Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra discusses school reform with officials from the Education Ministry yesterday.

The budget would be increased from 3.7 per cent of GDP to 4.5-5 per cent, according to caretaker Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang, who quoted Thaksin after a three-hour meeting between the premier and education officials yesterday afternoon.

Police provided strict security at the Education Ministry in preparation for Thaksin's visit. Vehicles inside and outside the compound were moved and barricades placed outside the building. Thaksin left after the meeting without giving any interviews.

Chaturon said later that the meeting was held following the premier's initiative to brainstorm education issues.

"The premier wanted the ministry to reform education in order to increase students' ability to analyse, learn by themselves, and to reduce rote learning. That's in line with the direction of the ministry's executives, and I am confident that the work can progress no matter who the next minister is," he said.

Chaturon said Thaksin also suggested the ministry should develop educational media to modernise and meet the needs of learners, and increase the number of educators together with improving their skills.

To solve teacher shortages, the premier suggested that the ministry send more education students to practise teaching in schools in remote areas, Chaturon said.