The Third National Economic and Social Development Plan (1972-1976). Chapter 16, p.258-260.

Population Policy

The Third National Economic and Social Development Plan
(1972-1976). Chapter 16, p.258-260.

Date:     1972-1976

Source:     Office of the Prime Minister, National Economic and Social Development Board, Bangkok, Thailand

Subject:     education policy, formal education, non-formal education

Text:

Education Policy and Targets of the Third Plan (1972-1976)

The Policies and Targets of the Third Plan are to promote efficiency and productivity at all levels, within and without the educational system. Emphasis will be placed on technical knowledge in order to increase productivity through the maximum use of natural resources, thus reducing unemployment in rural areas. Community and local development programmes which aim at the prevention of social problems will also be stressed. Five overall policies of educational development in the Third Plan are summarized as follows:

To expand lower primary education in order to supply education for the increasing number of school-age children.
To improve and expand compulsory education at the upper primary level (Prathom 5-7). This task must be completed by 1990, together with the incorporation of agricultural subjects in the curriculum at this level.
To support education in sciences, technology and vocational studies and to expand lower secondary education within the budget constraints. It is hope to provide courses which may enable students to receive further training so the sufficient middle level manpower will be available at the start of the Fourth Plan.
To accelerate the training of qualified teachers to meet requirements at all educational levels.
To promote adult and out-of-school education by placing emphasis on agricultural training.

Education development policies and targets at each level can be classified as follow:

Primary Level

To expand primary education to meet the needs of the increasing population and to improve efficiency in order to reduce waste especially at the lower primary level.
To accelerate the expansion of upper primary schools with emphasis on occupational requirements in the provinces.
To improve provincial primary schools and transform them into community schools by utilizing all resources fully and in such a manner as to conform with rural development objectives.

Secondary Level-Academic Stream

To improve and expand secondary level education according to the requirements for middle-level manpower, with particular emphasis on the provinces, and to improve and broaden the curriculum so that students will have more opportunity to select subjects of their choice.
To increase efficiency and reduce waste, particularly at the upper secondary level.
To improve private schools by giving special emphasis to improved teaching.

Secondary Level-Vocational Stream

To improve and expand upper vocational secondary schools to help meet the demand for middle-level manpower and to emphasize particularly agricultural education.
To reduce the lower secondary level-vocational stream by arranging a programme that and be integrated with the lower secondary level academic stream.
To support and encourage vocational teaching and to promote the welfare of technical instructors.
To provide short training course in rural vocational schools so as to make maximum use of the facilities and equipment available.

Teacher Training Level

To improve and expand teacher training, for both academic and vocational streams, in important fields such as industrial engineering, agriculture and physical education, in order to meet national requirements. Programmes will be arranged to attract provincial students to enroll in the local teacher training colleges in order to become teachers in their hometowns.
To concentrate on producing qualified staff to teach at teacher training colleges so as to facilitate their further expansion.
To revise the teacher training curriculum at all levels to attain higher standards and conform with social needs.
To promote the publication of textbooks and educational research, as well as the use of libraries.

Higher Education

To promote quality and efficiency, both administrative and academic, and to reduce waste, especially at the undergraduate level.
To improve and promote the fields which are essential to social and economic development, such as agriculture, engineering, sciences, medical sciences and Thai studies, and to emphasize the study of the English language. Encourage graduate study for university instructors in order to have enough lecturers for university and other educational institutions.
To promote research and the publication of textbooks for higher education.
To develop regional universities as the real academic centres for each region. To promote experimental development of community colleges so as to meet the demand for middle level manpower in occupations which are most needed.

Adult and other special education

To promote adult and out-of-school education for dropouts and those who have had no opportunity to continue their studies, by providing basic reading and writing classes as well as vocational training to suit local needs. To improve adult education centres and, mobile vocational training units to suit the socio-economic conditions of rural areas.
To promote the use of the mass-media in the development of adult education and to improve and expand public libraries in areas which lack adult education centres.
To promote youth activities in local development and vocational training for young people.

Nursing

To expand nurses’ training at all levels by Government and private institutions, so that the number of qualified nurses can be increased to meet the country’s needs. Upper level (M.S. 5 basic requirement) nurses training will be given support.
To improve the standards of nursing education and training and to support nurses’ welfare in the provinces and remote areas. As well as to encourage more women to take up nursing.