This project focuses on public education in rural Thailand by featuring schools in Tha Sala district in Nakhon Si Thammarat province and Koh Lanta Noi (small island north of Koh Lanta). The schools located in Tha Sala district, Wat Khok Lek School and Wat Samosorn School, are both located on Buddhist temple ground. Often times temple schools are one of the only forms of education children in rural areas are able to attend. While 95% of Thailand is Buddhist, 80% of the citizens in Koh Lanta are Muslim. Therefore, the schools in Koh Lanta Noi, Ban Lang Sod School and Ban Klong Tanod School are both Islamic schools. Even though these four schools associate with two different religions and are in different regions, they follow the same basic curriculum as all public schools in Thailand, with a few changes in their complementary subjects
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Welcome
In Thailand education is free for all citizens for 12 years and the first nine years of primary school are compulsory. These nine years include six year of primary school and three of secondary school, after which they can continue to finish the last three year of secondary school.
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Class Time
Most schools in Thailand are located on temple ground since education in Thailand used to be only provided to boys by Buddhist monks years ago. Now formal education is available to all by the National Education Act of 1999.
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Girls with Batons
With their compulsory education Thailand has a literacy rate of 93%. However, for the quality of education it's ranked seventh out of the ten ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries.
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Ban Lang Sod School Principal
The school system has a 6-3-3 structure. It consists of six primary school years (Prathom 1-6), three years of lower secondary (Matthayom 1-3), and three years of upper secondary (Matthayom 4-6). In order to continue to Matthayom 4-6 students must take an exam (O-NET) and take another one in order to graduate (A-NET).
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Solving
The school year starts on May and ends on March with two semesters a year. The school day usually starts at 8am or 8:30am, depending on the school, and ends at 3:30.
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Teaching
An Associate's Degree or Higher Certificate in Education in teacher- training can be achieved after two years in a community college or technical institute, although some universities offer this degree. A Certificate of Secondary Education or Vocational Education as well as a certain score in national admissions test is required to qualify for this program.
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English Class
The Ministry of Education requires an eight-core subject curriculum during primary years. These subjects are: Thai language, Mathematics, Science, Social Science, Health and Physical Education, Arts and Music, Technology, and Foreign languages. English is taught nationwide from the first year of primary school. However, the photographer (that speaks fluent english) and the English teacher could not communicate very well while talking in english.
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Math Class
He is working in his workbook solving multiple addition and subtraction problems in his math class. Ban Lang Sod School is one of the few public schools in Lanta Noi that has both Prathom Suksa (primary) and Matthayom Suksa (secondary). After Matthayom 3 students have to choose one or two elective courses between science programs, mathematics programs, foreign language programs, or social science programs.
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Grading
Thailand's grading system in primary and secondary school consists of a 0-4 number system, 0 being fail (F) and 4 being excellent (A). However, some English teaching programs and individual English teachers use the A-D grading system.
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Lining Up
In schools throughout Thailand it is common for students to line up during class or various activities in the school day. This kindergarten class is in Ban Lang Sod School is lining up to listen to the announcements their teacher has to make at the beginning of class.
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Gender Segregation
In both Islamic and Buddhist schools a separation between genders can be seen. Boys and girls are in separate groups when they line up and although they share the same room in class they sit separately, especially when they are older.
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Praying
The flag ceremony consists of the students lining up by grade and gender and they stand still while the Thai flag is raised two students to the Thai national song. Afterwards, in Wat Kok Lek School they listen to a Buddhist prayer.
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Sport Day
There is a day each week reserved for physical exercise in which the students dress in their sports uniform, this year it is every Wednesday. After the flag ceremony, and prayer they exercise. In Wat Kok Lek School this comes in the form of hula-hoops. When they are finished they continue with their regular classes.
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Scout Day
Scouting was introduced by King Rama VI and there is a day each week called Scout day; in Wat Samosorn school it is on Thursdays. The students come in their Scout uniforms and do scouting activities in order to become better citizens. It is part of the school curriculum therefore the students are tested at the end of the term.
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Kindergarten
An amendment to the National Education Act was made in 2002 states that two or three, varying between schools, free years of pre-school is also guaranteed but not compulsory. This particular kindergarten class is learning about numbers.
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Kindergarten Uniform
In Islamic schools the girls are not required to wear hijabs until they are seven years old or when they go to grade 1. While in kindergarten in Ban Klong Tanod School they wear a red and blue plaid dress with a white collar and sleeves.
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Uniform
The uniform for the girls after kindergarten in Muslim schools is a long blue skirt, a long sleeved white shirt with a hijab, and black shoes. The boys wear blue bottoms, a white button down shirt, and black shoes, losing the colored bib they wear in pre-school.
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Lunch Time
Lunch is prepared by the staff and provided each day for all students. Today in Ban Klong Tanod School they are serving rice, chicken, and mango. The younger children eat first followed by the older students in this cantine that seats 100.
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Nap Time
After lunchtime the children in K1 and K2 in Wat Samosorn School take an hour and thirty-minute nap while the older students return to their classes. This girl is in K2 and is six years old.
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Goodbye
It is an emotional day for students and teachers alike as a teacher leaves the school to work for the government. She was the math and science sixth grade teacher in Wat Samosorn School.
References
http://www.indexmundi.com/thailand/literacy.html
http://wenr.wes.org/2014/03/education-in-thailand/
https://www.justlanded.com/english/Thailand/Thailand-Guide/Education/Introduction
http://lantaoldtown.com/culture/muslim-culture
Professor Dr. Rungrawee Jitpakdee, Associate Dean July 25,2016