A group of students opposed to reciting "the 12 core values" set by the junta at school have been branded a "minority" by Education Minister Adm Narong Pipatanasai.
The group, known as "Education for Liberation of Siam", last week gathered in front of the Education Ministry to protest against plans to make it compulsory for students to recite the 12 core values, drawn up by National Council for Peace and Order chief and premier Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The group accused the Education Ministry of trying to exert authoritarian "thought control" over students and said schools should discuss the core values on a voluntary basis.
The students have now launched an online petition to stop the forced recital of the values on www.change.org. As of yesterday, 750 people had signed up to the campaign.
Adm Narong insisted the compulsory measure is necessary to cultivate national values among students, adding that teachers will also be required to memorise the 12 principles.
"I respect different views, but I would like to ask the students which one of the 12 core values they have a problem with. If they don't agree that the values reflect good things, then there must be something wrong. If the majority of people in society disagree with the core values, the ministry will review them," he said yesterday.
Asked if the students were not merely opposing the authoritarian method of teaching the core values, as opposed to their content, Adm Narong said he has advised all schools to think about how to put the values into practice, not simply ask pupils to memorise them.
"I agree students will learn nothing from just reciting the core values, so teachers must help them understand, not merely remember," he said.
The values include having love for the monarchy, nation and religion; being honest, patient and good toward the public; showing gratitude and obedience to parents, guardians and teachers; persevering in learning; and putting concern about the public and national good above self-interest.
The values also say pupils should conserve Thai traditions; be moral and share with others; show discipline and respect for the law and elders; be strong-minded; live by His Majesty's sufficiency economy philosophy and understand that democracy functions with the monarch as the head of state.