Universal education for all in Thailand, getting there, but not there yet
By Jon Fernquest
Very
young children are slipping through the cracks of Thailand's
educational system and not even receiving the basic
education
in reading, writing and arithmetic that they need to survive and thrive in the adult economic
world: "Factors pushing
children out of the formal school system include financial problems, broken families,
poor health and pressure from schools which shun
students with weak academic records."
Today's article begins after the vocabulary.
basic education -
educational
activities that take care of people's basic educational needs such
"reading, writing, and arithmetic," usually takes place at an early
age, but adult education such as learning to read (adult literacy) also
included (See Wikipedia)
literacy - the ability to read and write (See Wikipedia)
universal - involving all members of a society or group
survive - to continue to exist, even in a very difficult situation
thrive - to become very successful (happy, healthy, rich)
factor - one of the things that determine and influence whether an event happens and how it happens
broken families - situations where the mother and father of children stop living together (divorce, separation, etc), also known as a "broken home"
pressure - when people are being pushed or forced to so something
shun - to deliberately avoid a person, place or activity
academic records - the information kept at schools on what courses a student has taken and the grades they received
literacy - the ability to read and write (See Wikipedia)
universal - involving all members of a society or group
survive - to continue to exist, even in a very difficult situation
thrive - to become very successful (happy, healthy, rich)
factor - one of the things that determine and influence whether an event happens and how it happens
broken families - situations where the mother and father of children stop living together (divorce, separation, etc), also known as a "broken home"
pressure - when people are being pushed or forced to so something
shun - to deliberately avoid a person, place or activity
academic records - the information kept at schools on what courses a student has taken and the grades they received
Local News
Up to 2 million young miss basic education
Dire social, economic outcomes predicted26/08/2010
Sirikul Bunnag
Up to 2 million children nationwide are not receiving a basic education, a development that could lead to dire social and economic consequences.
From 1.7 million to 2 million children aged between 3 and 17 years, or about 11% of the school-age population, have been pushed out of the education system, Juajan Jongsathityoo, a former education planning adviser to the Education Council, said yesterday.
outcome - one
possible result of a process
predicted - what people think will happen in the future
nationwide - throughout a whole country ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
a development - something that happens, an event or situation
dire - very serious and bad แย่มาก เลวร้ายมาก
consequences - results of some actions or events
population - all the people living in a country, region or city (See Wikipedia)
predicted - what people think will happen in the future
nationwide - throughout a whole country ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
a development - something that happens, an event or situation
dire - very serious and bad แย่มาก เลวร้ายมาก
consequences - results of some actions or events
population - all the people living in a country, region or city (See Wikipedia)
The sorry state of affairs was uncovered by a study by Witthayakorn Chiangkoon, the dean of Rangsit University's College of Social Innovation.
The findings were raised for discussion at a seminar on children outside the education system held yesterday by the Quality Learning Foundation (QLF).
innovation - creating
or "inventing" new ideas, equipment or methods
state - condition สภาพ
affairs - events and activities relating to the government, politics, economy etc of a country, region, or the world ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างประเทศ
sorry state of affairs - a bad or unpleasant situation (that is sad to even look at or think about)
dean - a senior official at a college or university, often the head of a faculty or department คณบดี (ทางการศึกษา), อธิการบดี
findings - the results or conclusions of an investigation or research
Quality Learning Foundation (QLF) - NGO working towards building a "Learning Society" in Thailand (See website and twitter: @qlfthailand)
state - condition สภาพ
affairs - events and activities relating to the government, politics, economy etc of a country, region, or the world ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างประเทศ
sorry state of affairs - a bad or unpleasant situation (that is sad to even look at or think about)
dean - a senior official at a college or university, often the head of a faculty or department คณบดี (ทางการศึกษา), อธิการบดี
findings - the results or conclusions of an investigation or research
Quality Learning Foundation (QLF) - NGO working towards building a "Learning Society" in Thailand (See website and twitter: @qlfthailand)
The study found children of primary school age topped the list of those who were not receiving a basic formal education, followed by those in secondary school.
Factors pushing children out of the formal school system include financial problems, broken families, poor health and pressure from schools which shun students with weak academic records.
primary
- first and most important
primary school - the first early stage of required education (compulsory education) from about age 5 to 12 (See Wikipedia)
broken families - situations where the mother and father of children stop living together (divorce, separation, etc), also known as a "broken home"
pressure - when people are being pushed or forced to so something
shun - to deliberately avoid a person, place or activity
academic - related to education (especially university education)
records - pieces of information describing something written down or stored on a computer บันทึุก
academic records - the information kept at schools on what courses a student has taken and the grades they received
primary school - the first early stage of required education (compulsory education) from about age 5 to 12 (See Wikipedia)
broken families - situations where the mother and father of children stop living together (divorce, separation, etc), also known as a "broken home"
pressure - when people are being pushed or forced to so something
shun - to deliberately avoid a person, place or activity
academic - related to education (especially university education)
records - pieces of information describing something written down or stored on a computer บันทึุก
academic records - the information kept at schools on what courses a student has taken and the grades they received
Ms Juajan said the findings reflected a survey by the National Statistical Office in 2006 which found the quality of the country's labour force was declining.
Uneducated or under-educated children were unlikely to make up a strong pool of skilled workers in the future.
The number of workers with an education background below primary primary level stands at 21.6 million people, or 60% of the country's labour-age population," Ms Juajan said.
Low education standards make Thailand's labour exports uncompetitive, she said.
findings - what
research or a study finds out or discovers to be true
reflect - show
survey - gathering information about what people think about different subjects (public opionion) by asking large numbers of people questions and counting their answers, and then using statistics, graphs, and tables to present results (See Wikipedia) การสำรวจ
labour force - all the people working in an economy (and those looking for work too)
declining - worsening
under-educated - do not have enough education to achieve goals in life
pool - a group of people available for work สมาคม กลุ่มสถาบัน
background - personal history and experience
standards - an acceptable level of quality or achievement มาตรฐาน
reflect - show
survey - gathering information about what people think about different subjects (public opionion) by asking large numbers of people questions and counting their answers, and then using statistics, graphs, and tables to present results (See Wikipedia) การสำรวจ
labour force - all the people working in an economy (and those looking for work too)
declining - worsening
under-educated - do not have enough education to achieve goals in life
pool - a group of people available for work สมาคม กลุ่มสถาบัน
background - personal history and experience
standards - an acceptable level of quality or achievement มาตรฐาน
Supakorn Buasai, manager of the QLF which organised the seminar, insisted children must be allowed the opportunity to enter or re-enter the formal education system.
He said the problem of so many children not receiving a basic education would have serious social and economic ramifications if left untackled.
The children would become jobless and they might turn to illicit drugs and crime, Mr Supakorn said.
He urged municipalities across the country to help solve the problem as they were closely involved in managing primary and secondary education.
insisted
- say firmly that something must happen or is true, and will not change
mind
opportunity - a situation when it is possible to do something that you want to do (See glossary)
tackle a problem - solve a problem
problem left untackled - problem left not solved
illicit - against the law ผิดกฎหมาย
urged - advised someone very strongly about what action should be taken วิงวอน
opportunity - a situation when it is possible to do something that you want to do (See glossary)
tackle a problem - solve a problem
problem left untackled - problem left not solved
illicit - against the law ผิดกฎหมาย
urged - advised someone very strongly about what action should be taken วิงวอน
Phatthalung municipality mayor Kosil Paisarnsil said his municipality faced a problem with students quitting school after it took over supervision of public schools a few days ago.
Many schools wanted to enrol only smart students. Students who did not do well academically could not stand the pressure and left.
Fewer than 10 out of 61 primary school students under the municipality's management could read or write Thai, the mayor said.
After completing Prathom Suksa6 (Grade 6), they failed to meet the academic requirements to continue their education in secondary school.
Tueng (real name withheld) said he was expelled from school when he was in Grade 9 for misconduct.
He said he became rebellious because he was frustrated that the school turned away children with troubled backgrounds.
He turned to illicit drugs and committed crimes but was finally caught.
Tueng said he was given a new lease of life by officials at Ban Kanchanapisek Remand Home.
municipality
- a town, city or district with its own local government เทศบาล
mayor - the chief, head, leader of a town
supervision - the process of making sure that something is being done properly การควบคุมดูแล การตรวจตรา
enrol - register, sign up สมัคร
enrol - to put yourself onto the official list of members of a course or college ลงทะเบียน
stand the pressure - be able to resist being forced to do something
expelled - forced to leave a school or organization because of bad behaviour
misconduct - unacceptable or bad behaviour by someone in a position of authority or responsibility การประพฤติผิด
frustrated - feeling annoyed and impatient because prevented from achieving something ผิดหวัง,ท้อแท้ใจมาก หงุดหงิดใจ
troubled - has problems
committed crimes - do something illegal (they could be punished for by going to jail or paying a fine)
lease on life - given a new chance (after a failure)
remand - waiting for a criminal trial ("remanded in custody" means waiting in jail, "remanded on bail" means waiting outside of jail)
mayor - the chief, head, leader of a town
supervision - the process of making sure that something is being done properly การควบคุมดูแล การตรวจตรา
enrol - register, sign up สมัคร
enrol - to put yourself onto the official list of members of a course or college ลงทะเบียน
stand the pressure - be able to resist being forced to do something
expelled - forced to leave a school or organization because of bad behaviour
misconduct - unacceptable or bad behaviour by someone in a position of authority or responsibility การประพฤติผิด
frustrated - feeling annoyed and impatient because prevented from achieving something ผิดหวัง,ท้อแท้ใจมาก หงุดหงิดใจ
troubled - has problems
committed crimes - do something illegal (they could be punished for by going to jail or paying a fine)
lease on life - given a new chance (after a failure)
remand - waiting for a criminal trial ("remanded in custody" means waiting in jail, "remanded on bail" means waiting outside of jail)
(Source: Bangkok Post, Up to 2 million young miss basic education, Dire social, economic outcomes predicted, 26/08/2010, Sirikul Bunnag, link)
