LOEI : The so-called Kangjan model, designed to solve the problem of a student shortage in four small public schools in tambon Hat-Kampee of Loei's Pak Chom district, is being hailed a success.
A Prathom 1 student at Ban Na Mo School in tambon Hat-Kampee of Loei’s Pak Chom district. This small public school is one of the four schools which has come under the so-called Kangjan model, designed to solve the problem of a student shortage and help maintain them as independent units. LAMPHAI INTATHEP
The model was initiated two years ago by the school directors, the chief of the Loei Primary Education Service Area Office 1, local officials, and residents.
It aimed to prevent the consolidation of small schools which the Education Ministry has been pushing aggressively during its second round of education reforms, from 2009 to 2018.
Under the reforms, small schools with fewer than 120 students are to be shut down and consolidated into a single school to improve the quality of education.
Currently, there are more than 14,000 schools with less than than 120 pupils across the country and about 6,000 of them are to be consolidated into roughly 2,000 schools.
The four schools in Loei where the Kangjan model was implemented are Ban Hat-Kampee School, Ban Pak Mang Huai Thap Chang School, Ban Na Mo School, and Ban Khok Wao School.
They are located in the same district, not far from each other. The schools provide education from kindergarten level to Prathom 6 (Grade 6).
Under the Kangjan model, administrators agreed not to consolidate the four schools. Instead they had each school take responsibility for teaching two grades. All students from each age group across the four schools now study together as a single group.
The Ban Hat-Kampee School, which previously had 78 students, now teaches students in Prathom 5 and 6 only.
The Ban Pak Mang Huai Thap Chang School, which previously had 61 pupils, now takes students in Anuban 2 and Prathom 2.
The total number of pupils has remained steady with 60 in attendance today.
The Ban Na Mo School used to have 75 students and now has students exclusively from Anuban 1 and Prathom 1. The Ban Khok Wao School used to have 33 students but is now dedicated to teaching students in Prathom 3 and 4.
"Before the use of the Kangjan model, our school had only one student in Prathom 2. The largest class of seven students was in Prathom 5. The situation put us at risk of being shut down," said Suphannee Kulapa, director of the Ban Khok Wao School. Ms Suphannee said enrolments were gradually dwindling as parents decided to move their children to bigger schools in nearby districts.
Samart Watanorraphan, director of the Ban Pak Mang Huai Thap Chang School, said the Kangjan model has increased the number of students at his school in Anuban 2 from eight to 30, and in Prathom 2 from 11 to 30.
"Before, four teachers had to look after all eight classes. But now each class has two teachers," Mr Samart said.
The new configuration allows the four schools to hold sports days and other student activities together.
Jitrawadee Panich, a teacher at Ban Hat-Kampee School, said teachers can now spend most of their time teaching and preparing lessons.
This could lead to an improvement of students' academic performance, she suggested.
"This approach benefits both teachers and students as we are a lot more relaxed and our students are happier because they have more friends in classes," Ms Jitrawadee said.
Krinakorn Pitsaporn, a Prathom 4 student, said she moved from Ban Na Mo School to study at Ban Khok Wao School.
"Before I had nine friends but now I have 29. I have more fun," she said.
Thinmanee Saengchaiwan, who moved from Ban Hat-Kampee School to study in Prathom 3 at Ban Khok Wao School, said she is more eager to go to school every day because she now has a lot more classmates.
Suthep Boonterm, director of Loei Primary Educational Service Area Office 1, is convinced the Kangjan model has solved the shortage of teachers and students, because overall academic performance among students has improved. "The ONet [Ordinary National Educational Test] average score in all eight subjects has increased in the academic year 2011," he said.
The four schools passed an external quality assessment, Mr Suthep added.