Bangkok: "Yotchanan-Prasert," comprising Deputy Prime Minister Yotsanun Wongsawat and Minister of Education Prasert Chantharawongthong, has initiated an education reform by piloting six policies through the "Education Sandbox" model. This initiative aims to innovate the Thai educational landscape by promoting a Credit Bank system linked to the Thai University Central Admission System (TCAS) and ensuring teachers focus on classroom teaching.
According to Thai News Agency, the Education Sandbox mechanism is being used as a trial area for these policies, with the intention to expand successful results on a national scale. Yotsanun Wongsawat emphasized the systematic approach covering six key dimensions to bring about significant changes in Thai education.
The first policy focuses on reducing non-teaching workloads through a "central kitchen" system, where cloud kitchens managed by local organizations provide school meals, allowing teachers to dedicate their time to teaching. The second policy aims to address budget allocation by replacing the per-capita method with a "real need cost" criterion, including a pilot student transportation system to improve access to quality schools.
The third initiative involves updating the curriculum to align with modern competencies, focusing on existing subjects to develop skills in reading, computational and scientific thinking, communication, and digital/AI literacy. The fourth policy introduces a Credit Bank system, offering flexible education paths for at-risk students by linking learning outcomes to TCAS for university applications.
Improving laws and administrative structures form the core of the fifth policy, with guidelines to enhance the flexibility of appointments and transfers of school administrators within innovation zones. The sixth and final policy establishes schools as safe zones, integrating mental health support and anti-violence measures, including a confidential reporting system and mandatory skills training for teachers.
The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Education have instructed relevant parties to report progress to the Educational Innovation Zone Policy Committee, ensuring the assessment of results before considering nationwide implementation of this model.