Dire social, economic outcomes predicted
Up to 2 million children nationwide are not receiving a basic education, a development that could lead to dire social and economic consequences.
From 1.7 million to 2 million children aged between 3 and 17 years, or about 11% of the school-age population, have been pushed out of the education system, Juajan Jongsathityoo, a former education planning adviser to the Education Council, said yesterday.
The sorry state of affairs was uncovered by a study by Witthayakorn Chiangkoon, the dean of Rangsit University's College of Social Innovation.
The findings were raised for discussion at a seminar on children outside the education system held yesterday by the Quality Learning Foundation (QLF).
The study found children of primary school age topped the list of those who were not receiving a basic formal education, followed by those in secondary school.
Factors pushing children out of the formal school system include financial problems, broken families, poor health and pressure from schools which shun students with weak academic records.
Ms Juajan said the findings reflected a survey by the National Statistical Office in 2006 which found the quality of the country's labour force was declining.
Uneducated or under-educated children were unlikely to make up a strong pool of skilled workers in the future.
"The number of workers with an education background below primary primary level stands at 21.6 million people, or 60% of the country's labour-age population," Ms Juajan said.
Low education standards make Thailand's labour exports uncompetitive, she said.
Supakorn Buasai, manager of the QLF which organised the seminar, insisted children must be allowed the opportunity to enter or re-enter the formal education system.
He said the problem of so many children not receiving a basic education would have serious social and economic ramifications if left untackled.
The children would become jobless and they might turn to illicit drugs and crime, Mr Supakorn said.
He urged municipalities across the country to help solve the problem as they were closely involved in managing primary and secondary education.
Phatthalung municipality mayor Kosil Paisarnsil said his municipality faced a problem with students quitting school after it took over supervision of public schools a few days ago.
Many schools wanted to enroll only smart students. Students who did not do well academically could not stand the pressure and left.
Fewer than 10 out of 61 primary school students under the municipality's management could read or write Thai, the mayor said.
After completing Prathom Suksa6 (Grade 6), they failed to meet the academic requirements to continue their education in secondary school.
Tueng (real name withheld) said he was expelled from school when he was in Grade 9 for misconduct.
He said he became rebellious because he was frustrated that the school turned away children with troubled backgrounds.
He turned to illicit drugs and committed crimes but was finally caught.
Tueng said he was given a new lease of life by officials at Ban Kanchanapisek Remand Home.
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