Published on June 27, 2005

Policy shift expected to improve English skills of students, solve teacher shortage

Foreign teachers could be allowed to teach mathematics, science, computers and English at private schools as part of a significant policy shift to be implemented by the Education Ministry, the deputy education minister said yesterday.

Rung Kaewdaeng said the move to liberalise the education system using English as the medium of instruction would improve English proficiency among Thai students, increase international competitiveness and solve the problem of teacher shortages.

“This policy will cause big changes in the country’s education system and it is an important step. If it is successful, it will be adopted in state schools and universities,’’ he said.

The ministry will remove all restrictions against employing foreign teachers in private schools. Only international schools and bilingual schools are currently allowed to hire foreign teachers.

Rung said the ministry intends to liberalise private schools by allowing them to hire native speakers to teach English, or teach other subjects using English as a medium of instruction.

A committee will be set up to study the policy, which will be completed in three weeks and forwarded for Cabinet approval, he said.

“Foreign teachers find it hard to get permission to teach in Thailand. They have to seek permission from the Labour and Foreign ministries,” Rung said.

“Schools are willing to pay high salaries because there is a shortage of foreign teachers, leading to job-hopping among the teachers. Some schools even engage in bidding wars to hire the cream of the crop.’’

Foreign teachers who work in private schools without official permission must renew their visas by travelling to Thai embassies in neighbouring countries every three months.

“It wastes a lot of time and is very confusing for the teachers,’’ he said.

If the liberalisation plan is approved, he said, the ministry would set up an agency to oversee the recruitment of foreign teachers. The agency will be responsible for contacting the Foreign Ministry, and will help the teachers apply for visas at Thai embassies or consuls abroad.

“The government will support the agency by helping it recruit qualified teachers in subjects such as mathematics, science and computers,’’ he said.

Students are bound to learn more English if they study a variety of subjects with English as the medium of instruction, he said. “The vocabulary in subjects like physics is not difficult. The students will get used to English and learn the language.’’

Rung said the ministry would control the number of teachers in each subject, and make sure that qualified Thais were not denied suitable positions.

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