Education In Thailand

Thailand as a country in the past decade has experienced many obstacles.

With political protest beginning last November has left the countries in shambles
and the ramification process of education throughout the country has been put on
the back burner. In an overview students in Thailand are promised 12 years of
public education free of cost as provided by the National Education Act. The first
nine years of this free school is considered mandatory by the government. These
years of schools are divided in which a student participates in 6 years of primary
then goes on to three years of secondary. Once these years are completed a student
can further their education by continuing on to three more years of higher level
secondary education. The year academically in Thailand runs through 200
compulsory days of school. These years differ per age group mainly running from
summer to the following spring. Shown below is a graph that illustrates much of
this information (Nick Clark).

With the population of Thailand being so tremendous many of these people

are being educated. In 2010 the graduation rate in Thailand amongst secondary
education students was 76 percent, as well as upper secondary being 79 percent
(Nick Clark). In comparison in 2012 the United States graduation rate amongst high
school students was 80 Percent (Layton). With that being said the education in
Thailand still consists of many negative aspects. From the research I have gathered
from articles published by teachers who have personally experienced teaching in
Thailand it became clear that these rates are so high for the simple fact that
Thailands education system is lazy, too put it plainly. The countrys education
system is riddled by monstrous class sizes, unenthusiastic students and teacher with
poor training and inadequate funding has caused chaos (Sivarnee). The
overpopulated classrooms have even gone so far in some cases to number the
students because there is simply so many (Ahuja). How sad is that? Your own
teacher who is supposed to provide you with encouragement and support not even
knowing your name because they are too lazy and too cramped to learn fifty
students names? How can any student be expected to learn from a teacher who
does not even know their name let alone that students specific strengths and
weaknesses?
This is the main concern I have in Thailands education system that I have
found throughout researching the country. Personally in my opinion there is an easy
fix. The country as a whole needs to make education a larger priority and focus on
reforming the system even if it is only for a few years. The system needs proper
funding to be successful as well. This funding will result in more teachers which will

allow smaller class sizes. Its all a chain reaction people. The more effort you put into
something the better the outcome. Shunning the education system and putting it at
the bottom of the to do list is causing the education system to decline drastically.
This is a big deal because the students in this classroom, they are the future.

(Clark)
Above is a visual I found very interesting because it offered a wonderful overview of
Thailands education as a whole and what it consists of in an interesting and visual
way.

Works Cited
Ahuja, A. (2011, May 30). Analysis: As Thais vote, a struggle with education. Retrieved
November 5, 2014.
Clark, N. (2014, March 3). Education in Thailand. Retrieved November 5, 2014.
Sivarnee. (2013, June 8). Education System in Thailand: A Terrible Failure in S.E. Asia.
Retrieved November 5, 2014.
Layton, L. (n.d.). National high school graduation rates at historic high, but disparities
still exist. Retrieved November 5, 2014.