Out with the old

The shrinking of schools in Thailand as recently reported in the media is not a negative factor with regards to learning and schooling. As an educationist with years of experience with alternative methods and a true learner-centred approach, I would much rather teach in an environment of 100200 total students than a school with several hundred or a thousand students.

The conventional governmental model of schooling comes from the Industrial Era of humanity and was developed through the limited psychology of Behaviourism. We have moved past this into the Digital Era and Transpersonal psychology (honouring the human experience itself ). Thailand is not realising this transition within schooling because those in control are not coping well with the social transition and adapting through embracing change. They are actually harming the minds and intellectual liberty of the children by trying to force conformity to an outdated model. Simply put, Thailand is using analog methods for a digital era.

Instead of forcing children to be transported great distances from their homes and putting a greater burden, if not outright restriction, on their parents and families to support schooling, simply allow for an alternative method such as Montessori which is intentionally designed for small and intimate teaching environments, along with being created in the slums of Italy where there is no money. Instead of wasting money on transportation for relocation, use the resources to put “Smart Whiteboards” in the classrooms which then allow connections between schools and teachers around the country and world. Much easier solutions with no disruptions to students’ lives and access to more sources and contacts.

The Minister of Education should see this as an opportunity to try something different since the standard method is not improving the intelligence of Thailand’s youth.

DARIUS HOBER