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| March/April 2005 | Volume
18, Issue 2 |
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PRACTICAL
INFORMATION REGIONAL
NEWS FEATURE
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Practical Information
Education in ThailandBy Robert Sedgwick EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE AND ADMINISTRATION The structure of school education in Thailand is based on a 6+3+3 system: six years of primary school, three years of lower secondary school and another three years of upper secondary school. The language of instruction is Thai, but English is taught as a second language in most secondary schools. In 1995, the government made English language study compulsory beginning at the primary school level. Higher education is offered at universities, institutes of technology, vocational and technical colleges, teachers colleges and professional colleges (e.g. nursing schools). The school year runs from mid-May to the end of March for primary and secondary schools, and from June to March for higher education. The Ministry of Education supervises all aspects of education from pre-school through upper secondary school and some higher education programs (e.g. teacher training and technical and vocational education). Private primary and secondary schools are managed under the Private Education Commission. The Ministry of University Affairs is responsible for the administration and management of both public and private colleges and universities. The Department of Vocational Education is responsible for vocational education and training. Programs in this sector are designed to meet the needs of the job market and are offered at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. PRIMARY EDUCATION As of 1994, there were 6 million students enrolled in primary school. The most competitive primary schools require an entrance exam. At the end of primary school a provincial or district examination is given leading to a certificate of completion. Primary education is compulsory and free of charge. Approximately 87 percent of children attend primary school in Thailand. Duration of Program: Six years in length (Grades 1 to 6).
Curriculum: Thai language, mathematics, science, social studies, ethics, arts, music, physical education, vocational skills. Leaving Certificate: Certificate of Primary Education SECONDARY EDUCATION Secondary education is divided into two three-year cycles: lower and upper secondary, both of which are three years in length. Fees are charged for secondary education but there are government-funded programs designed to help needy families. In an effort to expand educational opportunities in remote rural areas, the Office of National Primary Education Commission has established lower secondary school programs around the country. The Sema Life Development Project provides secondary education scholarships for rural girls who are often preyed on by prostitution rings. Only 56 percent of Thai children are enrolled in secondary school. Lower Secondary (Matayom I-III)Admission to most government and private lower secondary schools is through an entrance examination administered by the individual schools. Duration of Program: Three years Curriculum: Thai and foreign languages (English, French, Japanese and Arabic), science, mathematics, social studies, physical education, arts, and work and occupational education. Leaving Certificate: Certificate of Lower Secondary Education (Matayom III) Upper Secondary (Matayom IV-VI)Upper secondary education is divided into two basic streams: academic and vocational. Of the students who enter upper secondary school 57 percent choose the academic stream and 43 percent take the vocational. There are academic upper secondary schools, vocational upper secondary schools and comprehensive schools offering both academic and vocational tracks. Students who choose the academic stream usually intend to enter a university. Vocational schools offer programs that prepare students for employment or further studies. Most schools at this level can provide transcripts in English. Admission to an upper secondary school is through an entrance exam. Duration of Program: Three years ACADEMIC STREAM Curriculum: Thai, social studies, physical education, science, mathematics, foreign languages, arts and crafts. Leaving Certificate: Certificate of Secondary Education (Matayom VI) VOCATIONAL STREAM Curriculum: Compulsory subjects are Thai, social studies, physical education and science. The vocational courses are divided into five major fields: agriculture, home economics, business studies (marketing, travel and tourism, public relations), arts and crafts, and technology (mechanical, civil, electronic, industrial). Leaving Certificate: Certificate of Vocational Education (Por Wor Chor). This qualificationis equivalent tothe Matayom VI making students eligible to take the Joint Higher Education Entrance Examination needed to apply to an institution of higher education. In addition to the vocational stream offered at the upper secondary level, vocational schools and technical colleges offer a one-year program leading to the Tradesman Certificate. This program is offered to students who have completed lower secondary school and prepares them for immediate employment upon graduation. HIGHER EDUCATIONThere are a total of 780 public and private institutions in Thailand offering courses and programs in higher education. The Ministry of University Affairs sets educational standards, approves curriculum, and is the main institutional and professional accrediting body. In 1999, approximately 26 percent of the18-21 year-old age group was enrolled in higher education studies. This leaves about 3,300,000 of the population from this age group not enrolled in an institution of higher education. However, higher education enrollments increased over 19 percent between 1998 and 1999, a trend boosted in part by the governments introduction of a student loan program. In 2003, there were 4,170 foreign students enrolled in 49 Thai higher education institutions. China sent the most students that year (1,186), followed by Myanmar (359 students), India (329 students), Vietnam (304 students), Laos (226 students), United States (203), Japan (161 students), Taiwan (159 students), Cambodia (128 students) and Bangladesh (122 students) consecutively. There were approximately 3,223 government funded Thai students in 1999 enrolled in overseas higher education programs.
The number of private universities has been increasing in recent years to help meet the growing demand for higher education. These institutions charge higher tuition fees than their public counterparts. In 1999, there were a total of 49 private universities enrolling 199,464 students. Private universities come under the authority of the Private Higher Education Institutions Division of the MUA, which must approve and accredit new institutions. The largest private university is Bangkok University with 22,135 students. The Rajamangala Institute of Technology offers bachelor programs in technology and technical fields. There are 50 of these institutes based around the country. The Rajabhat Institutes, formerly teacher training colleges, and located in provinces throughout Thailand, provide training in practical fields such as tourism management and business administration. The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), formerly the SEATO Graduate School of Engineering, is the only university that is not supervised by the Ministry of University Affairs. The AIT is a largely autonomous institution established under its own charter. Only 20 percent of its funding is provided by the Thai government. AIT enrolls students throughout the Asia-Pacific region and boasts an international faculty. Thai institutions of higher education have also collaborated with foreign universities to set up specialized international programs. The Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration at Chaulalongkorn University, for example, offers an English language MBA program in collaboration with the Wharton School and the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. For a complete listing of fully accredited public and private universities in Thailand go HERE ADMISSION TO HIGHER EDUCATIONAdmission to an institution of higher education requires the Certificate of Secondary Education (Matayom VI). Most public universities also require applicants to take the Joint Higher Education Entrance Examination (JHEEE), which is held each year in April and administered by the MUA. Students who have successfully completed the Certificate of Vocational Education are also eligible to take the JHEEE. Applicants are required to complete up to seven sections on the exam depending on the desired faculty. Science faculties for instance require mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and English. Social Sciences faculties require social studies, Thai, English, other foreign languages and mathematics. Students may apply to as many as five faculties at one or more universities of their choice. The JHEE is a highly competitive exam. Only about 30 percent of those who take the examination succeed in securing a place at a public university. In April 1994, 134,654 students took the JHEEE. Out of that number 22,000 were admitted to public universities and 17,000 were admitted to private universities. Some institutions hold their own entrance exams while the country’s two open universities, Ramkhamhaeng Univerity and Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, do not require applicants to take and entrance exam. Private institutions have their own admissions process, which includes a joint entrance examination similar to the JHEEE. UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATIONPrograms and DegreesStage I: The Bachelor’s degree requires four years of full-time study in most fields. However, undergraduate programs in pharmacy, and graphic art requires five years of study. Bachelor’s degree programs in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science require six years leading respectively to the Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Dental Surgery and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. All bachelor’s degree programs are comprised of the following: 30 credits of general education including humanities, social sciences, science, and mathematics: 15 credits in the specialized field and three credits of free electives. The four years bachelor’s degree at all Thai universities are between 120 and 150 credits. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required for graduation. Stage II: The Master’s degree requires between one and two (usually two) years of full-time study with a minimum of 36 semester credits beyond the bachelor’s degree. Some programs require an entrance exam for admission. Both coursework and a thesis (or comprehensive final examination) are required. Stage III: The Doctorate requires between two and five years of study beyond the master’s level. Admission to a doctoral program requires completion of a master’s program with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and an entrance examination. Programs require coursework, research and the defense of a dissertation. NON-UNIVERSITY HIGHER EDUCATION Technical and vocational education at the postsecondary level is offered at technical colleges administered by the Department of Vocational Education, the RIT campuses (see above), and private technical colleges. The King Mongkut Institute of Technology, (supervised by the MUA) also provides technical and vocational higher education. Diploma in Vocational Education Programs for the Diploma in Vocational Education (Por Wor Sor) are two years in length and offered in five fields of study: agriculture, arts & crafts, commerce and business administration, home economics, and trade and industry. These programs are open to those who have successfully completed upper secondary school in the vocational stream and who hold either the Certificate of Secondary Education or the Certificate of Vocational Education. Diploma in Technical Education Programs leading to the Diploma in Technical Education (Por Wor Tor) are also two years in length and offered in three fields: agriculture, business administration, and trade and industry. These programs are open to students who have completed upper secondary school in the academic stream, and who hold the Certificate of Secondary Education. However, students who hold the Certificate of Vocational Education are also eligible for admission. Holders of either the Diploma in Vocational Education or the Diploma in Technical Education are also eligible to undertake another two years of study at a higher education institution leading to a bachelor’s degree in a given field. TEACHER TRAINING Teacher training falls under the authority of the Ministry of University Affairs and the Department of Teacher Education, which is a subdivision of the Ministry of Education. Teacher education in Thailand is offered at teacher training colleges and specialized colleges in the areas of physical education, vocational education, technical education, and agricultural education. Some universities also train teachers. The curriculum for teacher training is comprised of a general education component (language and communication, humanities, social science, mathematics and technology), specialization education and free electives. Primary School Teachers Primary school teachers are trained in teacher’s training colleges and are required to complete a two-year program leading to the Higher Certificate of Education, also referred to as the Diploma in Education or sometimes called an Associate’s Degree. The entry requirement for this program is completion of upper secondary education (Matoyom XI). Secondary School Teachers LOWER SECONDARY Students who wish to become lower secondary school teachers must complete a two-year program leading to a qualification known variously as the Higher Certificate of Education, the Diploma in Education or an Associate’s Degree. Students who have earned this qualification are eligible to continue their studies at a university or teachers training college for two additional years of full-time study for a bachelor’s degree. UPPER SECONDARY A four-year Bachelor of Education degree is required for teaching at the secondary school level. This may be earned either at a teacher’s training college or in a faculty of education at a public university. Those who have earned a bachelor’s degree in another field are required to complete a one-year full-time university program, leading to a bachelor of education degree. The entrance requirement is the successful completion of upper secondary school (Matayom XI) and an entrance examination. Admission to public university programs is more completive than to those at teacher training colleges. Links Print Resources
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Many primary and secondary schools were damaged or destroyed as a result of the tsunami disaster late last year. In the aftermath, 212 deaths and 108 missing persons were reported. 