School heads lack English, ICT skills
Poor survey showing surprises authorities
- Published: 7 Jun 2010 at 00.00
- Newspaper section: News
Many school executives lack skills in English and information and communications technology, despite having master's degrees, the Office of the Basic Education Commission says.
The office asked Srinakharinwirot University earlier this year to test the abilities of about 40,000 school directors and deputy directors under its jurisdiction.
They were tested for administrative knowledge, leadership and abilities in English and information and communications technology (ICT).
The school executives were fair at administration and leadership but were found lacking at English and ICT, the tests found.
"Many school executives are poor at English and technology," commission deputy secretary-general Saneh Khaoto said.
"The office did not expect this, because most school executives have master's degrees."
Mr Saneh declined to reveal how poor many school executives were at English and ICT.
The government has set aside economic stimulation funds to improve the quality of school executives and teachers, although the commission has not prepared a budget for courses to improve English or technology application skills this year.
Mr Saneh said Obec planned to spend 560 million baht this year to improve school executives' leadership, decision-making and participatory management skills.
It has hired Chulalongkorn University's education faculty to develop courses.
Next year it will seek a budget to improve executives' English and technology application skills, with the same faculty to be hired to develop training courses.
Five or six training centres will be opened.
Obec will give 9,000 baht to each school executive for training, travel and accommodation.
The teaching abilities of 400,000 teachers have also been tested, with the results now being analysed.
Obec has spent 678 million baht on the tests.
It will categorise teachers into three categories based on their ability.
Those in the highest category will be trained into leading teachers under a 201 million baht project.
Another 500 million baht will be spent on promoting morality among teachers and 60 million baht on e-training.
Each teacher who attends training will receive 1,000 baht a day over five to 15 days.
They also will be paid a travel allowance of 1,000 baht and an accommodation allowance of 450 baht.
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About the author
- Writer: Sirikul Bunnag
- Position: Reporter
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