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| 2) Foundation of Formal Education (1868-1932) |
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In the 19th century, religious toleration enabled the missionaries to appeal to Thai people extensively through various forms of missions from medical work to education. The missionary impact on Thai education enormously increased in the late 19th century with their introduction of composition of the first Thai dictionary, foundation of public education and attempt to stimulate the monarchy to establish a state education system, which had influence on King Chulalongkorn's determination to launch educational reform. However, the ideal of modernization and reform became materialized upon the threat of western imperialism and the pressure of internal political movements. Education was to assume a functional role as the major means of modernization. It was to help produce a new generation of qualified leaders and administrators in order to anticipate and keep pace with the momentum of the reforming process. Being threatened by western military power, King Chulalongkorn gave the first priority to military education by founding a school within the palace for young princes and nobles which represented a major improvement toward systematic schooling. The King and his advisers also realized that they had to go beyond the palace walls and initiate educational innovations in order to produce competent officials so urgently needed for the reform of the government and administration. In 1884, the first public school for commoners was established and after that a large number of public schools for commoners were operated in Bangkok and other provinces. In 1898, a reorganization of the school system took place with the proclamation of the first early form of "national education plan". In the reign of King Rama VI, a new educational system was formulated pursuant to the new "education plan" of 1913 and in 1918 the Private School Act was promulgated, drawing private schools, including the mission schools, under the supervision of the government. During this period, a law on compulsory primary education was issued in 1921 requiring every 7-year old child to receive free primary education until the age of 14, and the first university in Thailand was also established in 1917. |
