The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the Republic of Chile.
In Chile, the constitution and several education acts build up the legal framework of the Chilean education system. Based on these education acts, since 2003, primary and secondary education has been compulsory and free for children aged six and up. [i]
primary and secondary education are eight and four years, respectively. Secondary education is divided into two tracks: a general academic curriculum in the humanities and sciences and one with a vocational curriculum.[ii]
The Chilean educational system is decentralised and consists of three types of schools: municipal, private subsidised, and private non-subsidized. The Department of Municipal Education manages municipal schools, while private persons or institutions manage the other two kinds of schools.[iii]
77% of Chilean 3-5-year-old children are enrolled in early childhood education, although the figure is slightly below the OECD average in 2022.[iv]
Based on data collected by the World Bank, Chile impressively achieved a youth literacy of 99% and an adult literacy of 97% in 2021.[v]
Aligning with gender stereotypes, Chilean women are underrepresented in subjects like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics when entering tertiary education. Women accounted for less than 20% of new entrants in engineering, manufacturing, construction programs, and communication technologies. In comparison, they accounted for 83% of new entrants to the field of education, a sector traditionally dominated by women in Chile.[vi]
In Chile, there are significant differences in educational attainment across subnational regions due to uneven economic conditions and the pattern of internal migrations, resulting in differences in educational opportunities.[vii]
Although Chile was severely affected by the pandemic, the country learned from this experience and launched an initiative with UNESCO to strengthen teachers’ digital competence.[viii]
As Chile has signed and ratified the ICESCR, the CEDAW and the CRC, Broken Chalk urges Chile to eliminate gender stereotypes existing in society and make de facto changes.[ix]
[ii] OECD. “Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers OECD Activity Country Background Report for Chile,” November 2003. https://www.oecd.org/chile/26742861.pdf. (Accessed 11 September 2023).
The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the The Socialist Republic of VietNam.
In education, Viet Nam has shown some outstanding achievements. The literacy rate is above 95%, and the country is committed to creating intellectual growth and development. Children start education at primary school from six years old until they are 11 years old. Primary education is compulsory and free of charge, resulting in a completion rate of 98%.[i]
After primary school, children move on to lower secondary school, completed by 87% of the children. Lastly, the children attend upper secondary school, completed by 59%. It is important to note that 92% of the wealthiest people end up in upper secondary school, and only 31% of the poorest people; this is a significant difference and shows the critical role of economic backgrounds in shaping educational outcomes.[ii]
Gender-based differences in completion rates are minimal, with very close rates for primary and secondary school. The most significant difference is in the completion rate for upper secondary education, where 51% of men and 65% of women graduate.
One of the reasons for Viet Nam’s high-quality education is the skilled teachers. Teachers receive extra training and are allowed to make the classes more engaging and exciting, improving the overall learning experience for students. Notably, the quality of education remains consistent across rural and urban schools. This is partly due to the government’s initiative to attract more teachers to remote areas by paying them more.[iii]
To continuously improve education, the Vietnamese Government mandates that all provinces invest 20% of their budget into education. The government has also created the ‘Fundamental School Quality Level Standards’, a framework that ensures universal access to education and guarantees minimum standards across all primary schools.[iv]
However, there are some problems in Vietnamese schools. Many LGBTQ students are harassed at school and do not see school as a safe space, sometimes leading LGBTQ students to drop out or even become homeless. Some problems arise due to natural disasters, which disproportionately affect students of poorer families.
Viet Nam has ratified most conventions such as CAT, ICCPR, CEDAW, CERD, CESCR, CRPD, and the CRC, accompanied by the two optional protocols (Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in armed conflict, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children child prostitution and child pornography). However, Viet Nam has not ratified the 1960 Convention on Discrimination in Education.[v]
Timor-Leste is a Southern East Asian country with a population of approximately 1 million people. It became an independent country in 2002 after being occupied by Indonesia for 24 years and after 400 years under Portuguese colonial rule (Cabral and Martin-Jones 2021). Timor-Leste is still recuperating from its violent past and faces significant challenges, as almost 42% of the population still lives below the poverty line (UNICEF 2023a).
Due to Indonesia’s invasion and mass destruction in 1999, by 2001, 90% of the country’s schools had been destroyed, and there was a significant loss of workforce in the educational sector. Since the restoration of its independence, Timor-Leste has made significant progress in rebuilding its educational system with the help of international donors (Quinn and Buchanan 2021; UNICEF 2023a). Education is mandatory and a constitutional right in Timor-Leste from age 6 to 14, and public school is free (UNESCO 2023; UNICEF 2019). The educational system includes two years of preschool, six years of primary school, three years of pre-secondary school, and three years of secondary education (Komatsu 2019). Approximately 86% of children are enrolled in public schools in Timor, while a small but privileged minority attends private schools, which offer a higher quality education (Soares 2023). Timor-Leste also achieved gender parity in primary and preschool education in almost all regions in the country (UNICEF 2023b).
The current constitution of Timor-Leste recognizes Portuguese and Tetum (the most spoken language in Timor-Leste and lingua franca) as the official national languages (Ogden 2017). Portuguese and Tetum are the designated languages for the first cycle of education (from grades 1 to 4) and Portuguese is the language of instruction for secondary school (Cabral and Martin-Jones 2021).
Nevertheless, educational challenges remain. To illustrate, school facilities are debilitated, 66% lack functioning sanitation, 40% lack drinking water and there is still an absence of child-friendly teaching methods. Additionally, education-related figures remain unsatisfactory as 37% of young people between 15 and 24 years of age remain illiterate and 70% of students from grade one do not meet the curriculum’s learning objectives (UNICEF 2023a). In fact, in 2020, 9291 children and 9986 adolescents were out of school (UNESCO 2023). According to UNICEF, only 20% of children of preschool age are enrolled in school, even though the gross enrolment rates in preschool increased by 25% in 2019 (UNICEF 2023a; UNICEF 2023b).
Difficulties in meeting learning objectives
Despite Timor-Leste’s efforts to rebuild its educational system, girls and boys are still not reaching the learning standards for their age, especially those living in rural areas and poor urban neighborhoods. This is often due to children’s lack of preparation for school, which leads to high repetition rates (24%) and children do not attend school regularly, often resulting in dropping out. According to the World Bank, in 2010, 70% of students in Grade 1, 40% of students in Grade 2, and 20% of students in Grade 3 could not read simple text passages. Also, almost half of the children between 3 and 18 years old with disabilities are not enrolled in school (UNICEF 2023b).
Students look out the door at Cassait Basic School, Ulmera Liquica, Timor-Leste, 2015 / Photo by GPE/Lucinda Ramos via Flickr
Teacher’s capacity-building and lack thereof
One of the greatest challenges that Timor-Leste faces concerns the need to replenish the teaching workforce and the lack of a trained and capable workforce in the public school system (Quinn and Buchanan 2021; Ogden 2017). In fact, many teachers lack qualifications for educating children, especially as many only completed secondary education and only half of the workforce had the minimum qualification for teaching (Quinn and Buchan 2021). UNICEF and the Portuguese and Brazilian governments have been assisting the Ministry of Education in improving the education system for students and primary school teachers (UNICEF 2019).
To build teachers’ skills and knowledge, UNICEF implemented initiatives that include inviting teachers from public schools to well-resourced schools to engage in peer learning and learn about good educational practices. This initiative follows the principles of Eskola Foun, a children-friendly approach to school that focuses on improving access to and quality of education in primary and pre-secondary Timorese schools. By building the capacity of teachers and school leaders, this program aims to promote a safe, healthy, and inclusive environment among schools in Timor-Leste, where students can thrive (UNICEF 2019).
Teachers admitted that before engaging in this program, they would teach their students following the education method they experienced when they were students, where the teacher just wrote the content on the board and students would copy it without engaging. After the peer learning sessions, teachers started implementing a more democratic teaching approach in public schools, where students are encouraged to ask questions and share their ideas with the teacher and fellow students. Also, teachers implemented new learning approaches such as taking their students outside the classroom to explore (UNICEF 2019).
Furthermore, the Ministry of Education has sought to build a strong workforce by implementing a teaching career regime to ensure teachers meet the required qualifications (Quinn and Buchanan 2021). The Ministry of Education also initiated a Curriculum Reform in 2013 for basic education intending to create a Timorese education system that focuses on the country’s culture, history and environment to strengthen national identity. Additionally, the new curriculum encourages using local examples as part of the learning process; for example, by encouraging teachers to use typical market shopping scenarios for calculation during math classes (Ogden 2017). However, the implementation of the curricular reform has often been inadequate due to miscommunication from government officials and the fact that many teachers are unfamiliar with the content (Ogden 2017). To face this challenge, the team responsible for the curricular reform has organized training sessions to clarify teachers’ questions.
Timor-Leste is facing another challenge since the number of teachers has not increased fast enough to follow the increase in school enrolment rates, overburdening teachers due to the increasing classroom sizes (Quinn and Buchanan 2021; Burns 2017). Additionally, teachers feel pressured due to the lack of resources and study material to teach the curriculum (Quinn and Buchanan 2021; Soares 2023).
Language policy in education
Language has been a contentious issue in Timor-Leste since its independence (Ogden 2017). The current curriculum stipulates Tetum as the first language of instruction, with the gradual inclusion of Portuguese throughout elementary school (Quinn and Buchan 2021; Ogden 2017). This language-progression approach aims to ensure that students are fluent in both Tetun and Portuguese by grade 6, as Portuguese is the language of instruction in secondary school. However, there is a lack of teachers fluent in Portuguese, as the language is spoken only by a minority of the population (Burns 2017; Cabral and Martin-Jones 2021). Therefore, there is still a significant need to instruct teachers in Portuguese.
Increasing literacy
Due to the violence unleashed by the Indonesian invasion, a fifth of the population was prevented from finishing basic education (Komatsu 2019). Due to this situation, the Timorese government implemented the Equivalency Education Program in 2010, which offered young people and adults the opportunity to pursue their education through a condensed curriculum equivalent to primary and pre-secondary education. Participants can learn different subjects, including mathematics, science, history, work skills, vocational training, Portuguese, Tetun and English. Anyone can enroll in the program if they are between 15 and 17 years old and did not attend primary or pre-secondary school for more than 12 months, or above 17 years old and did not complete primary education. The Program is free but, while it has a high enrolment rate, it is still below the number of uneducated youths and adults in Timor-Leste. To illustrate, the Equivalency Education Program had 1041 students enrolled in 2010, despite 200000 adults being eligible for it. Nevertheless, in a study conducted by Komatsu (2019), it was clear that many participants never lost their desire to learn, seek new knowledge, and build self-confidence.
Alongside this program, the World Bank funded the Second Chance Education Project to enable adults to complete their basic education between 2010 and 2017. The program incorporated the special needs of mature students and offered a flexible delivery method for students to learn linguistic, scientific, and personal development skills. According to the World Bank, 55% of the participants were women, and 197 students had graduated by 2017 (World Bank 2018).
Conclusion
To conclude, despite being a relatively new nation, Timor-Leste has undergone a lot of progress to rebuild its educational system. Nevertheless, some challenges remain that hinder children’s access to quality education. The government should continue investing in schools’ renovation to ensure sanitation, hygiene and functioning infrastructure to promote students’ health and well-being.
The Ministry of Education should also continue to assist teachers’ capacity-building, including their literacy in Portuguese. Training should be offered to aspiring teachers so these future professionals have the necessary instruction to excel at their jobs. However, alongside the teachers’ willingness to learn new teaching methods, they also need the appropriate resources to be able to implement the curriculum. These should be provided equally to all schools by the government and its partners. The Ministry of Education should prioritize the distribution of curriculum material to ensure that teachers are unified in their approach, providing high-quality education to students all over the country.
Also, due to Timor-Leste’s recent independence from foreign occupation, the Ministry of Education should focus on developing a school curriculum that focuses on local history and culture as an essential part of the national development agenda. The government should advocate more for preschool education, especially among disadvantaged communities. Ensuring that children have the opportunity to attend preschool could help them prepare for Grade 1, as the high repetition rate is often associated with poor levels of school readiness (UNICEF 2023c).
Lastly, the government should invest more resources and increase access to quality education and innovative learning environments for out-of-school children and adolescents to ensure their right to education. Education should also be easily available for adults who have not finished basic education. On the same note, the Ministry of Education should offer vocational training that enables young people and adults to increase their social capital skills for employment.
References
Burns, R., 2017. Education in Timor-Leste: envisioning the future. Journal of International and Comparative Education (JICE), pp.33-45.
Cabral, E. and Martin-Jones, M., 2021. Critical ethnography of language policy in the global south: insights from research in Timor-Leste. Language Policy, 20, pp.1-25.
Komatsu, T., 2019. Second-chance Education in Post-conflict Timor-Leste: Youth and Adult Learners’ Motives, Experiences and Circumstances (No. 182). JICA Research Institute.
Ogden, L., 2017. Competing visions of education in Timor-Leste’s curriculum reform. International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives, 16(1), pp.50-63.
Quinn, M. and Buchanan, J., 2022. “A contribution to my country”: professional lives of teachers in Timor-Leste. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 42(3), pp.497-512.
The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review [UPR] for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. As Broken Chalk’s primary focus is to combat human rights violations within the educational sphere, the contents of this report and the following recommendations will focus on the Right to Education.
Four decades of sustained conflict have heavily affected Afghanistan’s educational landscape. Recurrent natural disasters, chronic poverty, drought, and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the situation for Afghan children and have taken a toll on the fragile education system.[i]
The current Taliban policies governing education are enshrined in documents distributed to education officials across different levels within the movement.[ii] The Taliban education philosophy follows a unique mixture of Pashtun culture and Islamic law, highly prioritising religious education. However, the Taliban’s High Commission for Education also emphasises the need for “modern” education alongside religious teachings.[iii]
Although the overarching education policy acknowledges the need for secular subjects to be taught alongside religious ones in schools, these statements are directly followed by religiously motivated restrictions that imply that a series of topics included in the state curriculum should be eliminated and not taught (particularly about subjects such as history and biology).[iv]
The current practices and decisions on education established by the Taliban regime contradict national and international laws. Afghanistan’s Constitution (Articles 43-44), adopted in 2004, guaranteed equal access to education for boys and girls. The Education Law 2008 once again addressed equal rights for all children, free and compulsory education until ninth grade, and free education until attaining a Bachelor’s degree. At the international level, Afghanistan has ratified the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, Article 26 recognising the Right to Education) and other human rights treaties that reaffirm the Right to Education (i.e. CESCR Articles 13-14; CRC Articles 28-29; CEDAW Article 10).[v]
Gender inequality, poverty, and questionable legislation, combined with factors such as traditional gender norms and practices, a shortage of schools, insufficient transportation, and geographical barriers, have led to an estimated 3.7 million Afghan children being out of school, 60% being girls.[vi]
[i] UNESCO. “Protecting Education in Afghanistan.” Unesco.org. February 2, 2023. https://www.unesco.org/en/emergencies/education/afghanistan.
[ii] Amiri, Rahmatullah, and Ashley Jackson. “Taliban Attitudes and Policies towards Education.” ODI Centre for the Study of Armed Groups: (February 2021): 13. https://cdn.odi.org/media/documents/taliban_attitudes_towards_education.pdf
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Amiri and Jackson, “Taliban Attitudes and Policies towards Education”, 19.
[v] Rezai, Hussain. “The Taliban Rule and the Radicalisation of Education in Afghanistan.” GlobalCampus of Human Rights – GCHR. November 24, 2022. https://gchumanrights.org/preparedness-children/article-detail/the-taliban-rule-and-the-radicalisation-of-education-in-afghanistan-4945.html.
Image Source: free stock photos from https://unsplash.com/ by Robert Collins.
Introduction
In the heart of Southeast Asia, Thailand is a land of rich history and boundless potential. Its picturesque surface hides the challenges facing its education system, a cornerstone of its development.
Education is the key to progress, dreams, and prosperity in Thailand. However, this journey is riddled with obstacles, from insufficient funding to educational inequality, casting shadows on a brighter future. These challenges aren’t abstract; they affect students, parents, and policymakers daily. We will explore Thai schools, educators, and students, highlighting their resilience and determination.
Thailand is at a crossroads in its education system, with choices that will impact future generations. We delve into Thailand’s education system’s complexities, hopes, and aspirations, recognizing that in adversity, a nation’s greatest asset is its pursuit of knowledge.
Insufficient Funding
In Thailand, where the promise of education should be a beacon for the future, insufficient funding looms as a dark cloud over the nation’s schools. A simple search through recent articles reveals a complex web of challenges from this issue.
According to a report by the World Bank, the education system in Thailand is beset by poor management, inequality, and high teacher shortages[1]. The World Bank has stated that investments in key financial, human, and digital learning resources were especially low in disadvantaged schools (ranked at the bottom 25 percent of the PISA Economic, Social, and Cultural Status (ESCS) Index), private schools that receive more than half of their funding from government, and rural schools[2].
World Bank highlights the small school challenge in Thailand and options for quality education. It reveals that compared to international peers, Thai secondary schools are severely hindered by inadequate learning materials and physical infrastructure, which limits their capacity to provide quality instruction. More importantly, the Thai secondary school system is dramatically lacking in qualified teachers: secondary schools in rural areas are much more understaffed and under-resourced than their urban counterparts[3].
A more in-depth report by the National Education Commission for the fiscal year 2022-2023 reveals the extent of the problem. It states that Thailand’s education budget falls significantly short of international standards. Thailand allocates only 15% of its annual budget to education, while UNESCO recommends a minimum of 20%[4]. This shortfall in funding directly affects the quality of education and students’ overall well-being.
To gain a deeper insight into the challenges of rural education in Thailand, the story of Ms. Nongnuch, a passionate teacher in a bamboo school in Buriram province. Like many others, her school strives to provide quality education despite limited resources.
Ms. Nongnuch explained that the bamboo school has an innovative learning method focusing on sustainability and environmental conservation. The students do not have to pay tuition but must plant 800 trees and participate in 800 hours of community service per year. They also learn leadership, empathy and compassion through hands-on activities.
She also highlighted the need for more support from the government and society. “Our school is more than just a school that we all used to know. A school is a lifelong learning centre and a hub for social and economic advancement in the communities,” Ms. Nongnuch quoted the school founder, Mechai Viravaidya[5]. However, she said the school still faces difficulties securing funds, materials and facilities.
Moreover, the lack of recognition and appreciation is a constant struggle. “Others often look down upon our students because they come from poor families or remote areas,” Ms. Nongnuch revealed. This stigma not only affects their self-esteem but also their motivation to pursue higher education.
Perhaps most inspiring is the impact on students’ aspirations. Ms. Nongnuch shared stories of talented students who had overcome their hardships and achieved their goals with the help of the bamboo school. “It fills me with joy to see potential realized,” she said. “We are nurturing future leaders who will make a difference in their communities and beyond.”
As Ms. Nongnuch eloquently put it, insufficient funding is “a barrier that blocks the opportunities for our children.” It becomes increasingly clear that supporting rural schools like hers is not just a matter of charity; it’s about empowering the untapped potential of a nation’s youth.
Quality of Education
According to a report by the Asian Development Bank, Thailand’s basic education system faces several challenges, including the need to expand the supply of human capital to avoid the middle-income trap and the ageing society. The report highlights that despite the significant amount of resources spent on education, students’ learning outcomes are low and have not improved significantly in either national or international assessments. The performance of junior secondary school students in national examinations has declined, especially in mathematics and science. While the performance of senior secondary school students has improved slightly over the same period, the mean results for core subjects (mathematics, science, and English) were less than 50. This worrying figure is worsened by inequality in education quality across regions since the performance of secondary school students is lower in poorer, remote regions. The report argues that such poor learning outcomes are presumably due to two main reasons: the role of small schools and inefficient resource allocation for education in public spending[6].
As per the World Bank, various factors are influencing the quality of education in Thailand[7]. The report highlights the following key findings:
A lack of teacher training and professional development opportunities directly impacts the quality of instruction in classrooms.
Disparities in educational quality persist between urban and rural areas, where students in rural regions face limited access to qualified teachers and educational resources.
The curriculum was found to be outdated, with a need for reforms that align with 21st-century skills.
Student engagement and critical thinking skills remain underdeveloped due to traditional teaching methods.
The report recommends comprehensive teacher training programs, curriculum updates, and implementing student-centred teaching strategies to address these challenges.
The following views expressed by both a student and a parent tell us more about the quality of education in Thailand.
Nicha, a 16-year-old high school student, expressed dissatisfaction with the rigid curriculum. “I feel like I’m just following instructions from teachers,” she said. “I want to explore, not just obey.” Nicha also mentioned that the lack of creative learning opportunities made studying less interesting.
On the other hand, Mr. Somchai, a parent, shared his worries about the quality of education. “I wonder if my child is getting the skills they need for the future,” he said. “The education system seems old-fashioned, and it doesn’t prepare them for the changes of today’s society.”[8]
These voices resonate with a growing sentiment in Thailand: a need for a shift in the education paradigm. The emphasis on holistic development, critical thinking, and practical skills has become increasingly urgent. Thailand’s educational landscape stands at a crossroads, with the quality of education being a critical factor in determining the nation’s success in the global arena.
Image Source: Free stock photos from https://unsplash.com/t/3d-renders by Mario Heller
Educational Inequality
Educational inequality in Thailand is a pressing issue highlighted in recent news articles. According to a report by the World Bank, disparities in allocation and inefficiencies of investments across schools in Thailand have led to a decline in student performance in reading and a stagnation of scores in math and science[9]. The report further finds that investments in key financial, human, and digital learning resources were especially low in disadvantaged schools, private schools that receive more than half of their funding from the government, and rural schools.
Inequality between urban and rural areas is also a significant concern. Rural areas often lack basic infrastructure, qualified teachers, and educational resources, creating a significant gap in educational quality[10]. Ethnic minority communities face additional challenges, such as language barriers, discrimination, and limited access to quality education[11].
The Thai government must address these issues and create inclusive learning environments in schools to help improve Thailand’s education performance. A report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that assesses Thailand’s education system and skills imbalances[12]. The report highlights several issues that contribute to educational inequality in Thailand:
Education quality, not quantity, is the main contributing factor to long-term economic growth.
Disadvantaged schools have low investments in key financial, human, and digital learning resources.
There is a skills mismatch between the demand in the Thai labour market and the supply of skilled workers.
There are disparities in resources allocated for teachers and other educational resources between schools with higher and lower socioeconomic status students.
The report recommends several policy interventions to address these issues, including improving teacher quality, increasing investment in disadvantaged schools, and enhancing the relevance of education to labour market needs. The report also emphasizes the importance of developing relevant skills from pre-primary to higher education levels.
However, not all students have equal access to quality education and opportunities to develop their skills. Nong, a stateless student from a hill tribe in northern Thailand, shared her challenges and aspirations for education[13].
She explained that she had to overcome many obstacles, such as poverty, discrimination, and language barriers. “I had to work hard to support my family and pay school fees,” she said. “I also faced stigma and prejudice because of my ethnicity and status. I had to learn Thai as a second language, which was difficult.”
Nong also expressed her gratitude for the support she received from teachers and mentors. “They encouraged me to pursue my dreams and helped me with scholarships and citizenship applications,” she said. “They also taught me about my rights and responsibilities as a citizen.”
Regarding her future plans, Nong said she wanted to become a teacher and help other disadvantaged children. “I want to give back to my community and society,” she said. “I believe education is the key to empowerment and opportunity.”
Nong’s story illustrates the resilience and potential of many ethnic minority and stateless students in Thailand. While they face many hardships, they also have educational hopes and ambitions. There is a need for more inclusive and supportive policies and practices that enable them to access quality education and realize their full potential.
Teacher Shortage
Thailand is facing a serious challenge in providing quality education to its students, especially in rural areas lacking qualified teachers. A Thai PBS World report highlights the teacher shortage in Thailand, particularly in rural areas. The report states that the shortage is most severe in the northeastern region of Thailand, where schools struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers[14]. This has resulted in uneven access to quality education, with students in rural areas being disadvantaged.
In addition, a report from The Bangkok Post indicates a severe shortage of science and mathematics teachers nationwide. The report states that students in these subjects face a challenging situation due to the dearth of specialized educators[15].
According to a World Bank study, around 64% of Thai primary schools are critically short of teachers, defined as having less than one teacher per classroom on average. The study estimates that as many as 110,725 out of 353,198 classrooms in Thai primary and secondary schools are critically short of teachers[16]. The study also reveals that eliminating teacher shortages in terms of quality and quantity would significantly improve student learning, and the impact would be most significant for lower-performing schools. Therefore, improving the quality of teachers and addressing the severe teacher shortages – especially for the vast number of small rural schools – should be at the centre of Thailand’s reform initiatives if the country is serious about tackling the widespread low education quality and high disparity in educational performance between socioeconomic groups.
To gain insight into the challenges of teaching in under-resourced schools, the case of Chaisit Chaiboonsomjit, a learner at Xavier Learning Community (XLC) in Chiang Rai, who served as a volunteer teacher at Zi Brae School in Chiang Mai[17]. His experience was eye-opening.
Chaisit shared his enthusiasm for teaching but also revealed the harsh conditions he faced. “The school is located on top of a mountain, and it takes eight hours to get there by car or motorcycle,” he said. “When it rains, the roads become impossible to pass, and teachers are often stranded.”
He explained how the lack of teachers affects students. “Most of our students are from the Karen hill tribe and study seven subjects provided by the Thai Education Ministry. But we only have 15 teachers for more than 200 students. They need more guidance and support to learn effectively.”
Chaisit also expressed frustration about teacher retention. “Many teachers leave after a short time because they can’t cope with the isolation and hardship,” he said. “This creates instability and inconsistency in the school system.”
In his heartfelt appeal, Chaisit emphasized the value of equal opportunity for education. “Every child, no matter where they are born, deserves a good teacher and a chance to pursue their dreams. We need more incentives to attract teachers to rural areas and more resources for teacher training.”
Chaisit’s story is a powerful illustration of the real-world impact of the teacher shortage crisis. It’s a challenge that affects educators and limits the educational potential of countless Thai students, especially those in remote areas.
Conclusion
Thailand’s education system, often celebrated for its potential, is ensnared in a web of challenges that demand urgent attention. This report has delved into five critical issues that cast shadows over the nation’s educational landscape:
Insufficient Funding: A chronic shortage of financial resources hampers the quality of education, hindering the nurturing of young minds.
Quality of Education: Rote memorization and standardized testing take precedence over critical thinking and creativity, leaving students ill-prepared for the complexities of the modern world.
Educational Inequality: Disparities in access to education and educational outcomes persist, affecting marginalized communities and perpetuating social divisions.
Teacher Shortage: A severe lack of qualified educators, particularly in rural areas and critical subjects, disrupts the learning process and hinders student development.
These challenges collectively pose a profound threat to Thailand’s education system and, by extension, its future. A nation’s strength lies in equipping its youth with the knowledge and skills to navigate an ever-evolving global landscape. However, the current state of Thailand’s education system impedes this aspiration.
Insufficient funding and the resultant resource shortages compromise the quality of education, leaving students ill-prepared for a future that demands adaptability, creativity, and critical thinking. Educational inequality perpetuates social divisions, limiting the nation’s capacity to harness the full potential of its diverse populace.
In conclusion, the challenges outlined in this report are not isolated issues; they are interconnected strands in a complex web. The future of Thailand depends on addressing these challenges with determination and foresight. A well-funded, inclusive, and quality education system is not just an investment in the present but a beacon guiding the nation toward a brighter, more equitable, and prosperous tomorrow. To ensure Thailand’s place on the global stage, these challenges must be met head-on, placing education at the forefront of the nation’s priorities.
The Republic of Yemen is an Arab country located southwest of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia. In Yemen, the academic year begins in September and ends in June, and the official primary school entrance age is 6. The system is structured so that the primary school cycle lasts six years, the lower secondary lasts three years, and the upper secondary lasts three years. Yemen has a total of 5,816,000 pupils enrolled in primary and secondary education. About 3,900,000 (67%) of these pupils are enrolled in primary education[i].
The percentage of out-of-school children in a country shows what proportion of children are not currently participating in the education system and who are, therefore, missing out on the benefits of school. In Yemen, 30% of primary school-aged children are out of school, and approximately 24% of boys of primary school age are out of school compared to 36% of girls of the same age. Nearly 70% of female youth of secondary school age are out of school compared to 38% of male children of the same age. For youth of secondary school age, the most significant disparity can be seen between the poorest and the wealthiest youth.[ii]
Yemen is facing a severe education crisis, with the number of children experiencing disruptions to their learning potentially reaching close to 6 million, leading to tremendous long-term consequences for children.[iii]
[i] Muthanna, A. (2015). Quality education improvement: Yemen and the problem of the ‘brain drain’. Policy Futures in Education, 141-148.
[ii]World Bank, f. E. (2018). Yemen National Education Profile 2018 Update.
[iii] Musalami, A. A. (2013). The education catastrophe in Yemen is a political struggle between the Congress and Islah, mismanagement and poor infrastructure. Yemen: Al Massa Press.
Today, the state controls education in Cambodia through the Ministry of Education at the national level and the Department of Education at the provincial level. The Cambodian education system includes preschool, primary, general secondary, tertiary, and vocational education.
After finishing primary school, students move on to three years of compulsory lower secondary education. Students then can continue to upper secondary education or enter secondary-level vocational training programs offered by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training. After completing upper secondary education, students must take a national high school exam. In 2019, approximately 68% of students passed. Students who pass the exam can enrol in two-year associate degree programs, four-year bachelor’s degree programs and seven-year medical degree programs at the university. However, enrolment numbers into tertiary education are low, with only 13% of students entering the university system. All students also can enrol in vocational training programs or associate degrees.
In 2017, there were 7,144 primary schools nationwide and an additional ninety-six primary schools for disadvantaged students. In the same period, 46,149 staff members taught 2,022,061 primary school children. Primary education commonly starts at age six and lasts six years.
The Secondary Education Improvement Project (SEIP), a World Bank-funded project, has significantly improved lower-secondary education in Cambodia. It has seen increased enrolment in schools, construction of more school buildings, construction of houses for teachers in remote locations, renovation of classrooms, and installation of laboratories.
SEIP has trained teachers, community representatives, and people in charge of the management of schools.
This review will focus on areas of improvement related to the standard of learning, water and sanitation, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender inequality.
At the beginning of October, the Dutch government announced their decision to raise student loan interest rates to their highest level in 14 years. This announcement ignited controversy and many debates. From January 1, 2024, student loan interest rates are set to surge from 0.46 per cent to 2.56 per cent, as reported by the Dienst University Onderwijs (DUO), the government body responsible for student financial aid.
The sudden and significant increase in interest rates has left many current and former students stumbling, with widespread disagreement over the reasons behind this unexpected move. While some argue that the growth is a necessary adjustment, others contend it is a breach of trust, further compounding the financial burdens faced by students.
The Impact on Students
In response to this increase, students have voiced their frustration and disillusionment with protests, online discussions, and their professors. Many believe they are being unfairly targeted, especially considering that the government has recently eliminated student debt for new students. More and more students struggle to find affordable housing and pay immense amounts for rooms they are often not allowed to register at. Therefore, they miss out on possible governmental funding such as the reintroduced Basisbeurs, a government grant providing financial assistance to students to cover their educational expenses.
Different Perspectives
“It’s hard to comprehend why the government would choose to burden those of us who still have debt with this interest rate hike,” says Paul, a former student. The sentiment among these students is that the government has not been transparent about the implications of this increase. Usually, when wanting to loan money, there is a clear indicator to remind people that loaning money costs money. The typical logo is nowhere to be seen when looking for information about Dutch student loans.
Conversely, some argue that the rate hike is reasonable, emphasising that everyone should know that borrowing inherently comes with interest costs. “They knew they were borrowing money, which comes with a price. Some say that students borrowed the money to finance parties and a luxurious lifestyle, while others used it to buy a house. Some say no one should be complaining as loaning money comes with the personal responsibility to be able to pay it back. They further argue that a student who pursues a meaningful and lucrative career can quickly repay their debt within the 15-year timeframe.
Whilst it is true that the student loan agreements depend on and are tied to the government’s borrowing costs, the interest rise has been coming. However, students feel like they have been cheated and are being cornered.
Government Response
Whilst Education Minister Robbert Dijkgraaf does acknowledge the concerns of students and the public, he assures that the rate adjustment is tailored to each student’s financial circumstances. He highlights that those with low incomes will have lower monthly repayments, aiming to ease the financial burden. Furthermore, Dijkgraaf believes that reintroducing the basic grant (Basisbeurs) and temporary assistance to counteract rising inflation and energy costs will financially relieve many students. However, as mentioned before, many cannot access help due to their living situation not officially registered.
The decision to raise interest rates comes after six years, during which student loan interest rates remained at 0 per cent. This was primarily due to the Dutch government’s ability to borrow funds at favourable rates in the capital market; however, the loan interest had to rise at some point due to rising interest rates.
The Feeling of Broken Promises
Van der Ham, a student herself, expresses profound disillusionment with the government’s actions amid this debate. She recalls that she believed in three critical conditions when she started borrowing. “The first was that your student debt would not affect your ability to secure a mortgage in the future,” van der Ham says in correspondence with NOS. Additionally, it was conveyed that the loan was favourable, with little to no interest.
Lastly, there was the impression that the income generated from the loan system would be reinvested in improving the quality of education. Van der Ham feels that none of these promises have materialised.
A law student, Jim Hiddink, shares similar sentiments, feeling that the situation is unjust. “When you begin borrowing, you agree with the government, but now the entire nature of that agreement is changing. The interest rate remained low, at most 0.5 per cent.”
In a letter sent by the outgoing Minister of Education, Dijkgraaf, to the Dutch Parliament in 2022, it was stated that there was never a promise to maintain a 0 per cent interest rate or that the size of a student’s debt would have no influence on their mortgage application. Previous ministers, including Jet Bussemaker, had, however, stressed that the consequences should remain limited and students should not develop a “fear of borrowing.” Which has now, unfortunately, become a reality for many.
Mustafa Ersoy’s fate hangs in the balance as he faces deportation to Turkey. With his expired passport, he has turned to Switzerland in a desperate plea for asylum.
by Inja van Soest.
In a recent report by İsmail Sağıroğlu from Boldmedya, we learn of yet another tragic chapter unfolding against a backdrop of mounting pressure within Turkey. Mustafa Ersoy, a 52-year-old educator from Konya Beyşehir, is facing deportation. After completing his studies in computer science in Kazakhstan, he stayed for a decade as a teacher. Afterwards, he returned to his homeland, Turkey, assuming roles as a manager in Beykoz and Sultanbeyli reading halls affiliated with Kaynak Eğitim in Istanbul.
However, Mustafa’s life took a sharp turn on July 15, 2016, when Turkey experienced a coup attempt. The Turkish government attributed the coup to Fethullah Gulen, a Turkish cleric living in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999. Once an ally of President Erdogan, Gulen firmly denies any involvement in the coup. The Turkish government has labelled Gulen’s network as the “Fethullah Terrorist Organization” (FETO), accusing its supporters of establishing a “parallel state” by infiltrating various state institutions, including the police, judiciary, and military. In the two years following the coup attempt, Turkey remained under a state of emergency, leading to the arrest of tens of thousands and the suspension or dismissal of at least 125,000 civil servants, military personnel, and academics suspected of having links to Gulen.
When Mustafa’s colleagues started facing detainment and arrests, he sought refuge in Kazakhstan. However, his inability to renew his passport forced him to leave Kazakhstan, ultimately reaching Switzerland via Greece, where he applied for asylum.
Regrettably, Mustafa Ersoy’s application was rejected on two separate occasions, with him not having access to the information in his case files. The situation reached a critical juncture on Thursday, October 12th, when Swiss Police picked him up in the early morning hours at the camp where he had been staying and escorted him to the airport. Mustafa refused to board the flight to Turkey, fully aware that he would face imminent arrest and persecution upon his return. Since then, he has been in a detention centre near Geneva alongside other immigrants awaiting deportation to their home countries.
It was not until Monday, October 16th, that Mustafa received a glimmer of hope when a Swiss court granted him the right to reapply for asylum. His re-application with the legal help of FLAG21 is now under review, with a decision expected within the next ten days.
Broken Chalk firmly stands with Mustafa Ersoy and is grateful for the help he has received from FLAG21. Broken Chalk appeals to the Swiss Government to grant him asylum and protection from the potential persecution he faces at the hands of the Turkish Government.
At first glance, Austria seems ideal for living and studying. Its capital, Vienna, has been named the most liveable city in the world for the second year in a row. Its educational system is known for its high standards, high quality, and a strong diversification of programmes at all levels of education. According to Article 14 of the Austrian Federal Constitutional Law, “democracy, humanity, solidarity, peace and justice, openness and tolerance towards everyone regardless of race, social status and financial background” are fundamental principles that lay at the core of education in Austria. Unlike many other European countries, Austria offers free higher education for EU citizens, making it attractive for international students. The generous government spending on education is undoubtedly a factor making this possible. Add onto this a rich cultural heritage and some stunning landscapes, and the picture looks flawless. However, in reality, Austria, just like any other country, has to face its own set of educational challenges.
Cross-regional disparities
In Austria, regional inequalities in children’s access to and participation in education become increasingly evident when looking at non-compulsory levels of education. The enrolment rate of 3-5 year-olds varies from 82% in the region of Styria to 95% in Lower Austria. When looking at other age groups, enrolment rates range from 97% to 100% across regions for 6-14 year-olds and from 67% to 91% for 15-19 year-olds.
Similarly, the share of 25-64 year-old adults with tertiary education varies from 29% in the region of Vorarlberg to 43% in Vienna. These variations across different regions of the country reflect more than just differences in educational opportunities. To a large degree, they are caused by economic conditions and internal migration patterns.
Tracking of students at a young age
The tracking of students into different types of schools starts at 10, much earlier than the OECD average age of 14. Such an approach may pose significant challenges in terms of equity if not managed properly. OECD evidence shows that early tracking can increase
inequities in students’ learning and exacerbate socioeconomic background’s impact on performance. Although in Austria, the selection into educational tracks is formally based on academic achievements and the recommendations of teachers, in practice, socioeconomic background plays an essential role for families when deciding on a track at the end of primary education.
To reduce the impact of early tracking and provide more equitable learning outcomes for all students, a new lower secondary school model, the New Secondary School (Neue Mittelschule, NMS), was introduced in 2007-2008. However, according to a summative evaluation from 2015, the project has had mixed results. Deficiencies in the implementation process were found, with interpretations of the new model varying between schools and students’ overall levels of achievement were needing improvement.
Teacher Helping a Student / Picture by Max Fischer via Pexels
Integration of students with immigrant backgrounds
Austria faces challenges in increasing the participation of children from certain backgrounds in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC), including immigrant children and reducing the achievement gaps between students from disadvantaged or immigrant backgrounds and their peers.
According to data from PISA 2015, students with an immigrant background made up 20.3% of the total student population in Austria, a percentage significantly higher than the OECD average of 12.5%. Education outcomes for students with an immigrant background remain significantly below those of other students. Additionally, grade repetition is higher amongst immigrant students, with 26.5% of immigrant students reporting having repeated a grade, compared to 12.1% of non-immigrant students (above the OECD average of 19.9% and 10.9%, respectively). According to Eurostat evidence, foreign-born students also have almost three times the early school leaving rates of native-born students.
In analyzing and comparing the situation of children of Turkish migrants in France, Sweden, and Austria, academic Philipp Schnell finds that when it comes to the scale of the disadvantages suffered by children of this background in the education system, Austria is the unequivocal leader. Schnell gives the following explanation for this disparity:
“ The crucial factors are the intensity of the interaction between the structures of the school system and family resources, as well as the time at which this interaction begins. In the Austrian education system, it has to begin at an earlier point than in other countries.”
Thus, in other words, Turkish families and families of different migrant backgrounds often cannot find and allocate the resources that the Austrian system requires at such an early point in time.
Furthermore, when admitting a pupil into the Austrian school system, there are no formal test procedures for assessing the child’s competence in German. Children whose competence in German is insufficient to follow classes are admitted as so-called ex-matriculate pupils for a maximum of two years. Afterwards, it is automatically assumed that pupils can generally follow tuition in the classroom, even though their competence in German is not yet comparable with that of native speakers. This language barrier could have a negative impact on pupils’ education, literacy, and their further trajectory in life. Indeed, a 2022 report shows that the Austrian educational system has yet to fully succeed in guaranteeing that immigrant children can read and write German fluently after nine years of schooling.
Access to education for asylum seekers
Asylum-seeking children can attend primary and secondary school only after their asylum application has been admitted to the regular procedure. Attendance in public schools is not provided for them during the period in which they reside in the initial reception center of the state.
Obtaining access to education for asylum seekers older than 15 can pose difficulties, as schooling is not compulsory after the age of 15 for asylum seekers. Moreover, children who did not attend the mandatory school years in Austria have difficulties continuing their education. Special courses are available free of charge only for unaccompanied children who have not successfully finished the compulsory last school year. This possibility is often not available for free for children accompanied by their families.
Discrimination
In addition to the practical challenges described above, students from various backgrounds face discrimination, which remains a prominent issue in Austrian schools. In 2022, 158 discrimination cases in the education system were reported to the Austrian Initiative for a Non-Discriminatory Education System (IDB – Initiative für ein diskriminierungsfreies Bildungswesen). According to the organization, 84% of reports are cases of racial discrimination. Around 36% of all cases of discrimination reported to the IDB involved decidedly anti-Muslim, racist and/or Islamophobic discrimination and 1% of all cases reported involved anti-Semitic discrimination.
The Matura exam
The Matura, officially called Reifeprufung, is the Austrian “general school-leaving examination” and represents a prerequisite for higher education such as university, academy, technical university, and college. The exam consists of written examinations, three to four tests lasting for up to five hours each on consecutive mornings in May, and oral examinations, which are held about one month after the written ones.
The Austrian Matura has gone under severe criticism over the years. Critics argue that the exam’s structure is too rigid and fails to assess students’ practical skills and critical thinking abilities adequately. Many experts argue that the system encourages students only to memorize certain subjects and themes, hindering creative thinking. Some specialists have called the Matura “a real lottery system”, with a lot depending on whether the students studied and memorized the particular subject more in-depth than others. Additionally, the Matura exam can be criticized from a socioeconomic perspective, as it may favour students from more privileged backgrounds with access to additional tutoring and resources.
Conclusion
Beneath Austria’s charming exterior, its educational system grapples with hidden challenges. These challenges aren’t exclusive to Austria; they mirror issues prevalent in educational systems worldwide. The disparities in education attainment across regions aren’t just about geography; they echo global struggles with economic inequality. Early student tracking highlights the perennial debate between early specialization and nurturing diverse talents. The challenges immigrant students face mirror those in many diverse societies striving for inclusive education. Discrimination, an unfortunate reality, persists not only within Austrian classrooms but in classrooms everywhere.
Austria’s educational journey is a reminder that no nation is immune to these challenges. It’s a call to action for policymakers, educators, and communities in Austria and worldwide. Before them stands the question: How do we balance tradition and innovation, inclusivity and excellence, uniformity and individuality? This is no simple question, but it brings us closer to reaching the universal goal of a fairer, more equitable education system.
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