As you may know that Thailand is now carrying out the on-going education reform based on the National Education Act 1999. According to the Act, by the year 2002, all Thai people are entitled by law to receive basic education of high quality, free of charge, for no less than 12 years. It is for sure that the number of Thai students furthering their secondary and tertiary education will be significantly increased. However, the expansion of basic education will place secondary education under higher pressure such as problems of low accessibility, gender disparity, irrational structures, irrelevance of curricular content and low quality.
Therefore, UNESCO, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Office of the National Education Commission, recently hosted an international conference on Innovations in Secondary Education: Meeting the needs of adolescents and youth in Asia and the Pacific in order to re-define the roles of secondary education to meet the young generations of the region. For the conference summary, Dr. Victor Ordonez Senior Education Fellow, East-West Centre, Hawaii; Former Director, UNESCO Bangkok talks to Radio Thailand as follows;

1. How do you think the theme of the conference reflect the situation of youth and secondary education in the member countries, especially Thailand?

I think the theme of this conference, which is addressing the youth especially in secondary schools, is in a very good timing. In Asia, many countries are expanding secondary education. But in Thailand, in particular, I was listening to khun Savittri explained, before there were only less than 50% in high schools, now are 70%. So compared to the other countries, Thailand is one of the fastest expanding secondary schools. This conference is important because it helps not only Thailand but also other countries understand how to make secondary schools useful to the youth and not just useless.

2. During this 4-day conference, what are the major innovations and reforms that you find useful for Thailand?

One of the things we discussed here was that high school is not just for studying subjects and getting grades. Secondary school should be able to make the youth people to develop themselves completely not just academic but their emotion, their values, their attitudes, their abilities to get along with others. So, I think if high schools can change from being just a place for studying authenticity to a place where children can grow up and become more mature, more responsible, and more joyful. As in the fundamental reform, the Permanent-Secretary Dr. Kasama spoke to us about inclusive education, according to her, high school in Thailand now are just for all, not for only the intelligents but for everybody. Because everybody whether you are intelligent or not, you have your own special gift. It's their job of all secondary schools to make that gift grows. Some are good in books, some are good in with their hands, and some are good in sports. Everybody's good in something. And according to khun Kasama, it is the job of the schools to make the good part of everybody comes out.

3. I heard that there was a youth forum, any recommendations of the youth that you find interesting?

Yes, I think the youth forum was very important. When the youth forum reported to the general assembly about their discussions, all of us are very impressed. But what I remember most is the Youth telling us, the adults "when you make plans for us and you don't even ask us about what are our opinions you plans are not good. If you want a good plan, we have to tell you how to make the plan because we know our situations. Therefore, in the future, please you adults, include us whenever you make plans because we can feel that we can join this partner."

Miss Wallapat Sritongsuk
Office of the National Education Commission