1) Formal Education in Thailand The first formal comprehensive education plan was introduced in 1932. This plan highlighted four years of elementary education and eight years of secondary schooling. This system was further refined in 1936, when five levels of education were featured; preprimary or kindergarten, primary, secondary, pre-university, and higher education. The educational plan of 1951 was noteworthy in that it facilitated special and adult education. As part of the emphasis on national development since 1960, a major goal of the educational system has been to harmonize and comply with economic and political plans. The government faced the challenge of widespread illiteracy, as well as the massive task of training young men and women for the dynamic development process in the shortest time possible. Recently, it has had to modify instruction to include the specialized skills required by industries such as computer science and environmental engineering, together with new branches of medicine. The most recent changes were brought about by the educational plan of 1977, which called for six years of compulsory primary schooling, three years of lower secondary education for those who plan to enter special occupations and three years of upper secondary education for those who wish or enter higher education or a university. This system was launched in May 1978, beginning with the first grade at both the primary and secondary levels, and continued until the cycle of six grades at both levels was fully implemented in 1983. The current system of formal education consists of four levels of education: one or two years of pre-school education; six years of compulsory primary education; six years of secondary education: three years at the lower secondary level and three years at the upper secondary level and higher education. Efforts to raise the overall educational standards of the nation to meet the development needs in technology and advanced agricultural methods result n the expansion of basic education from six to nine years, covering six years of primary education and three years of lower-secondary education, in rural areas to form a broader basis for future training and employment.
2) Non-Formal Education in Thailand Non-formal education, including adult education, introduced in Thailand in 1940 in an attempt to provide education for those who miss schooling opportunities, is an indispensable component of the present educational system that complements the formal system of education. Educational programmes offered emphasize basic education, news and information literacy (level 1-4) and vocational skills training which are available throughout the country. There are over 500 public libraries throughout the country, most of which offer mobile services to people in rural areas. Practical reading materials are also available at over 30,000 village reading centres formed by village committees. There are at least 38 national museums for public reference and interest. The Non-formal Education Department established Thaicom Distance Education Centre in October 1993 to plan and manage the satellite distance education project. The experimental period of this project is from 1994-1998. The centre coordinates with agencies concerned from both the public and private sectors in the management of televised distance education through satellite broadcast and the development of such multi-media, as texts or self-learning manuals, learning kits, television/radio programmes, video/cassette tapes. Special training services are also provided for disadvantaged groups in urban and rural areas, new labour market entrants, the unemployed, and certain categories of people such as ex-convicts, homeless, and sexually-exploited who require skills to earn their living and make them active contributors to society.
3) Special and Welfare Education in Thailand Special education refers to the provision of education for all kinds of disabled and handicapped children, including the deaf, the blind, and the mentally retarded, while welfare education caters to the culturally and socially handicapped such as hilltribe children, slum children, and children of lepers. To ensure that such children receive an equal opportunity in education, and education suitable for their abilities, special schools and welfare schools equipped with special educational programmes and facilities have been established throughout the country. |