From ‘wasteland’ to learning utopia
Thai kids just want to play video games on school break but a new project aims to change that, writes Dumrongkiat Mala
We found the negative physical and psychological impact of being sedentary for too long and spending too much time in front of screens to be worrying. PAMORNSRI DANGCHAI THAIHEALTH RESEARCHER
Students have shown their interest in joining programmes launched by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) that aim to encourage them to spend their free time more constructively during the long school break.
The vacation usually starts in March and ends in mid-May.
Students interviewed by the Bangkok Post expressed their delight at taking part in various projects to gain experience of working with other people.
Pattarapong Songprapa, 17, who will enter Matthamyomsuksa 6 at a Bangkok school in the 2018 semester, said he will join a volunteer programme at the Thai National Aids Foundation as part of the “Happy School Break” project.
He said he wants to pursue a career in social work later.
“As a teenager, of course I want to spend time playing games with my friends. But I also want to give something back and make a difference in the world. I think if you manage your time well, you can do both,” he said.
On March 13, ThaiHealth announced that it is offering 450 activities under the Happy School Break project during the long holiday to provide extracurricular learning and deter kids from spending too much time playing computer games and texting on smartphones.
The project is the result of collaboration between ThaiHealth and various government agencies, private organisations and civil society, such as the Museum Siam, the Education Ministry and the Fine Arts Department.
Under the project, 450 free-of-charge activities will be offered to students.
Activities will be divided into four categories: “Finding Your Dream”, or artsrelated activities; “Finding Yourself ”, or paid internships; “Sharing”, or opportunities to serve as a volunteer; and educational activities.
The project is offering over 3,000 paid internships at more than 500 well-known companies nationwide.
Schoolchildren from Matthamyomsuksa 1 onward, including college students, are invited to apply for part-time jobs at places such as convenience stores and coffee shops.
Patnicha Wongchaum, 14, who will enter Matthayomsuksa 3 at a Bangkok school next semester, said she is interested in joining a summer science camp organised under the project.
Patnicha said she wants to be a scientist and has already asked her parents if she can attend the summer camp.
“I think that would be an excellent way to spend my summer. I’ve read there will be activities that promote discovery and leave children amazed at what they can do at the camp, so I’ve decided to take advantage of my free time to gain new knowledge and experience,” she said.
ThaiHealth researcher Pamornsri Dangchai cited a recent study on how Thai students usually spend their school vacations. It was conducted by ThaiHealth in Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Chon Buri, Songkhla and Bangkok.
Of the 1,760 students who responded, 71% said they plan to play games on their mobile phones and surf the internet; 53% said they want to visit provinces outside the capital; and 46% said they would look for part-time jobs.
“We found the negative physical and psychological impact of being sedentary for too long and spending too much time in front of screens to be worrying,” Ms Pamornsri said.
“One of the main challenges for us is that this kind of activity is so much a part of young people’s lives nowadays, so how do we manage it? It’s about reducing the time they spend sitting down, and giving them opportunities to be active and spend their time usefully.”
Education expert Woranat Raksakulthai said the key is to make the exercises that have been planned look fun.
“Summer vacation can either be a learning wasteland or a learning paradise. The temptations are great for children to spend hours watching television or playing video games, but with a little planning, the summer can be transformed into a time to expand the mind, explore new hobbies and learn about responsibility,” she said.
Ms Woranat said it is important to give children options because they are all different.
Parents should provide them with a variety of choices and explain the benefits of each one, she said.
When children say “I’m bored”, they should be encouraged to look for other options instead of being forced to continue with that activity against their will, she added.
It is also not advisable to ban them from playing computer games or surfing the internet as this will only build up resentment and invite a backlash, she said.
“Too much screen time for children is a bad thing and most of us know that, but we can’t get away from screens because kids are learning from them as well. There is lots of useful knowledge on the internet that kids can learn from,” Ms Woranat said.
She suggested families lay down rules for children to limit the amount of time they stare at TV, computer or phone screens. Parents also need to lead by example and reduce the time they do this, she said.