Thailand Education Minister proposes new National Education Act

Thailand’s Minister of Education, Prasert Jantararuangtong, has announced a roadmap to overhaul the country’s educational system through a new National Education Act. The draft legislation is expected to be submitted to Parliament for its first reading in early December.

The proposed law aims to replace the existing framework that has been in place since 1999. Key objectives include decentralizing power to educational institutions across four areas: administration, academics, personnel, and finance. The plan also introduces a ‘block grant’ budget system to allow schools more flexibility based on local contexts and seeks to reduce administrative burdens on teachers to allow more time for classroom instruction.

Addressing the challenges of a changing global landscape, the Minister noted that by 2030, AI is projected to create 170 million new jobs while displacing 92 million existing ones. Furthermore, Thailand is facing a historic decline in birth rates, with only approximately 400,000 births per year, necessitating a shift toward higher quality and value in human capital. The reform also emphasizes connecting learning to the workforce through a credit bank system and improving international standards, following recent improvements in PISA science scores.