Third-year science students at Udon Thani Rajabhat University prepare to ask questions about their assignments.

The good, bad and ugly

Education has been in the news frequently
in the last three months with varying consequences

The idea that everyone wants the same things and that it's just the way they go after it that differs, in my opinion, is a flawed argument. This was highlighted by an article by Mr Flemming Winther Neilsen, PhD, entitled "On the road to perfection," published recently in the Bangkok Post.

The article compared the mindsets of Europeans and Thais and gave examples that were informative as well as amusing. I believe that this has an implication for education in Thailand, as the way that Thai students think is a long way from what foreign teachers of English expect.

To go even further, Thai culture could in fact hinder the learning process in such a way as to make some methodologies and educational practices obsolete. For example, most teachers are confronted with an eerie silence when asking if there are any questions. I have lost count the number of times homework has been copied and assignments plagarized without any effort to conceal the fact.

There are plenty of positives

Let's look at the positives. August saw Thai students win a top software prize in Seoul. A team of Thai university students achieved first prize in Microsoft's Image Cup by writing a software program to help the illiterate read.

Thai high school students attained one gold, three silver and two bronze medals at the Olympiad held in Vietnam in July. This is a science Olympiad saw 93 countries competing for prizes.

In America, the Thai team won the World Robocup Rescue Championship for the second year running. Thailand also won third and fourth places. There is even a possibility that this technology will be used by the Thai military for rescue purposes.

Secondary school students from Thailand won 22 medals at the World Youth Mathematics Intercity Competition in China last month. In addition, five other students won consolation prizes and Thailand won an additional award for interrelationship, cooperation and harmony.

What about the negatives

Figures released by the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) inform us that 12 percent of Prathom 2 students could not read or write. Out of 630,000 students tested, 79,000 failed to make the grade. What was more appalling was that 10 education zones had illiteracy rates of higher than 25 percent.

The Culture Ministry held a seminar recently to discus the crisis in Thai language. The writing and speaking of Thai by youths was stated as a cause for concern. To be truthful, I am not sure whether it is a genuine crisis or whether the Thai language is evolving to fit into the globalization that is taking place everywhere else.

It was also reported that 25 percent of medical school candidates that were successful dropped out nationwide. Moreover, some newly graduated doctors resigned due to the amount of responsibility the job entailed and the low salary paid.

The way ahead

To its credit, Obec has concentrated its efforts on the 79,000 illiterate Prathom 2 students and it is hoped that these students will be able to read and write 3,000 standard Thai words within a year. At the end of Prathom 3, these students will be tested again.

With regard to the Thai language crisis, some of my Thai colleagues have commented that there are students that need help with their Thai language skills; though, I think that students could help their teachers and education ministers understand what is happening to their language as it adjusts to the demands put upon it.

Chulalongkorn University has been assigned to study why there is a 25 percent drop out rate among successful candidates for medical schools nationwide. This is an area of obvious concern in a discipline of great importance for Thailand.

I am not a scientist; however, to understand science, students must ask questions. My students all ask questions and the majority of them will hopefully achieve their desired grades. They understand that, "If you don't ask, you don't get." Thai students are achieving worldwide recognition, but we must take care not to leave some of them behind.

Steve Graham is an English language teacher at the Language Center, Udon Thani Rajabhat University in northeast Thailand. If there are any comments or areas for debate that you would like to discuss, you can contact Steve at: shed_chelsea@hotmail.co.uk .