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Professional teachers are
educators of quality, endowed with an inquisitive mind, and are always
ready to learn. They encourage the learners to develop their potential
and be eager to acquire knowledge. Professional teachers are duly licensed
so as to raise the teaching profession standard to a higher level. Professional
teachers are intent on developing, assessing and improving themselves on
a continuous basis. They also strictly adhere to the code of ethics of
the teaching profession.
Policy Recommendations on
Production and Development of Teachers
By
Professor Dr.Somwung Pitiyanuwat
Introduction
It has been generally accepted that the education reform will never succeed
unless the teachers are also reformed. For the education reform as
required by the 1999 National Education Act, therefore, the systemic teacher
reform is mandatory, as stipulated in Chapter 7 : Teachers, Faculty Staff
and Educational Personnel, Sections 52-57.
Section 52 of the 1999 National Education Act requires the Ministry of
Education, Religion and Culture to promote development of a system, production
process and refinement of the teachers, faculty staff and educational personnel
to be endowed with the quality and standard of a highly respected profession.
The Ministry will, in this regard, take a supervisory and co-ordinating
role, so that the institutions responsible for production and development
of teachers, faculty staff and educational personnel will be ready and
capable of preparing new staff and continually developing in - service
personnel. Sufficient funds will also be allocated by the state for the
budget required and for establishing the Fund for Development of Teachers,
Faculty Staff and Educational Personnel, so as to obviate the problems
that have arisen in the past.
The ONEC fully appreciates the important role of teacher production
and development in order to have available teachers of quality, capable
of contributing significantly to the educational reform. It also recognises
that the teachers are the key for the success of the education reform stipulated
in the 1999 National Education Act. A research is therefore deemed appropriate
for formulation of the policy for teacher production and development, so
as to accelerate the enactment of the National Education Act.
Objectives
1. To obtain quality teachers as well as those contributing
significantly to the education reform;
2. To enhance the status of the teaching profession which will be highly
respected;
3. To ensure educational quality through assurance of the teachers'
quality; and
4. To motivate good and competent persons to join the teaching profession.
Implementation
From the body of knowledge and real situations to the policy for teacher
production and development : 3 processes
1. Documentary research : knowing ourselves, knowing others;
2. Public hearing ; and
3. Public poll.
Parameters for Policy Formulation
for Teacher Production and Development
" Teacher" means a professional whose major responsibilities include teaching
and learning and motivation of the learners in public and private educational
institutions to learn through various methods.
Teacher Production Agencies
There was a total of 114 teacher production agencies (1997), the majority
of which were the faculties of education of different universities, those
of the Rajabhat Institutes, Rajamangala Institute of Technology, the Fine
Arts Department and others.
Numbers of Students and Graduates
There were 121,040 students and 9,344 faculty staff, bringing the teacher
to student ratio to 1 to 13 (1995).
The numbers of graduates in education (1997) were :
- 65,286 at level of a diploma or equivalent;
- 12,130 at level of a bachelor's degree or equivalent; and
- 2,697 at a higher than a bachelor's degree level.
In - Service Teachers and Administrators
There were 684,608 in - service teachers of both public and private sectors
(1998), among whom 94,851 (13.85%) had less than a bachelor's degree. The
evaluation of the Seventh National Education Development Plan reveals that
"40% of the teachers have not attended any refresher training courses and
seminars".
There were 56,036 public educational administrators comprising 51,035
educational institution administrators and 5,001 educational administrators,
whose majority had a bachelor's degree, particularly educational institution
administrators under jurisdiction of the Office of the National Primary
Education Commission (ONPEC). They were mainly preoccupied with responsibilities
relating to general administration, finance and school buildings.
Development of Teacher Production
in Thailand
The development of the teacher production in Thailand can be divided into
7 ages as follows :
1. Age of Informal Teacher Training (1857 - 1891) which was
a period prior to establishment of teacher training institutions. There
was no prescribed curriculum. Individual tuition was provided in
the palaces and the temples, priority being given to production of teachers
endowed with quality and morality.
2. Age of Teacher Education for National Reform (1892 - 1912)
during which teacher training institutes were established in order to produce
teachers for the Bangkok area and various provinces to meet the exigencies
of national reform.
3. Age of Teacher Education for Occupational and Rural Development
(1913 - 1945) during which the importance of the Thai rural areas,
regarded as Thailand's horizon, was recognised. Priority was therefore
given to the production of teachers for various occupations, particularly
agriculture, for teaching in the rural areas. The Project for the Production
of Rural Area Teachers was therefore initiated.
4. Age of Teacher Education for Modernisation (1946 - 1973)
reflecting
the desire to produce teachers of international standard, modelled
on those of other countries. The training was conducted with the assistance
of foreign experts.
5. Age of Teacher Education in Search of Thai Education Identity
(1974 - 1991) during which there was an education reform to enhance the
quality of life and society. Free thinkers wished to effect changes, so
as to attain Thailand's own education identity through acceleration of
experimental decentralisation of authority at primary education level.
The pilot project provided a model for primary education administration
in Thailand.
6. Age of Teacher Education for Development of the Teaching Profession
(1992 - 1996) aimed at elevating the status of the teaching profession
and enabling teachers to become highly respected professionals.
7. Age of Teacher Education for Education Reform (1997 onward).
In succession to the 6th age, teacher education has been aimed at production
of professional teachers of quality for the purpose of the education reform
pursuant to the 1999 National Education Act. The Act was enforced as stipulated
in Section 81 of the 1997 Constitution, requiring enactment of a national
education law and teaching profession development.
In sum, teacher production in Thailand for over a century has significantly
contributed to the following :
1) National unification and creation of unity, transforming nation states
into
a unitary state; 2) Inculcation of the national ideal;
3) Manpower production for civil service ; 4) Local occupational
development; 5) Modernisation through provision of modern education
countrywide; and 6) Search for Thailand's identity through study
of Thai culture for transmission of Thai values.
It is apparent that teacher production during the reigns of King Rama V
and Rama VI was a process of bringing out desirable teachers through the
selection of outstanding candidates with good academic prospects to be
trained as teachers. These teacher training students would be provided
with scholarhships. Staying together in dormitories also developed and
inculcated in them teachers' spirit. With Thailand's acute shortage of
teachers later, the policy adopted was an indiscreet overproduction of
teachers without any proper projection of the real needs. The teacher production,
with priority being given to quantity in order to solve the problem of
teacher shortage, accounted for the twilight teacher training courses,
resulting in the present problem regarding the quality of teachers. The
third age represents the period of modern teacher production. During this
age, Western concepts regarding both the curriculum and the teaching and
learning methods adopted in many countries were imported, resulting in
the practically total abandonment of Thai wisdom (Sumon Amornvivat : leading
discussant on the policies and strategies for teacher production in foreign
countries on April 4, 2000).
Major Problems of Teacher Production
and Development
The problems previously encountered in teacher production are as follows
:
1. Aspects relating to entering the teaching profession
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Thailand
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Latin America
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Unavailability of good and competent applicants for teacher training
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- Low academic quality
- No intention of joining the teaching profession
- Decrease in number of applicants
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2. Aspects relating to teacher production
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Thailand
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Latin America
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Lack of links and co - ordination among teaching profession organizations,
teacher training institutions and agencies utilising teachers
- Emphasis on academic matters rather than enhancement and development of
personality and Emotional Quotient (EQ)
- Faculty staff incompetent in carrying out duties and responsibilities
- Lack of quality in evaluation
- Emphasis on control rather than development of academic affairs
- l Alienation from realities in society
- l Education graduates not joining the teaching profession
- Priority given to technical aspects of education rather than on philosophical
concept and thinking
- Administrators not conducive to encouraging an academic ambiance
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- Emphasis on theory; lack of practice
- Absence of production of a variety of teachers
- Decrease in quality due to accelerated teacher production
- Too short duration of training courses
- Lack of teachers to occupy hardship posts in remote rural areas
- Alienation from society
- Ideal not related to real life
- Lack of teaching - learning innovations
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3. Aspects relating to profession and performance
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Thailand
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Latin America
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- Low salary
- Without due respect from the society
- Excessive and varied functions and responsibilities
- Low motivation for work
- Low efficiency and effectiveness
- Desire to take up other professions
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- Low salary
- Without due respect from the society
- Assigned responsibilities for administrative and general affairs resulting
in insufficient time for preparing teaching plans
- Teaching quality lowered
- l Resignation of a large number of teachers
- Career advancement of teachers depends on seniority rather than performance
- Influence of politics and partisanship among teachers
- Teachers' negative attitude towards their profession
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4. Aspects relating to teacher development
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Thailand
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Latin America
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- Lack of system for development of in - service teachers
- Training courses not covering all teachers
- Training courses not serving teachers' needs
- Emphasis on theory rather than practice
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- Lack of readiness on resource persons' part; low quality of training course
content
- Training courses not serving teachers' needs
- Training facilities inaccessible due to distance
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The problems of teacher production encountered so far are :
1. The U.S.A.
The U.S.A. has promulgated a legislation, setting the goals for teacher
production and development as well as strategies for teachers' excellence
in all schools. These are :
1.1 Matters relating to standards of students and teachers
seriously taken ;
1.2 Search for methods of teacher production and development;
1.3 Amendment of teacher selection process;
1.4 Awarding master teachers;
1.5 Availability of training courses for pioneering teachers;
1.6 Five - year programme of education courses leading to awarding
of two degrees;
1.7 Education degree awarded as a second degree;
1.8 Mentor teachers assigned task of teacher development; and
1.9 Quality assurance for the teaching profession.
2. Japan
2.1 Rigorous selection of teacher training candidates in order
to enrol good and competent students;
2.2 Emphasis on training to obtain teaching experience for acquisition
of teachers' spirit and teaching competence, attachment to and faith in
the teaching profession;
2.3 Teaching licence mandatory; and
2.4 Legislation requiring development of standard teachers and increase
in teachers' salaries.
3. New Zealand
3.1 Teacher reform requiring teachers to have at least a bachelor's
degree and to register;
3.2 Provision of varied curriculum;
3.3 Teacher development is incumbent on the Ministry of Education,
educational institutions and teacher themselves ;
3.4 Pre-service teachers must have time for development;
3.5 Development of in - service teachers both in and outside schools;
and
3.6 Availability of a Fund for Teacher Development.
4. Australia
4.1 Provision of flexible curriculum;
4.2 Linking teacher development with in - service education for the
purpose of degree awarding;
4.3 Development of teachers serving as educational leaders; and
4.4 Training courses for teachers organized by respective states.
5. Singapore
5.1 Institutes in charge of pedagogy are responsible for teacher
production and development as well as conduct researches to build up knowledge
on pedagogy;
5.2 Teacher training students receive salaries and scholarships from
the Ministry of Education; and
5.3 Good and competent teachers are highly paid.
6. United Kingdom
6.1 Raising the standard of teachers' quality is the key to
the teaching profession development;
6.2 Salary increase, awarding and remuneration provision;
6.3 Leadership promotion in educational institutions; and
6.4 Teacher production development by a professional council.
Framework for development of policies
on teacher production and development
1. New context of the teaching profession in Thailand
1.1 Thai society in the age of particle electronics and that
of information technology;
1.2 Legislations/agreements (the Constitution/the National Education
Act/Agreement with the Asian Development Bank);
1.3 Expectations in the education reform (Chapter 4) : teaching and
learning through the learner - centred approach; learning is learners'
right; and all learners have the capacity for self - development to the
best of their potential through suitable methods;
1.4 Expectation of the Thai society : development of the Thai people
to be endowed with knowledge and morality; and
1.5 Vision and capability of Thai teachers as envisioned in the 1999
National Education Act, Chapter 4, Sections 24 and 26
2. Main characteristics of a high profession : teaching
profession to become a highly respected profession
Teacher Production Institutions
People's views on the production
and development of teachers in Thailand (N= 735)
1. Production of new teachers
100% favour having a mechanism linking the production, development and
functioning of teachers commensurate with the status of a highly
respected profession ;
99% favour the reform of teacher production institutions regarding the
structure, administration and teaching and learning
97% favour quality assurance of teacher production in accord with the teaching
profession standard;
96% favour increases in salary, remuneration and benefits for teachers
;
96% favour the search for and selection of good and competent persons to
be trained as teachers ;
91% favour teachers spearheading the educational reform to be awardees
of a bachelor's degree in a subject area and a degree in pedagogy ;
86% favour having specialised universities for teacher production and development
and building the body of knowledge on teacher production and development;
78% favour quality ranking of teacher production institutions by outside
organizations;
77% favour the curriculum which is flexible and serves the needs of individual
students;
68% favour awarding scholarships to teacher training students and counting
the number of years of service right from enrolment as students;
64% favour a teacher production curriculum at the bachelor's degree level
of not less than five years; and
61% are not in favour of having faculties of education of both public and
private universities to offer courses at master's and doctoral degree levels
only; provision of bachelor's degree level courses are also desired.
2. Opinions on development of in-service teachers
98% favour honouring of teachers for development of the teachers' work
on a continuous basis;
96% favour encouraging teachers to carry out research work to improve the
teaching and learning;
91% favour entrusting the task of teacher development to educational service
areas, educational institutions and teachers themselves;
91% favour teacher development in accord with the criteria set for renewal
of professional licences for teachers and administrators;
90% favour establishment of the Institute for Development of In - service
Teachers and Educational Administrators (IDITEA) which will spearhead the
education reform;
88% favour arranging for teachers to receive training and attend seminars
on an annual basis;
87% favour issuing a legislation requiring all teachers to be developed
on a continuous basis; and
77% favour establishment of the Royal Academy of Pedagogy to propose policies
on teacher production and development.
3. Guidelines and methods of enabling the teaching
profession to win trust and respect of the Thai society
- Priority 1 : teachers constantly develop themselves and
search for knowledge (13.8) ;
- Priority 2 : inculcation among them the spirit of a teacher,
morality and integrity (13.4);
- Priority 3 : provision of commensurate welfare enabling the
teachers to work to their highest capacity (12.8);
- Priority 4 : enabling teacher production institutions to attain
the quality desired (11.8) ; and
- Priority 5 : honouring teachers with outstanding conduct
(9.4).
4. Guidelines and methods of producing new teachers for
the education reform
- Priority 1 : production of teachers in line with needs (29.8%);
- Priority 2 : selection of knowledgeable and competent teachers
(26.1%);
- Priority 3 : preparation of the curriculum and teaching - learning
activities in accord with the 1999 National Education Act (20.4)
;
- Priority 4 : provision of suitable remuneration (6.1%) ; and
- Priority 5 : availability of bodies especially responsible
for teacher
production (4.9%).
5. Guidelines and methods of developing in - service teachers
for the education reform
- Priority 1 : organization of training and seminars for the
purpose of counselling on practising the teaching profession (34.5%) ;
- Priority 2 : preparation of teacher development plan
on a systematic and continuous basis (16.2%) ;
- Priority 3 : periodic assessment of teachers/their performances
for motivation for work (14.8%) ;
- Priority 4 : providing teachers with opportunities for further
education to increase their knowledge (14.4%) ; and
- Priority 5 : increased remuneration for moral support (10.7).
Our Vision of a Professional Teacher
A professional teacher is endowed with quality, avidity and readiness to
learn. He provides the learners with encouragement and guidance in order
to develop themselves to their highest potential and be eager to learn.
He has a teaching licence so as to raise the status of the teaching profession.
He is intent on developing, assessing and improving himself on a continuous
basis, and strictly follows the teaching profession ethics, thus providing
a good example for the learners and others. He adopts the learner - centred
approach, so that the learners will be able to compete and, at the same
time, co-operate and endowed with Thai identity in the world of universal
values. They are in sum, competent, good and happy persons.
Teacher Production and Development
Policy
It has been recognised that the key to the success of the present education
reform is the nurturing of a new group of teachers with quality, competence,
dedication to work and endowed with teachers' spirit. It requires development
of almost 700,000 in - service teachers, who will be imaginative and take
a genuinely keen interest in the learners. The latter will thus become
imbued with quality, knowledge and morality. The teachers, on their part,
will contribute to the realisation of the wish to raise the status of the
teaching profession, which will consequently enjoy the confidence and faith
of the new generation and the Thai society as a whole.
The lessons learnt from foreign countries reveal that they all share the
same objective of improving the teaching profession, so as to raise its
status and enhance its quality. They also share a similar goal of nurturing
Thai youth to be endowed with quality. Such goal can be attained through
various measures, for example:
- financial measures, with high remuneration commensurate with
high quality and performance :
- legal measures; and
- participatory measures for teacher production and development.
In implementing the policy for teacher production and development in Thailand,
therefore, priority must be given to enhancing the quality of the teaching
profession to ensure its popularity through confidence building. Montri
Chulavatanatol (2000) has proposed major strategies in building confidence
in the teaching profession through quality assurance of teachers, with
accelerated reform of the four components, namely:
- development of in - service teachers;
- quality assessment;
- issuance of a teaching license; and
- remuneration for and honouring of teachers.
Furthermore, supplementary measures have been proposed to ensure sustainability
of the teaching profession reform through development of institutions for
the production of new types of teachers, establishment of the necessary
funds, setting up the Royal Academy of Pedagogy, measures to be taken with
teachers who have not succeeded in the quality assessment, and amendment
of relevant laws.
The recommendations relating to teacher production and development guideline
aimed at teachers' quality improvement and raising the status of the teaching
profession presented below include the following policies :
- Teacher production policy for improving teachers' quality
and enhancing the teaching profession status;
- Teacher utilisation policy for improving teachers' quality and enhancing
the teaching profession status;
- Teacher strengthening and development policy for improving teachers'
quality and enhancing the teaching profession status; and
- Policy for promotion and quality assurance for teacher production
for improving teachers' quality and enhancing the teaching profession status.
1. Teacher production policy for
improving teachers' quality and enhancing the teaching profession status
- Measure 1.1 Ensuring enrolment of competent and good students with
prospects of being capable future teachers through selection and provision
of scholarships for teacher training. The teacher production shall meet
the needs and provide enployment assurance for all graduates.
- Measure 1.2 The quality of the production of new teachers shall reach the
teaching profession standard and shall be in keeping with the age of education
reform through provision of mechanisms linking teacher production institutions,
teaching profession organizations and central agencies for personnel administration.
- Measure 1.3 Ensuring production of pioneering teachers of quality
who are true professionals capable of contributing to enhancement of the
teaching profession status. Such production is possible through provision
of a six - year education course, comprising four years for academic subjects,
one year for pedagogy , and another year for teaching practice. The teacher
production along this line will raise the teaching profession to a higher
status, while the education course will undoubtedly contribute to quality
assurance of the new teachers.
- Measure 1.4 To ensure that teacher production institutions become
centres of excellence, the faculties of education of various universities,
both public and private , should be transformed into graduate schools of
education, with priority given to courses on pedagogy at higher than a
bachelor's degree level. Should bachelor's degree courses be provided ,
they should comprise 5-6 years, aimed at producing teachers who will lead
the education reform. For other teacher production institutions, however,
their main responsibility should continue to be the production of teachers
at a bachelor's degree level.
- Measure 1.5 Availability of specialised universities or high - level institutions
of learning to conduct research for building up knowledge on pedagogy,
both for pre - service and in - service programmes. Production of teacher
educators of quality should also be encouraged in order to produce teachers
for the education reform.
- Measure 1.6 The Council of Education Faculty Deans under jurisdiction of
MUA and MOE should prepare a relevant plan and carry out the reform of
teacher production institutions to enhance teachers' quality and the teaching
profession status in keeping with its new responsibilities.
- Measure 1.7 There shall be a systemic quality assurance of the institutions
of pedagogy in Thailand by setting performance standard for personnel,
evaluation of achievements in accord with missions, and development of
structure and system to include academic quality assurance both in and
outside the institutions.
- Measure 1.8 Availability of external organizations to rank the quality
of teacher production institutions in Thailand, which will be developed
to become centres of excellence for teacher production.
2. Teacher utilisation policy for
improving teachers' quality and enhancing the teaching profession status
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Measure 2.1 There shall be a reform of the four components of the
teacher utilisation process, namely : assignment, motivation and administration
through the participatory approach, teacher supervision and development,
and performance evaluation. The research has revealed that these
four elements determine efficiency of teacher utilisation. It has also
been found that the schools under jurisdiction of different agencies have
varying strengths and weaknesses in teacher utilisation, e.g. schools under
jurisdiction of the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority (BMA) are strong in
teacher supervision and development, but weak in administration through
the participatory approach. Schools under jurisdiction of the General Education
Department (GED), however, are strong in assignment, but weak in administration
through the participatory approach.
- Measure 2.2 Urgent measures should be taken for re - organization
of the personnel administration system and prescription of new salary and
remuneration scales and other benefits for teachers, faculty staff and
educational personnel as stipulated in Sections 54 and 55. These measures
will motivate the teachers, faculty staff and educational personnel to
willingly carry out their functions to the best of their capacity, their
duties and responsibilities to which they devote their full time. Good
and competent persons will also be attracted to join the teaching profession.
3. Teacher strengthening and development
policy for improving teachers' quality and enhancing the teaching profession
status
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Measure 3.1 The policy of in - service teacher training through seminars
only shall be changed to encouraging teachers to attend annual seminars
and receive further education. Budgetary allocation will also be provided
to teachers for the development of their regular work on a continuous basis,
e.g. classroom research, development of teaching - learning materials etc.
At the same time, an administrative reform will be carried out for improvement
of their working conditions. A system for honouring teachers on a continuous
basis will also be initiated.
- Measure 3.2 Quality improvement of in - service teachers will be accelerated
for the education reform. To attain such objective, there should be established
an Institute for Development of In - service Teachers and Educational Administrators
(IDITEA), which will function as a public organization and will have a
legal entity. The Institute for Development of Educational Administrators
(IDEA) should be amalgamated with the new institute to form a network for
development of in - service personnel through a distance system. Activities
of the network will be integrated with the regular in - service personnel
development. The two institutes will join efforts in identifying the training
needs, develop training curriculum, materials and technologies. The IDITEA
will provide opportunities and support to local higher education institutions,
NGOs and educational institutions in the area to have a role in teacher
production and development to meet the needs of the respective educational
service areas.
- Measure 3.3 Urgent steps shall be taken to establish endowment funds as
stipulated by Sections 52 and 55 of the National Education Act, namely,
the Fund for Development of Teachers, Faculty Staff and Educational Personnel
and the Fund for Promotion of Teachers, Faculty Staff and Educational Personnel.
These funds shall be initiated with endowment from the Early Retirement
Scheme, and all parties involved shall join efforts in the campaign to
mobilise support for the endowment funds. The accrued interest shall accordingly
be utilised for development and promotion of teachers, faculty staff and
educational personnel on a systematic and continuous basis.
- Measure 3.4 Outstanding achievements of teachers shall be duly recognised
and awarded with both honour and assignment. Information on the awards
will be widely disseminated. The financial support received will be utilised
for further improvement of their functioning as well as enhancement of
the teaching profession.
- Measure 3.5 Links between training and in - service education leading to
awarding of degrees shall be established for further improvement of the
development of in - service personnel, particularly in subject areas where
there is a shortage of teachers, e.g., Science, Mathematics and English
Language etc. Such measure will provide motivation and moral support for
teachers for development of the career path of their profession.
- Measure 3.6 The state shall purchase computers for hiring by teachers,
who will use them in their teaching - learning activities. The computers
will contribute to development of the learners' thinking, and,
at the same time, serve as tools for the teachers' self - development.
4. Policy for promotion and quality
assurance for teacher production for improving teachers' quality
and enhancing the teaching profession status
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Measure 4.1 The quality of the following six aspects shall be assured,
namely, teacher production, teacher development, assessment of teachers'
quality, issuing of teaching licence, teachers' performance, and honouring
and awarding of teachers. Such measure will bring about faith and confidence
in teachers and teaching as a profession highly respected by persons both
in and outside the education world.
- Measure 4.3 There salll be established a Royal Academy of Pedagogy, serving
as a focal organization of teachers, faculty staff and educational personnel
with outstanding achievements in the policy development of teacher production
and improvement. Such step will ameliorate teachers' quality and enhance
the teaching profession status as well as the national education policy.
- Measure 4.4 The mass media and all parties concerned shall be mobilised
for the campaign to recognise and appreciate the importance of motivation
and providing opportunities for fair competition to improve teachers' quality.
Parents will also be called upon to form a critical mass demanding better
quality of teachers and education for the young generation of Thailand.
  
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