nurses, with the universities of the Ministry of Public Health only able to produce 2,500 nurses per year. In the southern border provinces, there are currently around 3,000 trained nurses - around 600 per provinced. It is estimated that around 6,000 nurses are needed to meet the needs of the people in the south, meaning that another 3,000 are desperately needed.
It must also be realized that due to the unrest, doctors and nurses in the south have a greatly increased workload. Faced with such frightening and unsafe conditions, many of these medical professional have resettled in other parts of the country.
In light of this, the "Project to Produce Professional Nurses to Solve the Problems of the Southern Border Princes" has been initiated. The projects is the product of cooperation between associated state departments, including the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Education, the Southern Border Province Administration Centre, the Office of the Civil Service Commission, the Budget Bureau, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the National Intelligence Agency, the governors of the respective southern provinces, and the Thailand Nursing and Midwidfery Council.
The project is a focused effort to restore the numbers of trained nurses and medical professionals back to sufficient levels. The brainchild of ISOC, the project is now truly underway, wich each department involved in the initiative aware of and ready to carry out their responsibilities under the project.
Since the beginnings of the unrest in the south, ISOC has carried out its duties in the area and has witnessed first-hand the effects the shortage of nurses has had on the local community. ISOC says that the shortage gas added to the instability of the situation, with locals feeling as if they have been abandoned by the government as there have simply not been enough medical staff to treat the injured. It is vital for this situation to be remedied. The professional nurse training program will help to do this, restoring confidence in the authorities and quality of life to the local community.
The "Project to Produce Professional Nurses to Fix the Problems in the Southern Border Provinces," has the objective to relieve the problems of unrest in the southern border area and to guarantee stable healthcare, 24 hours a day, for the local people of Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala, Satul and Songkla. The project had been given an initial budget of 1,269 million baht for four years - about 70,000 baht per student, per year, with involved universities already able to accept new students.
Other than helping with the shortage of professional nurses, the project will creat excellent educational opportunities for the youth of the south and help to solve the problems of violence and unrest in the area. Education is the key, as it will allow students to not only develop professional skills, but analytical thinking, which can be applied to all areas of life. Around 3,000 local students will be selected from Yala, Pattani, Satul, and the four districts of Songkla (Sabayoi, Jana, Natawi), who will be given a chance to study in the program. Stidents will be overseen by a professional management committee who will take care of the student's needs before, during, and after graduating from the program. The program will be open to both Buddhist and Muslim students.
Educational institutes will publicize the offer to participate in the programme through various universities, with places for around 100 students per institution. The program will give students and excellent chance to gain life experiences and further broaden their cultural horizons.
Presently, the nursing students of the southern border provinces already involved in the programme are committed to studying to their full potential in educational year 2009 and are focused on completing their studies so they may return to their native provinces and help. Rest assured that ISOC, the driving force behind the project, will continuously push for a sustained drive to produce professionals to help the people of the south.
TEEN WROTE ABOUT 'SCHOOL APOCALYPSE' IN DIARY: POLICE
A German teenager who injured nine people in a school rampage planned the attack well in advance, prosecutors said yesterday.
Georg R had written a will and marked the day of the attack with the word "apocalypse" in his diary, said prosecutors in the Bavarian town of Ansbach.
The 18-year-old injured eight pupils and a teacher when he stormed the Carolinum High School on Thursday, armed with firebombs, two knives and an axe.
He was shot and wounded by police and underwent surgery in a nearby clinic.
The youth, who was in his final year, had been undergoing psychotherapy.
Police yesterday reconstructed what happened after he entered the school at 8:30 am.
He first threw a firebomb into a 10th grade class, setting desks and students' clothing ablaze. As the students ran out of the class he attacked them with an axe.
A female student received life-threatening injures after being struck on the head.
Another girl suffered severe burns. The other victims suffered less serious burns, cuts and bruises.
The assailant hurled a petrol bomb into a another classroom, but the device did not explode.
He then fled and barricaded him-self in school toilet where he was cornered by police.
When he lunged at one of the officers with a knife, police opened fire, hitting him five times before over-powering him.
Georg R had written a will and marked the day of the attack with the word "apocalypse" in his diary, said prosecutors in the Bavarian town of Ansbach.
The 18-year-old injured eight pupils and a teacher when he stormed the Carolinum High School on Thursday, armed with firebombs, two knives and an axe.
He was shot and wounded by police and underwent surgery in a nearby clinic.
The youth, who was in his final year, had been undergoing psychotherapy.
Police yesterday reconstructed what happened after he entered the school at 8:30 am.
He first threw a firebomb into a 10th grade class, setting desks and students' clothing ablaze. As the students ran out of the class he attacked them with an axe.
A female student received life-threatening injures after being struck on the head.
Another girl suffered severe burns. The other victims suffered less serious burns, cuts and bruises.
The assailant hurled a petrol bomb into a another classroom, but the device did not explode.
He then fled and barricaded him-self in school toilet where he was cornered by police.
When he lunged at one of the officers with a knife, police opened fire, hitting him five times before over-powering him.
Top varsities rate poorly in assessment
The Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment (ONESQA)has rated the country's most famous universities poorly in its latest education quality assessment.
None of the leading public and private universities providing business administration, accountancy, management,tourism and economics courses were rated "very good" in the 2006-2008 assessment, said ONESQA director-general Somwung Pitiyanuwat yesterday.
Several of the kingdom's top universities did not even earn a single "very good" credit in their specialised fields.The well-established Silpakorn University, famous for its dramatic arts and fine arts courses, did not earn a "very good" grade in the two fields as expected,but surprisingly obtained high assessment scores in the engineering field instead, he said.
The results also showed that the staterun Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai campus, topped the assessment in the field of health science. Thammasat University came second and Naresuan University in Phitsanulok came third followed by Khon Kaen University and Chulalongkorn University.
In physical science, Thammasat University obtained the highest scores, followed by Khon Kaen, Prince of Songkla,Chulalongkorn and Mahidol universities.
In engineering, privately-run Mahanakorn University of Technology was tops,followed by state-run Ubon Ratchathani,Chulalongkorn, Prince of Songkla, Khon Kaen and Silpakorn universities.
In agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University received the highest scores, followed by Khon Kaen, Naresuan and Prince of Songkla universities.
Last week, many established universities questioned the reliability of the assessment process or rejected the results after the assessment showed small universities came tops in research and learning quality and the quality of graduates.
None of the leading public and private universities providing business administration, accountancy, management,tourism and economics courses were rated "very good" in the 2006-2008 assessment, said ONESQA director-general Somwung Pitiyanuwat yesterday.
Several of the kingdom's top universities did not even earn a single "very good" credit in their specialised fields.The well-established Silpakorn University, famous for its dramatic arts and fine arts courses, did not earn a "very good" grade in the two fields as expected,but surprisingly obtained high assessment scores in the engineering field instead, he said.
The results also showed that the staterun Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai campus, topped the assessment in the field of health science. Thammasat University came second and Naresuan University in Phitsanulok came third followed by Khon Kaen University and Chulalongkorn University.
In physical science, Thammasat University obtained the highest scores, followed by Khon Kaen, Prince of Songkla,Chulalongkorn and Mahidol universities.
In engineering, privately-run Mahanakorn University of Technology was tops,followed by state-run Ubon Ratchathani,Chulalongkorn, Prince of Songkla, Khon Kaen and Silpakorn universities.
In agriculture, Ubon Ratchathani University received the highest scores, followed by Khon Kaen, Naresuan and Prince of Songkla universities.
Last week, many established universities questioned the reliability of the assessment process or rejected the results after the assessment showed small universities came tops in research and learning quality and the quality of graduates.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
HOME OF THEATRE
It's half past five in the morning and darkness has not yet given way to the morning light. The few light bulbs that dot the premise of Moradokmai Home School do not reveal the shapes of the school's modest buildings or the surroundings. It's only when you cross the tiny wooden bridge that leads to the school's main building that you realise the 60-plus lives have already begun their long day.
In a high-ceiling building, lit only by candles,jong kraben (Thai style pantaloon)-clad students are reciting rhymes, alphabets and the multiplication table as they stretch their bodies, bend their fingers, lift their legs - performing the Thai classical dance warm-up routine.They also sing old folk songs from Thailand's central region - the boat song, the rice harvest song. They recite English verses from the plays they have done. Some of the students and teachers are stationed at various types of Thai drums. On a platform, against a long panel of windows, sat three male xylophonists. The one in the middle, long-haired, fiery and intensely focused, is Janaprakal Chandruang,or Khru Chang to his students, colleagues and fellow theatre practitioners.
"Every morning, Khru Chang is the first one to arrive. Then the students, each with a candle in hand, light their candles from his. It symbolises the beginning of our learning. The morning drill is what this school is about: doing things together. So we start our day together," says Pobchan Leelasartsuntorn, teacher and wife of Khru Chang.
Life here is riddled with symbols, rituals and theatre. After the drill, Khru Chang gives his morning lesson. This morning, he links the story of the Lord Buddha and his audience to the function of theatre artists and their search for the right audience.
Before breakfast, a student gives a short presentation on World War II. This is another daily activity. He tests his audience on the knowledge he just imparted. And hands shoot up in the air, answers ring up brightly. Khru Chang smiles as he watches from a distance, energised by the small commotion in the room. He points at the lighting equipment the students use to add theatricality to their performance.
"We don't watch TV here. We subscribe to a few periodicals - not every publication we want, but we try our best. And students have access to the internet," says Pobchan.
Moradokmai Home School is almost hidden. The roads shrink in size and trees thicken as you inch closer to its premise. Situated in Pathum Thani province, the school is surrounded by rice paddies.Stench of cattle can hit you at any given moment. It's usually quiet all around, except for the outbursts of music from impromptu jam sessions punctuating the day.
Since Khru Chang's receipt of this year's Silpathorn Award, the students at Moradokmai have been enjoying a greater variety of musical instruments. There were talks that he would turn down the accolade. He refuses to venture into the details of the subject, but instead speaks happily of the new pieces of instruments he was able to buy for his students, including stronger instrument cases for the school's international tourings.
Teachers come in from Bangkok to give music and Thai classical dance lessons two to three times a week. Visits paid by artists from other countries and continents are not uncommon. They conduct theatre workshops and collaborate on productions with the teachers and students at the school.
Students at Moradokmai take turn participating in international festivals every year. In October alone, the cast and crew of two of Moradokmai's oldest productions,Wesandon: Lost Track to Nirvana and Srisamut Rong Took ("Claim to Justice") will tour in Belgium,Romania, France and the Netherlands. At the moment, two Amsterdambased mime artists, Kimmy Ligtvoet and Christine Flick, are working with the students, leading physical theatre workshops. Earlier this year they co-created with the students a short performance,Banana Happiness , which the children will present in November during the Bangkok Theatre Festival.
"When we first came here, we really got along with the people and wanted to come back. I think it's perfect for the kids: learning by doing.They're living together and using theatre to work together. I like that they can do and use anything to create their own work. And it's good training for dealing with the public," says Flick.
None of the students pay a fee to attend Moradokmai Home School,which has been officially recognised by the Education Ministry as of last year. Teachers receive no salary. The school makes most of its money by touring their productions around the schools in Thailand in the first term. The second and third terms are devoted to rehearsing,taking classes, attending international festivals and engaging in exchanges with foreign artists.
How can they afford to eat here? Parents are allowed to visit whenever they wish. They often come with enough food to feed the whole school for a meal or two. Visiting artists or institutions sometimes bring bags of rice to last the school for months. The Moradokmai community also grows their own vegetables and fruits. They're currently preparing a small plot of land to grow their own rice. If this undertaking is successful,Pobchan estimates that the rectangular piece of land can yield onemonth supply of rice for the school.
"I don't have any administrative skill. If you have the Tipitaka, you don't need an MBA," says Khru Chang.
The lush-voiced theatre man comes from a family of musicians. His maternal grandfather is Thai classical music maestro Luang Pradit Phairoah. He received his formal education in theatre at the University of Montana before returning to Thailand to begin his long career in theatre as a practitioner and pedagogue.
During his 20 years at Chulalongkorn University, Khru Chang built a career for himself in television and film as a writer, director and actor. After leaving the university, he formed Moradokmai Theatre Troupe in 1995. In the beginning, the company was doing theatre for theatre's sake, even using famous actors in their productions.
"When I began, I still considered theatre as something commercial.I still couldn't resist doing film and TV projects on the side. But in the end, I had to cut myself off from all that and focus solely on theatre."
Putting on productions proved unfulfilling for Khru Chang. Moradokmai then began making its journey in the direction of youth development through theatre. Ten years, two provinces (Bangkok and Chiang Mai) and no less than five venues later, they are what they are now: A home, a school,a community, a theatre troupe, a theatre.
"There was no theatre audience.Bangkokians don't go to the theatre.We don't have a theatre-going culture,"Khru Chang reflects."With those venues in Bangkok, it was before the Skytrain existed. The concept of small theatre hadn't begun to take shape. It was before its time."
Earlier this year, Khru Chang initiated a week-long Pathum Thani International Theatre Festival, which gathered troupes from the Netherlands, Slovenia,South Korea, Nepal, India and the US.The free event provided opportunities for artists to exchange and give feedback to the students from Moradokmai and other schools, who also perform in the festival and were required to watch every production. Theatre practitioners are the best theatre audience, Khru Chang believes.
"Theatre needs to be able to affect change in our behaviour. A true theatre culture is more than walking into a theatre to see a show. Monks used to care about reaching their listeners with their sermons. If teachers don't see teaching as a form of theatre - if they don't care to reach out and touch their students with what they teach - then that's the end of it."
This is not Khru Chang's only gripe with Thailand's education system.
"Can you believe it? Some of the students, when they first arrived here,couldn't recite the English alphabet.And they already finished Grade 9!"Khru Chang recounts.
Moradokmai continues to resist the education's authority suggestion that the school formulate an evaluation system and give their students examinations.
"That fosters competition. What the hell are they going to compete for? We will have none of that. We will not give grades to our students," says Khru Chang.
Here, each teacher, who's referred to as "Phi" or big brother or sister, has three students in their charge. The teachers are what Khru Chang calls the "leftovers" from when Moradokmai was just a theatre company. Many of them come from family with agricultural backgrounds and have fallen in love with theatre. Some of them met their significant others at the school and have since formed a family.
"With the teachers, we emphasise on teaching through example. Good examples are more valuable than wise words. And adults don't often set good examples for children," says Pobchan."We try to be as student-centred as possible here. But we all come from an education system that is not studentcentred. It's not easy to pull ourselves out of that mindset. To be able to understand students and to be able to get in touch with them are two different things. Khru Chang is the most successful at this. He's the person most in touch with the students. And he's the first one in school to wake up. Always.Despite being old," she laughs.
Dialects abound on the grounds of Moradokmai Home School. The 30 students, middle school and high schoolaged, hail from various regions of Thailand. Some of them decided to attend the school after participating in drama activities with Moradokmai at their previous schools. Some parents matriculate their children because they appreciate the school's philosophy. School principles are known to have dropped their problem youths at the school,seeking an alternative environment for them.
Here, they use their mathematic skills when building the clay houses that become their dorms. Pobchan admits Moradokmai doesn't put emphasis on maths or science. They are encouraged,however, to record their reflections on and critiques of each of the school's activities.
Students learn farming skills. They learn how to make soap and shampoo for themselves. They learn English with Pobchan, who integrates theatre into her teaching and focuses less on grammar and more on practicality. They also pick up some more from performing Moradokmai's plays in English for the theatre festivals.
The toughest lesson, the toughest test, at Moradokmai, it seems, is in simplicity. Twice a month, the community observes the "Self-Dependence Day", when no food is bought or given.They must feed themselves with whatever they can find from their surroundings.
"To outsiders, we always stress that we're not running a charitable organisation. Our relationship with others is more interdependent. We want our students to be proud of what they can do for themselves. We want our kids to have ideals, to be thinkers. We want them to know how to live simply happily," says Pobchan.
In a high-ceiling building, lit only by candles,jong kraben (Thai style pantaloon)-clad students are reciting rhymes, alphabets and the multiplication table as they stretch their bodies, bend their fingers, lift their legs - performing the Thai classical dance warm-up routine.They also sing old folk songs from Thailand's central region - the boat song, the rice harvest song. They recite English verses from the plays they have done. Some of the students and teachers are stationed at various types of Thai drums. On a platform, against a long panel of windows, sat three male xylophonists. The one in the middle, long-haired, fiery and intensely focused, is Janaprakal Chandruang,or Khru Chang to his students, colleagues and fellow theatre practitioners.
"Every morning, Khru Chang is the first one to arrive. Then the students, each with a candle in hand, light their candles from his. It symbolises the beginning of our learning. The morning drill is what this school is about: doing things together. So we start our day together," says Pobchan Leelasartsuntorn, teacher and wife of Khru Chang.
Life here is riddled with symbols, rituals and theatre. After the drill, Khru Chang gives his morning lesson. This morning, he links the story of the Lord Buddha and his audience to the function of theatre artists and their search for the right audience.
Before breakfast, a student gives a short presentation on World War II. This is another daily activity. He tests his audience on the knowledge he just imparted. And hands shoot up in the air, answers ring up brightly. Khru Chang smiles as he watches from a distance, energised by the small commotion in the room. He points at the lighting equipment the students use to add theatricality to their performance.
"We don't watch TV here. We subscribe to a few periodicals - not every publication we want, but we try our best. And students have access to the internet," says Pobchan.
Moradokmai Home School is almost hidden. The roads shrink in size and trees thicken as you inch closer to its premise. Situated in Pathum Thani province, the school is surrounded by rice paddies.Stench of cattle can hit you at any given moment. It's usually quiet all around, except for the outbursts of music from impromptu jam sessions punctuating the day.
Since Khru Chang's receipt of this year's Silpathorn Award, the students at Moradokmai have been enjoying a greater variety of musical instruments. There were talks that he would turn down the accolade. He refuses to venture into the details of the subject, but instead speaks happily of the new pieces of instruments he was able to buy for his students, including stronger instrument cases for the school's international tourings.
Teachers come in from Bangkok to give music and Thai classical dance lessons two to three times a week. Visits paid by artists from other countries and continents are not uncommon. They conduct theatre workshops and collaborate on productions with the teachers and students at the school.
Students at Moradokmai take turn participating in international festivals every year. In October alone, the cast and crew of two of Moradokmai's oldest productions,Wesandon: Lost Track to Nirvana and Srisamut Rong Took ("Claim to Justice") will tour in Belgium,Romania, France and the Netherlands. At the moment, two Amsterdambased mime artists, Kimmy Ligtvoet and Christine Flick, are working with the students, leading physical theatre workshops. Earlier this year they co-created with the students a short performance,Banana Happiness , which the children will present in November during the Bangkok Theatre Festival.
"When we first came here, we really got along with the people and wanted to come back. I think it's perfect for the kids: learning by doing.They're living together and using theatre to work together. I like that they can do and use anything to create their own work. And it's good training for dealing with the public," says Flick.
None of the students pay a fee to attend Moradokmai Home School,which has been officially recognised by the Education Ministry as of last year. Teachers receive no salary. The school makes most of its money by touring their productions around the schools in Thailand in the first term. The second and third terms are devoted to rehearsing,taking classes, attending international festivals and engaging in exchanges with foreign artists.
How can they afford to eat here? Parents are allowed to visit whenever they wish. They often come with enough food to feed the whole school for a meal or two. Visiting artists or institutions sometimes bring bags of rice to last the school for months. The Moradokmai community also grows their own vegetables and fruits. They're currently preparing a small plot of land to grow their own rice. If this undertaking is successful,Pobchan estimates that the rectangular piece of land can yield onemonth supply of rice for the school.
"I don't have any administrative skill. If you have the Tipitaka, you don't need an MBA," says Khru Chang.
The lush-voiced theatre man comes from a family of musicians. His maternal grandfather is Thai classical music maestro Luang Pradit Phairoah. He received his formal education in theatre at the University of Montana before returning to Thailand to begin his long career in theatre as a practitioner and pedagogue.
During his 20 years at Chulalongkorn University, Khru Chang built a career for himself in television and film as a writer, director and actor. After leaving the university, he formed Moradokmai Theatre Troupe in 1995. In the beginning, the company was doing theatre for theatre's sake, even using famous actors in their productions.
"When I began, I still considered theatre as something commercial.I still couldn't resist doing film and TV projects on the side. But in the end, I had to cut myself off from all that and focus solely on theatre."
Putting on productions proved unfulfilling for Khru Chang. Moradokmai then began making its journey in the direction of youth development through theatre. Ten years, two provinces (Bangkok and Chiang Mai) and no less than five venues later, they are what they are now: A home, a school,a community, a theatre troupe, a theatre.
"There was no theatre audience.Bangkokians don't go to the theatre.We don't have a theatre-going culture,"Khru Chang reflects."With those venues in Bangkok, it was before the Skytrain existed. The concept of small theatre hadn't begun to take shape. It was before its time."
Earlier this year, Khru Chang initiated a week-long Pathum Thani International Theatre Festival, which gathered troupes from the Netherlands, Slovenia,South Korea, Nepal, India and the US.The free event provided opportunities for artists to exchange and give feedback to the students from Moradokmai and other schools, who also perform in the festival and were required to watch every production. Theatre practitioners are the best theatre audience, Khru Chang believes.
"Theatre needs to be able to affect change in our behaviour. A true theatre culture is more than walking into a theatre to see a show. Monks used to care about reaching their listeners with their sermons. If teachers don't see teaching as a form of theatre - if they don't care to reach out and touch their students with what they teach - then that's the end of it."
This is not Khru Chang's only gripe with Thailand's education system.
"Can you believe it? Some of the students, when they first arrived here,couldn't recite the English alphabet.And they already finished Grade 9!"Khru Chang recounts.
Moradokmai continues to resist the education's authority suggestion that the school formulate an evaluation system and give their students examinations.
"That fosters competition. What the hell are they going to compete for? We will have none of that. We will not give grades to our students," says Khru Chang.
Here, each teacher, who's referred to as "Phi" or big brother or sister, has three students in their charge. The teachers are what Khru Chang calls the "leftovers" from when Moradokmai was just a theatre company. Many of them come from family with agricultural backgrounds and have fallen in love with theatre. Some of them met their significant others at the school and have since formed a family.
"With the teachers, we emphasise on teaching through example. Good examples are more valuable than wise words. And adults don't often set good examples for children," says Pobchan."We try to be as student-centred as possible here. But we all come from an education system that is not studentcentred. It's not easy to pull ourselves out of that mindset. To be able to understand students and to be able to get in touch with them are two different things. Khru Chang is the most successful at this. He's the person most in touch with the students. And he's the first one in school to wake up. Always.Despite being old," she laughs.
Dialects abound on the grounds of Moradokmai Home School. The 30 students, middle school and high schoolaged, hail from various regions of Thailand. Some of them decided to attend the school after participating in drama activities with Moradokmai at their previous schools. Some parents matriculate their children because they appreciate the school's philosophy. School principles are known to have dropped their problem youths at the school,seeking an alternative environment for them.
Here, they use their mathematic skills when building the clay houses that become their dorms. Pobchan admits Moradokmai doesn't put emphasis on maths or science. They are encouraged,however, to record their reflections on and critiques of each of the school's activities.
Students learn farming skills. They learn how to make soap and shampoo for themselves. They learn English with Pobchan, who integrates theatre into her teaching and focuses less on grammar and more on practicality. They also pick up some more from performing Moradokmai's plays in English for the theatre festivals.
The toughest lesson, the toughest test, at Moradokmai, it seems, is in simplicity. Twice a month, the community observes the "Self-Dependence Day", when no food is bought or given.They must feed themselves with whatever they can find from their surroundings.
"To outsiders, we always stress that we're not running a charitable organisation. Our relationship with others is more interdependent. We want our students to be proud of what they can do for themselves. We want our kids to have ideals, to be thinkers. We want them to know how to live simply happily," says Pobchan.
Monday, September 14, 2009
New techniques help improve teaching standards for the deaf
Learning difficulties for children who are born deaf are made worse if their mothers are not also deaf, an expert has said.
Having mothers who have to learn sign language is a major obstacle for deaf children's learning, they say.
"About 99 per cent of deaf students in Thailand have mothers without abnormal hearing. They can't learn sign language properly," Jitrapa Sri-on, chair of Deaf Studies Program at Mahidol University's Ratchasuda College explained.
"Then, when children study at schools for the deaf and study sign language with teachers who are not deaf and haven't studied sign language very long before teaching. These students don't learn the language properly.
"It was shocked when I learned that some of the Thai and English writing by my new students in my Deaf Studies classes was not good. They spelt their names wrongly when they wrote them in English.
"Nevertheless, they are studying higher education, which they are supposed to be able to do so," she said.
Jitrapa outlined a project which helps improve deaf stu-dents' language study at a celebration of Waldorf education at Chulalongkorn University last week.
Jitrapa said she had tried to find out how to lift the quality of deaf students' learning. After trying several methods, she realised she should handle the source of the problem - that kindergarten and primary students were the best ages to target.
She discovered an effective method, combining Waldorf techniques and bilingual education, for hearing impaired students at Nakhon Pathom School for the Deaf since 1999.
Waldorf education is based on the educational techniques of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), the founder of anthroposophy.
Learning is interdiscipli-nary, integrating practical, artistic and conceptual ele-ments. The Waldorf approach emphasises the role of the imag-ination, developing thinking that includes a creative as well as an analytic component. It has been taught in Thailand for 14 years.
After witnessing students' learning development, Jitrapa extended this technique from 2002 to 2004 to teach other hearing impaired kids at pilot schools in Tak, Udon Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Bangkok's Tungmahamek district.
More than 200 deaf students have been educated with the bilingual and Waldorf educa-tional techniques.
"We've found most of them are able to use finger language fluently when they were in Grade 1-3 and some even in kindergarten levels - they could tell fairy tales with beautiful sign language.
"They could write and read Thai language and were interested to get books to read themselves when they were fourth graders. They were able to read and write when they were very young, compared to the higher education students I've met," she said.
Jitrapa said Ratchasuda college had trained teachers in those schools theoretically and prac-tically about teaching stu-dents sign language and writing Thai language, and made teach-ing plans for them. After they applied these techniques to teach the pupils they then reported the students' develop-ment back to the college.
"Under the integrated edu-cation, they learned many sub-jects, like mathematics and lan-guages through art, fairy tales, song, poems, games, nature and other objects surrounding them. They were not forced to read or write or study difficult academic content when they weren't ready. They learned from practice."
Some 13 other schools with hearing impaired students started implementing this teaching method recently, combining bilingual and Waldorf techniques.
Having mothers who have to learn sign language is a major obstacle for deaf children's learning, they say.
"About 99 per cent of deaf students in Thailand have mothers without abnormal hearing. They can't learn sign language properly," Jitrapa Sri-on, chair of Deaf Studies Program at Mahidol University's Ratchasuda College explained.
"Then, when children study at schools for the deaf and study sign language with teachers who are not deaf and haven't studied sign language very long before teaching. These students don't learn the language properly.
"It was shocked when I learned that some of the Thai and English writing by my new students in my Deaf Studies classes was not good. They spelt their names wrongly when they wrote them in English.
"Nevertheless, they are studying higher education, which they are supposed to be able to do so," she said.
Jitrapa outlined a project which helps improve deaf stu-dents' language study at a celebration of Waldorf education at Chulalongkorn University last week.
Jitrapa said she had tried to find out how to lift the quality of deaf students' learning. After trying several methods, she realised she should handle the source of the problem - that kindergarten and primary students were the best ages to target.
She discovered an effective method, combining Waldorf techniques and bilingual education, for hearing impaired students at Nakhon Pathom School for the Deaf since 1999.
Waldorf education is based on the educational techniques of Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), the founder of anthroposophy.
Learning is interdiscipli-nary, integrating practical, artistic and conceptual ele-ments. The Waldorf approach emphasises the role of the imag-ination, developing thinking that includes a creative as well as an analytic component. It has been taught in Thailand for 14 years.
After witnessing students' learning development, Jitrapa extended this technique from 2002 to 2004 to teach other hearing impaired kids at pilot schools in Tak, Udon Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Bangkok's Tungmahamek district.
More than 200 deaf students have been educated with the bilingual and Waldorf educa-tional techniques.
"We've found most of them are able to use finger language fluently when they were in Grade 1-3 and some even in kindergarten levels - they could tell fairy tales with beautiful sign language.
"They could write and read Thai language and were interested to get books to read themselves when they were fourth graders. They were able to read and write when they were very young, compared to the higher education students I've met," she said.
Jitrapa said Ratchasuda college had trained teachers in those schools theoretically and prac-tically about teaching stu-dents sign language and writing Thai language, and made teach-ing plans for them. After they applied these techniques to teach the pupils they then reported the students' develop-ment back to the college.
"Under the integrated edu-cation, they learned many sub-jects, like mathematics and lan-guages through art, fairy tales, song, poems, games, nature and other objects surrounding them. They were not forced to read or write or study difficult academic content when they weren't ready. They learned from practice."
Some 13 other schools with hearing impaired students started implementing this teaching method recently, combining bilingual and Waldorf techniques.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
LE CORDON BLEU DUSIT CULINARY SCHOOL'S SECOND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS held at the Napalai Ballroom,Dusit Thani Bangkok
LE CORDON BLEU DUSIT CULINARY SCHOOL'S SECOND ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS held at the Napalai Ballroom,Dusit Thani Bangkok.
Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School's 2nd Anniversary Celebrations was recently held under the auspicious presence of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The event was organized by Dr Parichart Jumsai Na Ayudhaya and hosted by Mr. Gary Cromie, Joint - Venture Director of Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School and Mr. Chanin Donavanik, CEO of Dusit International. The event was sponsored by Dato Dr A Nikhil Prasad (Jai) from PRExpress and was well attended by Local Celebrities, Members of the various Foreign Diplomatic Missions, Thai Business Leaders and Leading Socialites.
Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School's 2nd Anniversary Celebrations was recently held under the auspicious presence of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The event was organized by Dr Parichart Jumsai Na Ayudhaya and hosted by Mr. Gary Cromie, Joint - Venture Director of Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School and Mr. Chanin Donavanik, CEO of Dusit International. The event was sponsored by Dato Dr A Nikhil Prasad (Jai) from PRExpress and was well attended by Local Celebrities, Members of the various Foreign Diplomatic Missions, Thai Business Leaders and Leading Socialites.
FLU SHUTS MEXICO SCHOOLS
Officials have closed 1,400 schools in the city of Culiacan in northern Mexico after a suspected rise in swine flu cases.
The education secretary of Sinaloa state, where Culiacan is located, says 19 students have been tested for swine flu after showing symptoms. Officials are still awaiting the results.
Education Secretary Florentino Castro says officials detected 50 students with respiratory problems at 80 schools.
The decision to cancel all primary, secondary and university classes in Culiacan was implemented on Friday. Officials will decide whether to resume instruction September 17.
An outbreak in April prompted a nationwide shutdown of school and nonessential businesses.
The education secretary of Sinaloa state, where Culiacan is located, says 19 students have been tested for swine flu after showing symptoms. Officials are still awaiting the results.
Education Secretary Florentino Castro says officials detected 50 students with respiratory problems at 80 schools.
The decision to cancel all primary, secondary and university classes in Culiacan was implemented on Friday. Officials will decide whether to resume instruction September 17.
An outbreak in April prompted a nationwide shutdown of school and nonessential businesses.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Old teaching styles holding back students
Old school styles of textbooks and examinations are the main reason Thai students still graduate as mere "reciters of text" rather than analytical thinkers, a seminar on the second round of educational reforms was told yesterday.
Existing teaching methods that are "influenced by the centralised educational authorities" are the reason analytical skills cannot be fully conveyed from teacher to student, said Chulalongkorn University education lecturer Sompong Jitradab.
He said even modern tests like the Ordinary National Educational Test (ONet), the General Aptitude Test and the Professional Aptitude Test were designed with the old ways in mind: based heavily on textbooks and failing to evaluate students in new competency guidelines.
"Teachers should be given more academic independence through decentralisation of the entire education system like they are now under the influence of the central power. At present, the Education Ministry grants only 40percent independence to schools," he said, without explaining.
"A curriculum focused on analytical teaching should be taught on a longterm basis, not for only three years like it is now. Teachers' skills in achieving such an objective should be further enhanced."
Those tests are not fully able to evaluate students with different skills, he said.
"For example, students studying at schools outside of Bangkok are not taught sufficient mastery of analytical skills, unlike those living in Bangkok, and they find the ONet very difficult. In most cases, these students cannot score above 50 per cent on it," he said.
Former Chulalongkorn rector Suchada Keeranant said language skills were not sufficiently taught in schools, neither Thai nor foreign languages.
"It's difficult for students who cannot yet do well in comprehensive reading and summarising to have full analytical skills and convey their messages to others," she said.
Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said intensive teaching in analytical thinking should begin next year, when new curriculum guidelines take effect. They will focus on five skills: communication, problemsolving, using technology, living a good life and analytical thinking.
He said the ministry would train all 500,000 government teachers to enable them to teach students to master these five skills.
He voiced support for reducing classroom lectures and increasing outside lessons.
Existing teaching methods that are "influenced by the centralised educational authorities" are the reason analytical skills cannot be fully conveyed from teacher to student, said Chulalongkorn University education lecturer Sompong Jitradab.
He said even modern tests like the Ordinary National Educational Test (ONet), the General Aptitude Test and the Professional Aptitude Test were designed with the old ways in mind: based heavily on textbooks and failing to evaluate students in new competency guidelines.
"Teachers should be given more academic independence through decentralisation of the entire education system like they are now under the influence of the central power. At present, the Education Ministry grants only 40percent independence to schools," he said, without explaining.
"A curriculum focused on analytical teaching should be taught on a longterm basis, not for only three years like it is now. Teachers' skills in achieving such an objective should be further enhanced."
Those tests are not fully able to evaluate students with different skills, he said.
"For example, students studying at schools outside of Bangkok are not taught sufficient mastery of analytical skills, unlike those living in Bangkok, and they find the ONet very difficult. In most cases, these students cannot score above 50 per cent on it," he said.
Former Chulalongkorn rector Suchada Keeranant said language skills were not sufficiently taught in schools, neither Thai nor foreign languages.
"It's difficult for students who cannot yet do well in comprehensive reading and summarising to have full analytical skills and convey their messages to others," she said.
Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said intensive teaching in analytical thinking should begin next year, when new curriculum guidelines take effect. They will focus on five skills: communication, problemsolving, using technology, living a good life and analytical thinking.
He said the ministry would train all 500,000 government teachers to enable them to teach students to master these five skills.
He voiced support for reducing classroom lectures and increasing outside lessons.
TEACHERS URGED TO DO RESEARCH
Former deputy education minister Warakorn Samkoset urged teachers yesterday to start conducting research on subjects relevant to their daily work life.
"For example, you could conduct research on your own classes or mixedlevel classrooms," he said at an academic seminar on national educational research.
Warakorn explained that such research would indicate teachers' quality and students' academic performances.
He said it wasn't always necessary for research subjects to be something grand.
Warakorn urged the Office of the Education Council to provide research guidelines for interested teachers.
At the same seminar, Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said all researchers should clearly understand the purposes of their works.
"I want to see research that respond to the country's second educational reform," he said, referring to changes due to begin later this year.
Jurin said the reforms were intended to ensure the country gets smart, happy and good people, and that teachers are qualified and attuned to changes in the world.
"We also want to create new learning centres such as knowledge parks and museum."
The Education Ministry also has many new projects to promote learning, including Tutor Channel and 3D libraries.
"For example, you could conduct research on your own classes or mixedlevel classrooms," he said at an academic seminar on national educational research.
Warakorn explained that such research would indicate teachers' quality and students' academic performances.
He said it wasn't always necessary for research subjects to be something grand.
Warakorn urged the Office of the Education Council to provide research guidelines for interested teachers.
At the same seminar, Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said all researchers should clearly understand the purposes of their works.
"I want to see research that respond to the country's second educational reform," he said, referring to changes due to begin later this year.
Jurin said the reforms were intended to ensure the country gets smart, happy and good people, and that teachers are qualified and attuned to changes in the world.
"We also want to create new learning centres such as knowledge parks and museum."
The Education Ministry also has many new projects to promote learning, including Tutor Channel and 3D libraries.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE IS STILL UNACCEPTABLE
The government's free education programme must be reviewed in the face of large numbers of students quitting early
The Office of the Basic Education Commission has released an alarming figure. In spite of the government's effort to achieve educational reform, 113,432 students dropped out of school during the last academic year. Over 45,000 of the dropouts cited poverty as the main reason for discontinuing their education. Another 4,571 students left to find jobs to support their families. The other reasons given were family problems and relocation of the family. Ubon Ratchathani had the largest number of dropouts at 2,771.
The overall figure deserves careful consideration. Many dropouts tend to casually respond that they have been forced out of school because of a lack of financial support. But the authorities should not be content with this excuse.
The government's free education programme should cover all students who want to go to school. If more and more students decide to drop out of school and cite a lack of financial resources as the reason, then the free education programme should be subject to review because it is evidently failing to achieve its goal of keeping all children in school throughout the mandatory period. The programme is seemingly not working.
Parents play a big part in a child's school attendance. If parents do not believe in the importance of education, then it is hard to keep children in school. The students who drop out often have parents with a poor educational background or low social-economic status. These parents have low expectations of education and they don't see the need to support their children at the highest level of education they can.
Schools and communities thus must play a part in showing to parents the necessity of sending their children to school, at least for the mandatory period. Inspirational stories of people who have been successful in life, thanks to education, should be promoted to highlight the importance of attending school.
Family problems are the second most common reason given by students who decided to quit school. This issue should be looked at thoroughly. Indeed, many students quit school because of a multitude of family problems. The study of dropouts should look into the real causes. For instance, have students left school because their families think that education is not useful for the child's future? Or have they faced abuse problems at home? Do they suffer a dysfunctional home life?
In addition, schools need to provide a curriculum and environment that give students a desire to go to school. The statistics do not provide details of students who might have quit simply out of boredom. Instead of simply accepting the reasons given for dropping out, the schools and agencies in charge must try to prevent students leaving prematurely.
Some students show early signs of dropping out, starting with irregular attendance. Some begin to show a lack of motivation. Some perform poorly or show signs of stress. Some face too much peer pressure or are bullied. Early detection of these problems is one of the best ways to discourage students from leaving. The Education Ministry must provide resources for counselling to help students with such problems.
The dropout rate is not only a problem for students but for all involved, including the school, the community, parents, and society in general. Educational reform will not be realised if such a high number of students continue every year to forgo their education and quit school.
The Office of the Basic Education Commission has released an alarming figure. In spite of the government's effort to achieve educational reform, 113,432 students dropped out of school during the last academic year. Over 45,000 of the dropouts cited poverty as the main reason for discontinuing their education. Another 4,571 students left to find jobs to support their families. The other reasons given were family problems and relocation of the family. Ubon Ratchathani had the largest number of dropouts at 2,771.
The overall figure deserves careful consideration. Many dropouts tend to casually respond that they have been forced out of school because of a lack of financial support. But the authorities should not be content with this excuse.
The government's free education programme should cover all students who want to go to school. If more and more students decide to drop out of school and cite a lack of financial resources as the reason, then the free education programme should be subject to review because it is evidently failing to achieve its goal of keeping all children in school throughout the mandatory period. The programme is seemingly not working.
Parents play a big part in a child's school attendance. If parents do not believe in the importance of education, then it is hard to keep children in school. The students who drop out often have parents with a poor educational background or low social-economic status. These parents have low expectations of education and they don't see the need to support their children at the highest level of education they can.
Schools and communities thus must play a part in showing to parents the necessity of sending their children to school, at least for the mandatory period. Inspirational stories of people who have been successful in life, thanks to education, should be promoted to highlight the importance of attending school.
Family problems are the second most common reason given by students who decided to quit school. This issue should be looked at thoroughly. Indeed, many students quit school because of a multitude of family problems. The study of dropouts should look into the real causes. For instance, have students left school because their families think that education is not useful for the child's future? Or have they faced abuse problems at home? Do they suffer a dysfunctional home life?
In addition, schools need to provide a curriculum and environment that give students a desire to go to school. The statistics do not provide details of students who might have quit simply out of boredom. Instead of simply accepting the reasons given for dropping out, the schools and agencies in charge must try to prevent students leaving prematurely.
Some students show early signs of dropping out, starting with irregular attendance. Some begin to show a lack of motivation. Some perform poorly or show signs of stress. Some face too much peer pressure or are bullied. Early detection of these problems is one of the best ways to discourage students from leaving. The Education Ministry must provide resources for counselling to help students with such problems.
The dropout rate is not only a problem for students but for all involved, including the school, the community, parents, and society in general. Educational reform will not be realised if such a high number of students continue every year to forgo their education and quit school.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Social good matters
The Washington Monthly magazine came out with its own college rankings today,naming the USs best colleges from a very different vantage point from that of US News and World Report .The Washington Monthly ratings try to measure which US colleges do the most for the social good, by improving social mobility,producing research and promoting service.
The magazines College Guide website looks at different indicators than most other ranking systems: the percentage of students getting grants and their graduation rates, the institutions research spending, its record of BA recipients going on to get PhDs or going into the US Peace Corps, and what percentage of federal work-study funds the institution spends on service.
By those lights, the top three universities in the US are all part of the University of California system: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego and UCLA. Thirteen of the top 20 US universities are public, while Harvard comes in at number 11, Yale at 23 and Princeton at 28. In the US News rankings, none of the top 20 national universities are public.
Among the liberal arts colleges, most of the top 10Amherst, Mount Holyoke,Williams, Harvey Mudd, Haverford, Smith,Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, Carleton and Wellesley are among the leading colleges in the US News lists, too.Womens colleges are standouts by the Washington Monthly criteria, with four among the top 10. Black institutions do far better here than they do on the US News rankings.The US News & World Report rankings, the leader in the field and the one everyone loves to hate, are probably the best measure of a universitys prestige so much so that some college presidents earn bonuses for getting their school to rise on the lists.
At a time when higher education is getting unprecedented attention and tuition is reaching unprecedented heights college rankings have become a growth industry,both in the US and around the world. Each ranking system uses different criteria.
The Washington Monthly rankings, looking at the indicators of colleges social utility, are a different kind of effort, and an interesting one, too.
The magazines College Guide website looks at different indicators than most other ranking systems: the percentage of students getting grants and their graduation rates, the institutions research spending, its record of BA recipients going on to get PhDs or going into the US Peace Corps, and what percentage of federal work-study funds the institution spends on service.
By those lights, the top three universities in the US are all part of the University of California system: UC Berkeley, UC San Diego and UCLA. Thirteen of the top 20 US universities are public, while Harvard comes in at number 11, Yale at 23 and Princeton at 28. In the US News rankings, none of the top 20 national universities are public.
Among the liberal arts colleges, most of the top 10Amherst, Mount Holyoke,Williams, Harvey Mudd, Haverford, Smith,Bryn Mawr, Swarthmore, Carleton and Wellesley are among the leading colleges in the US News lists, too.Womens colleges are standouts by the Washington Monthly criteria, with four among the top 10. Black institutions do far better here than they do on the US News rankings.The US News & World Report rankings, the leader in the field and the one everyone loves to hate, are probably the best measure of a universitys prestige so much so that some college presidents earn bonuses for getting their school to rise on the lists.
At a time when higher education is getting unprecedented attention and tuition is reaching unprecedented heights college rankings have become a growth industry,both in the US and around the world. Each ranking system uses different criteria.
The Washington Monthly rankings, looking at the indicators of colleges social utility, are a different kind of effort, and an interesting one, too.
Monday, September 7, 2009
One computer for every 10 students
The Education Ministry will use part of its Bt45.38 billion share of the government's Thai Khem Khaeng (Strong Thailand) scheme to provide schools one computer for every 10 students.
"Currently, the ratio is one computer per 40 students on average," Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said yesterday.
The ministry will spend Bt7.94 billion on computers, Internet access and E-teaching materials, while Bt5.46 billion will be aimed at upgrading school standards, for example, by improving the teacher-student ratio, he said during a television programme.
The ministry will strive to ensure that all 32,000 schools across the country offer functioning libraries with e-books, a nice atmosphere and good librarians.
Some Bt6.58 billion will go directly to the vocational-education sector for modernising infrastructure and improving human resources, while Bt6.98 billion has been promised for teacher development.
The ministry's Educational Management Education Office will separately receive Bt2.96 billion for instilling children with Thai pride.
Students will gain a sense of identity through the promotion of ethics, sufficiency economy, Thai language, the history of Thailand, Thai music, Thai arts, Thai sports, Thai culture and the constitutional monarchy.
Educational support systems have been earmarked Bt1.33 billion.
"We will have a Tutor Channel to ensure educational opportunities for all," Jurin said.
Tutorial sessions will be broadcast every Saturday via Channel 11, many cable TV stations as well as the Vocational Education Commission's R-Radio station.
"This means children in remote areas will have access to tutorials just like urban children," he said.
The project to develop an information-technology network for educational development, or UniNet, will get Bt5.17 billion so distance-learning programmes will be more viable and practical.
The ministry plans to start implementing all key projects under the Strong Thailand scheme this month, he added.
Somkiat Chobphol, deputy secretary-general of the Basic Education Commission, said the scheme would devote Bt722 million to eradicating illiteracy among primary students within three years.
A nationwide test showed that up to 4.18 per cent of third graders could not read and 5.81 per cent could not write.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his government had already announced the promotion of reading as a national priority.
"We are determined to encourage a love for reading because reading is a key skill for lifelong learning," he said.
"Currently, the ratio is one computer per 40 students on average," Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said yesterday.
The ministry will spend Bt7.94 billion on computers, Internet access and E-teaching materials, while Bt5.46 billion will be aimed at upgrading school standards, for example, by improving the teacher-student ratio, he said during a television programme.
The ministry will strive to ensure that all 32,000 schools across the country offer functioning libraries with e-books, a nice atmosphere and good librarians.
Some Bt6.58 billion will go directly to the vocational-education sector for modernising infrastructure and improving human resources, while Bt6.98 billion has been promised for teacher development.
The ministry's Educational Management Education Office will separately receive Bt2.96 billion for instilling children with Thai pride.
Students will gain a sense of identity through the promotion of ethics, sufficiency economy, Thai language, the history of Thailand, Thai music, Thai arts, Thai sports, Thai culture and the constitutional monarchy.
Educational support systems have been earmarked Bt1.33 billion.
"We will have a Tutor Channel to ensure educational opportunities for all," Jurin said.
Tutorial sessions will be broadcast every Saturday via Channel 11, many cable TV stations as well as the Vocational Education Commission's R-Radio station.
"This means children in remote areas will have access to tutorials just like urban children," he said.
The project to develop an information-technology network for educational development, or UniNet, will get Bt5.17 billion so distance-learning programmes will be more viable and practical.
The ministry plans to start implementing all key projects under the Strong Thailand scheme this month, he added.
Somkiat Chobphol, deputy secretary-general of the Basic Education Commission, said the scheme would devote Bt722 million to eradicating illiteracy among primary students within three years.
A nationwide test showed that up to 4.18 per cent of third graders could not read and 5.81 per cent could not write.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his government had already announced the promotion of reading as a national priority.
"We are determined to encourage a love for reading because reading is a key skill for lifelong learning," he said.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
CRAZY ENGLISH
How China's language teachers have become big celebrities
Chinese people are becoming more and more obsessed with speaking English, and efforts to improve their proficiency mean that at some stage this year, the world's most populous nation will become the world's largest English-speaking country. Two billion people are learning English worldwide, and a huge proportion of them are in China.
And sometimes it seems like most of these eager students are learning from Li Yang,who is the true folk hero of the Englishlanguage-training business. Mr Li founded the "Crazy English" movement, which now involves him visiting a dozen cities a month and lecturing in English to crowds of up to 30,000 people. His books sell in the millions.
The principle is that "you can't learn to swim in a classroom"- so Crazy English teaches language learning as a form of mass activity. At a recent tutorial in Beijing, students passed large banners saying,"I can realise all my dreams" before entering the classroom to sample Mr Li's inimitable mixture of English-language teaching and motivational speaking. There is even a touch of the evangelist about him- though he is preaching to the converted - and the enthusiasm of the response is amazing, with plenty of armwaving, fist-raising and punching the air.
The desire to learn the world's language of commerce is reflected in the way that English is everywhere these days. It's deeply fashionable but also part of a broader goal to encourage greater use of English to help boost China internationally.
So the people turn to Mr Li, who started doing this 20 years ago and whose Guangzhoubased business is now vast."I talk to 10 million people a year, face to face," he says proudly."Back in 1988, China was in the process of opening up to the outside world but the whole Chinese educational system was based on tests. There were so many people learning English to pass the tests but they couldn't communicate."
There are now 200 million Chinese at secondary school who are bored with tests, and Mr Li is still trying to change the way people learn to speak English.
"This is a new method for Asian people,who are shy and introverted," he explains."My method can give people confidence very quickly. I try to simplify English for common people. I became an idol and a celebrity for Chinese young people because of this content. People get excited and I also tell them how to face difficulties and obstacles;I combine a lot of things into teaching."
Most of his students are aged between 10 and 40, and they include professionals and students, lawyers and bus drivers. Many people in China still don't have the opportunity to travel abroad, so they are eager for ways to practise spoken English and correct their mistakes.
Mr Li's reading materials contain inspirational - and patriotic - phrases, such as "Help 300 million Chinese people speak English fluently" and "Make the voice of China be widely heard throughout the world".
A big factor in the craze for learning English was the pre-Olympic drive to make China more international, when even taxi drivers learned a couple of words of English.
In the bookshops, you can still learn English the traditional way, reading texts such as Wuthering Heights , but you can also use books featuring scenes from Friends .China's most famous actress, Zhang Ziyi,has spent a long time learning English, though she claims she picked up her best phrases listening to rappers such as Eminem. English is now used, at times with hilarious results,on signs and posters around Beijing - property developers believe it gives great cachet to a development to have English hoardings,even if the language used is often absurd.Anyone fancy a "National Cream" apartment or a "Boning" flat? And the signs saying "Careful landslip attention security" or "The slippery are very crafty" demand attention.Watch your step.
English-language training in China is an industry worth about 15 billion yuan (75 billion baht) a year, and there are more than 50,000 English-training organisations in China.In Beijing alone, some 200,000 people took English classes last year. Some of these help Chinese students study for the Toefl (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) needed to study abroad, while others help white-collar workers improve their oral English or their business and financial English.
In China, English allows you to travel, to gain social advancement, and Englishlanguage teachers have become minor celebrities. Another giant of English-language learning is Dashan, a Canadian whose English name is Mark Rowswell and whose fluent Chinese has transformed him into the most famous Westerner in China - taxi drivers and passers-by point at him. His languageteaching shows, including programmes such as Dashan's Adventures in Canada , have made him a television legend.
He also hosts shows teaching Chinese to foreigners - though his amazing Chinese skill annoys some incomers, who have been satirical of his ability to blend in at Chinese gatherings.
But he is adored by the Chinese, especially for his mastering of the wildly popular xiangsheng (crosstalk) comedy style."You will often hear Chinese say things like,'Dashan is more Chinese than the Chinese'," says the man himself."But I think,first of all, that's a huge exaggeration. Secondly,it largely reflects the breaking down of barriers that I've worked on throughout my career.Chinese tend to pigeonhole people into clear categories - either you're Chinese or you are a foreigner. Dashan, at least to a certain extent, defies that sort of oversimplification."
Dashan's status in China is such that he has been appointed as Canada's commissioner general for next year's Expo in Shanghai, heading up the whole pavilion team there. He's also the face of a Ford marketing campaign aimed at ChineseCanadian consumers.
For Dashan, teaching English to the Chinese has transformed him into a senior diplomat.Indeed, he's not the only one. During a recent reporting trip to Kashgar, in the restive western province of Xinjiang - where foreigners,especially journalists, are not especially welcome - I was approached by a plainclothes policeman in the lobby of my hotel, who identified himself, sat down, and asked me,in English:"Do you feel safe here?"
My heart sank. This was a few days before the riots in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang,in which scores of Han Chinese were killed by rampaging Muslim Uighurs, angry at Han China's growing domination in the region.
"Do you feel safe here?" is a standard opening line when officialdom comes knocking in China, although it is usually delivered in Chinese, and I readied myself for a trip down to the station, or at least a lengthy interrogation about what I was doing in this hotbed of separatism at China's westernmost extreme.
Instead, the man produced an Englishlanguage textbook, helped himself to a glass of my beer, and began to ask me questions."Are you loaded? Do you change diapers? I can count in English. Listen ..." he said,before doing just that, counting to 10,000 in English. Thankfully, once he was past 29, he started using every 10th number, but it was still a lengthy process. The policeman followed this with a strange moral tale about why bats only come out at night, which he had clearly learned by heart.
He was definitely checking me out, and he knew I was a foreign reporter, as all hotels are required to register foreigners with journalist visas in their passports with the local Public Security Bureau. He took my mobile phone number. But what was significant was that he used the opportunity to sharpen up his English.
All this does not mean, however, that English is yet spoken as widely, or as well, as it is in European countries such as Sweden,Germany or even France - and you still have a hard time getting around the place without being able to speak Chinese, even in big cities such as Shanghai and Beijing.The Independent
Chinese people are becoming more and more obsessed with speaking English, and efforts to improve their proficiency mean that at some stage this year, the world's most populous nation will become the world's largest English-speaking country. Two billion people are learning English worldwide, and a huge proportion of them are in China.
And sometimes it seems like most of these eager students are learning from Li Yang,who is the true folk hero of the Englishlanguage-training business. Mr Li founded the "Crazy English" movement, which now involves him visiting a dozen cities a month and lecturing in English to crowds of up to 30,000 people. His books sell in the millions.
The principle is that "you can't learn to swim in a classroom"- so Crazy English teaches language learning as a form of mass activity. At a recent tutorial in Beijing, students passed large banners saying,"I can realise all my dreams" before entering the classroom to sample Mr Li's inimitable mixture of English-language teaching and motivational speaking. There is even a touch of the evangelist about him- though he is preaching to the converted - and the enthusiasm of the response is amazing, with plenty of armwaving, fist-raising and punching the air.
The desire to learn the world's language of commerce is reflected in the way that English is everywhere these days. It's deeply fashionable but also part of a broader goal to encourage greater use of English to help boost China internationally.
So the people turn to Mr Li, who started doing this 20 years ago and whose Guangzhoubased business is now vast."I talk to 10 million people a year, face to face," he says proudly."Back in 1988, China was in the process of opening up to the outside world but the whole Chinese educational system was based on tests. There were so many people learning English to pass the tests but they couldn't communicate."
There are now 200 million Chinese at secondary school who are bored with tests, and Mr Li is still trying to change the way people learn to speak English.
"This is a new method for Asian people,who are shy and introverted," he explains."My method can give people confidence very quickly. I try to simplify English for common people. I became an idol and a celebrity for Chinese young people because of this content. People get excited and I also tell them how to face difficulties and obstacles;I combine a lot of things into teaching."
Most of his students are aged between 10 and 40, and they include professionals and students, lawyers and bus drivers. Many people in China still don't have the opportunity to travel abroad, so they are eager for ways to practise spoken English and correct their mistakes.
Mr Li's reading materials contain inspirational - and patriotic - phrases, such as "Help 300 million Chinese people speak English fluently" and "Make the voice of China be widely heard throughout the world".
A big factor in the craze for learning English was the pre-Olympic drive to make China more international, when even taxi drivers learned a couple of words of English.
In the bookshops, you can still learn English the traditional way, reading texts such as Wuthering Heights , but you can also use books featuring scenes from Friends .China's most famous actress, Zhang Ziyi,has spent a long time learning English, though she claims she picked up her best phrases listening to rappers such as Eminem. English is now used, at times with hilarious results,on signs and posters around Beijing - property developers believe it gives great cachet to a development to have English hoardings,even if the language used is often absurd.Anyone fancy a "National Cream" apartment or a "Boning" flat? And the signs saying "Careful landslip attention security" or "The slippery are very crafty" demand attention.Watch your step.
English-language training in China is an industry worth about 15 billion yuan (75 billion baht) a year, and there are more than 50,000 English-training organisations in China.In Beijing alone, some 200,000 people took English classes last year. Some of these help Chinese students study for the Toefl (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) needed to study abroad, while others help white-collar workers improve their oral English or their business and financial English.
In China, English allows you to travel, to gain social advancement, and Englishlanguage teachers have become minor celebrities. Another giant of English-language learning is Dashan, a Canadian whose English name is Mark Rowswell and whose fluent Chinese has transformed him into the most famous Westerner in China - taxi drivers and passers-by point at him. His languageteaching shows, including programmes such as Dashan's Adventures in Canada , have made him a television legend.
He also hosts shows teaching Chinese to foreigners - though his amazing Chinese skill annoys some incomers, who have been satirical of his ability to blend in at Chinese gatherings.
But he is adored by the Chinese, especially for his mastering of the wildly popular xiangsheng (crosstalk) comedy style."You will often hear Chinese say things like,'Dashan is more Chinese than the Chinese'," says the man himself."But I think,first of all, that's a huge exaggeration. Secondly,it largely reflects the breaking down of barriers that I've worked on throughout my career.Chinese tend to pigeonhole people into clear categories - either you're Chinese or you are a foreigner. Dashan, at least to a certain extent, defies that sort of oversimplification."
Dashan's status in China is such that he has been appointed as Canada's commissioner general for next year's Expo in Shanghai, heading up the whole pavilion team there. He's also the face of a Ford marketing campaign aimed at ChineseCanadian consumers.
For Dashan, teaching English to the Chinese has transformed him into a senior diplomat.Indeed, he's not the only one. During a recent reporting trip to Kashgar, in the restive western province of Xinjiang - where foreigners,especially journalists, are not especially welcome - I was approached by a plainclothes policeman in the lobby of my hotel, who identified himself, sat down, and asked me,in English:"Do you feel safe here?"
My heart sank. This was a few days before the riots in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang,in which scores of Han Chinese were killed by rampaging Muslim Uighurs, angry at Han China's growing domination in the region.
"Do you feel safe here?" is a standard opening line when officialdom comes knocking in China, although it is usually delivered in Chinese, and I readied myself for a trip down to the station, or at least a lengthy interrogation about what I was doing in this hotbed of separatism at China's westernmost extreme.
Instead, the man produced an Englishlanguage textbook, helped himself to a glass of my beer, and began to ask me questions."Are you loaded? Do you change diapers? I can count in English. Listen ..." he said,before doing just that, counting to 10,000 in English. Thankfully, once he was past 29, he started using every 10th number, but it was still a lengthy process. The policeman followed this with a strange moral tale about why bats only come out at night, which he had clearly learned by heart.
He was definitely checking me out, and he knew I was a foreign reporter, as all hotels are required to register foreigners with journalist visas in their passports with the local Public Security Bureau. He took my mobile phone number. But what was significant was that he used the opportunity to sharpen up his English.
All this does not mean, however, that English is yet spoken as widely, or as well, as it is in European countries such as Sweden,Germany or even France - and you still have a hard time getting around the place without being able to speak Chinese, even in big cities such as Shanghai and Beijing.The Independent
Friday, September 4, 2009
Wall Street Institute enhances the convenience and flexibility of student learning
Wall Street Institute enhances the convenience and flexibility of student learning by uplifting their learning systme with two new services
Service upgrade No.1:
"Social clubs replicate a real-world setting for students to practice speaking the language and ultimately improve their fluency. Leady by teachers, the contents of these classes are wide-ranging & various. "Students get involved in all kinds of activities in the SocialClubs, from thought provoking discussions and light=hearted chit-chat to cooking & dancing classes to careers counselling and Q&A with distinguished guest speakers', says Sutida Promprakai, Center Event Coordinator, Lad Prao.
In the past, Wall Street Institute students could only join the Social Clubs in the ri permanent center. But now, in the age of convenience and flexibility, students can join the Social Clubs at any of the five Wall Street Institute language centers nationwide.
In the ago o fconvenience and flexibility, students can now study on the move and join Social Clubs at any of the five Wall Street Institute language centers nationwide.
"We find that some students work close to their center, but live relatively far away, and others live close to their center but work far away', highlights Kevin Boyd. This new arrangement will thus allow students the freedom to attend Social Clubs at any Wall Street language center of their choice.
Service upgrade No 2:
"Englight Anytime"-busy students can still keep up with their Wall Street studies through the "English Anytime" e-system.
Flexibility is one of the cornerstones of the Wall Street method. Wall Street has always had the most effective learning method-based on how your naturally acquire the language. Wall Street has also perfected their logistics operations to make them the most flexible school to study with-now Wall Street move to the next level of convenience and flexibility by providing part of the method and system online. Now you can study anytime, anywhere!
The unique tracking system still monitors and follows the student's progress so as to continue to provide them with tailored supportand guidance.
Students can now enjoy un-paralleled convenience opening doors to new possibilities and opportunities
ENGLISH @NYTIME
"The most important thing for us is that students reach their objectives, and have fun doing it! With kthese two new services we know that we are making it easier and more enjoyable for more of our students to improve their lives by becoming confident in English." Attested Kevin Boyd.
Service upgrade No.1:
"Social clubs replicate a real-world setting for students to practice speaking the language and ultimately improve their fluency. Leady by teachers, the contents of these classes are wide-ranging & various. "Students get involved in all kinds of activities in the SocialClubs, from thought provoking discussions and light=hearted chit-chat to cooking & dancing classes to careers counselling and Q&A with distinguished guest speakers', says Sutida Promprakai, Center Event Coordinator, Lad Prao.
In the past, Wall Street Institute students could only join the Social Clubs in the ri permanent center. But now, in the age of convenience and flexibility, students can join the Social Clubs at any of the five Wall Street Institute language centers nationwide.
In the ago o fconvenience and flexibility, students can now study on the move and join Social Clubs at any of the five Wall Street Institute language centers nationwide.
"We find that some students work close to their center, but live relatively far away, and others live close to their center but work far away', highlights Kevin Boyd. This new arrangement will thus allow students the freedom to attend Social Clubs at any Wall Street language center of their choice.
Service upgrade No 2:
"Englight Anytime"-busy students can still keep up with their Wall Street studies through the "English Anytime" e-system.
Flexibility is one of the cornerstones of the Wall Street method. Wall Street has always had the most effective learning method-based on how your naturally acquire the language. Wall Street has also perfected their logistics operations to make them the most flexible school to study with-now Wall Street move to the next level of convenience and flexibility by providing part of the method and system online. Now you can study anytime, anywhere!
The unique tracking system still monitors and follows the student's progress so as to continue to provide them with tailored supportand guidance.
Students can now enjoy un-paralleled convenience opening doors to new possibilities and opportunities
ENGLISH @NYTIME
"The most important thing for us is that students reach their objectives, and have fun doing it! With kthese two new services we know that we are making it easier and more enjoyable for more of our students to improve their lives by becoming confident in English." Attested Kevin Boyd.
Reform goes beyond exams
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva wants to see the university entrance exam system revamped within three years. That is good news. But only the incurably optimistic will believe this is going to happen.
Echoing the frustration of many parents, the prime minister harshly criticised the country's education system and the university admissions system in particular, in a speech at Thammasat University recently. The system, he said, focuses too much on rote-learning and competition instead of encouraging self-discovery and a zest for learning. The varsity entrance exams put students under too much stress and financial burden while failing in their function as an effective screening mechanism. Due to the high rate of dropouts, many universities had opted for direct admissions.
The PM was spot on. Indeed, the admissions system needs changing. Since the so-called education reform 10 years ago, the system has become unnecessarily complex. The Council of University Rectors keeps introducing new rules and more sub-exams, treating high school students like guinea pigs for their poorly-designed system.
The PM's criticism gives hope to those who advocate a return to the old system, which required Mathayom 6 students to take only one nationwide university entrance exam. Although this one-shot system was far from perfect, it was more transparent - a very important feature in a society ridden with nepotism and corruption. The old system was also much cheaper because the students paid for only one examination. Under the new system, students must take as many examinations as they can, despite the high fees, to get the best scores. Consequently, poor students who cannot afford the fees for extra exams find themselves greatly disadvantaged.
But the chances for a swift return to the simpler, cheaper and more egalitarian system were immediately quashed by Jurin Laksanavisit, the education minister. Mr Jurin, apparently giving in to bureaucratic resistance, has made it clear that the new system could be "amended under consultations" with the Council of University Rectors and other education agencies. But reverting back to the old system would be next to impossible.
Without a systematic attempt to heed the grievances of students and parents, any top-down efforts to rectify the admissions system will definitely fail to untangle the knots. Interestingly, the attempt to amend the entrance system has been described as an effort in education reform. It most certainly is not.
Our education system suppresses children's questioning minds and creativity with school authoritarianism and a top-down curriculum that makes students look down on their local cultural roots and turn a blind eye to the reality of racist nationalism. Anything short of redressing these problems cannot be called education reform. Anything short of a system which makes parents, students, local communities and schools equal partners in the decision-making process cannot be called education reform, either.
Thailand is plagued with inequalities while struggling with excessive materialism harmful to both the soul and the environment. Education alone cannot tackle these ills. But it can help people see that something must be done. Unfortunately, the present system largely perpetuates the cultural values that legitimise injustice.
To equate education reform with the revamp of the university admissions system is just a ploy to divert public attention from the crux of the problem. We must not be fooled.
Echoing the frustration of many parents, the prime minister harshly criticised the country's education system and the university admissions system in particular, in a speech at Thammasat University recently. The system, he said, focuses too much on rote-learning and competition instead of encouraging self-discovery and a zest for learning. The varsity entrance exams put students under too much stress and financial burden while failing in their function as an effective screening mechanism. Due to the high rate of dropouts, many universities had opted for direct admissions.
The PM was spot on. Indeed, the admissions system needs changing. Since the so-called education reform 10 years ago, the system has become unnecessarily complex. The Council of University Rectors keeps introducing new rules and more sub-exams, treating high school students like guinea pigs for their poorly-designed system.
The PM's criticism gives hope to those who advocate a return to the old system, which required Mathayom 6 students to take only one nationwide university entrance exam. Although this one-shot system was far from perfect, it was more transparent - a very important feature in a society ridden with nepotism and corruption. The old system was also much cheaper because the students paid for only one examination. Under the new system, students must take as many examinations as they can, despite the high fees, to get the best scores. Consequently, poor students who cannot afford the fees for extra exams find themselves greatly disadvantaged.
But the chances for a swift return to the simpler, cheaper and more egalitarian system were immediately quashed by Jurin Laksanavisit, the education minister. Mr Jurin, apparently giving in to bureaucratic resistance, has made it clear that the new system could be "amended under consultations" with the Council of University Rectors and other education agencies. But reverting back to the old system would be next to impossible.
Without a systematic attempt to heed the grievances of students and parents, any top-down efforts to rectify the admissions system will definitely fail to untangle the knots. Interestingly, the attempt to amend the entrance system has been described as an effort in education reform. It most certainly is not.
Our education system suppresses children's questioning minds and creativity with school authoritarianism and a top-down curriculum that makes students look down on their local cultural roots and turn a blind eye to the reality of racist nationalism. Anything short of redressing these problems cannot be called education reform. Anything short of a system which makes parents, students, local communities and schools equal partners in the decision-making process cannot be called education reform, either.
Thailand is plagued with inequalities while struggling with excessive materialism harmful to both the soul and the environment. Education alone cannot tackle these ills. But it can help people see that something must be done. Unfortunately, the present system largely perpetuates the cultural values that legitimise injustice.
To equate education reform with the revamp of the university admissions system is just a ploy to divert public attention from the crux of the problem. We must not be fooled.
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