"If we can't do this, the country's development will face obstacles," he said, after instructing the Education Council to revise its goals for the academic years 2005-2008.

"Some goals have been set too low," Chaturon said.

The original goal was for at least 67 per cent those between 15 and 17 years of age to continue into senior secondary education by 2008, he said. But this would have meant as many as a third of those who complete junior secondary education would not further their studies.

"I don't think that such a figure will be good for the country's competitiveness and economic development," the minister said.

Other developing countries had higher education goals than those prepared by the Education Council, he added.

Chaturon said the Education Council would meet with other educational agencies during the school break to revise the goals.

By 2008, the average Thai would have had 9.5 years of formal education, he said.

In a related development, Basic Education Commission secretary general Pornnipha Limpaphayom yesterday unveiled a plan on how to effectively make Year 2006 a year of English-teaching reform.

"We are going to train English teachers at primary schools about how to teach English through total physical response because this will help them speak English more confidently," Pornnipha said. She added that many teachers would also be trained in theatrical arts for English teaching.

 According to her, school administrators and directors of educational area offices will also be invited for brainstorming sessions to identify which are the good standards of English teaching.

"With the standards identified, the teachers and schools will see more clearly on how they can improve the English teaching," Pornnipha said.