The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) is concerned about a nationwide decline in student enrolment, fearing the trend could accelerate the rising number of small schools, which are harder to manage under the current per-head funding system.
The agency is also moving to address long-standing issues related to excessive teacher workloads. A proposal outlining strategies to alleviate these burdens will be submitted to the new education minister soon.
Acting Sub Lt Thanu Wongjinda, secretary-general of the Basic Education Commission, said the student population under Obec's supervision has dropped by nearly 100,000 this academic year, from 6.4 million last year to just over 6.3 million as of June 10.
The decline poses major challenges for many schools. Small schools also struggle with limited budgets and resources. Obec will hold a nationwide meeting with local education area directors from July 1–3. The goal is to explore management models and support mechanisms for small schools, while also preparing a plan to reduce teachers' non-instructional responsibilities.
"We aim to ensure teachers can focus solely on teaching," Acting Sub Lt Thanu said.
He said teachers are often given administrative work, including project management and procurement, areas in which they typically lack formal training. He cited the recent tragedy in Buri Ram province, where a teacher took her own life due to overwhelming non-teaching duties, underscoring the urgency of the issue.
Acting Sub Lt Thanu said Obec is considering transferring such duties to administrative staff, but acknowledges that many require additional training, particularly in accounting and inventory control.
"So, we're looking into tailored training programmes for school administrative officers. If we can remove these non-teaching tasks from teachers' shoulders, we're confident the overall quality of education will improve."
The meeting also addressed safety concerns in schools along the Thai-Cambodian border. With 416 schools located in this region, Obec is prioritising student safety amid growing security risks.
A recent survey found 160 schools have access to secure shelters, while 230 lack any form of bomb shelter.
Acting Sub Lt Thanu said he had told the Office of Administration to identify high-risk schools needing attention and coordinate with state agencies to construct protective facilities. In the meantime, all border schools must conduct emergency drills and designate safety officers to oversee evacuation planning.