Govt to launch 'coupon' system for teacher development

The project will involve collaboration between the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec), 46 higher educational institutes and the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology. The participants officially inked a memorandum of understanding on Thursday. 

The project will seek to help teachers develop skills as per job requirements through the use of “coupons” and upgrade their teaching methods to be on par with international standards. 

Each teacher will be given a set of coupons, which they can then exchange for the right to take training courses. 

“Initially we will have teachers evaluated and see in which aspects they need to achieve skills. After that, plans will be delivered to the Educational Service Area Offices, which will decide on the procedures for each group of teachers before dealing with higher education institutions that are part of the collaboration,” Surasak Insrikrai, head of the Bureau of Teachers’ Education Personnel Development, said recently. 

The 46 participating higher education institutions will be in charge of teacher development in four subjects: Thai language, English language, science and mathematics. Teachers eligible for this project must come from Obec-run schools only. 

Surasak said the project requires a budget of Bt35 million and will focus on 7,000 primary and secondary school teachers. Under the project, each teacher will be given Bt3,500 for registration and another Bt1,500 for travelling expenses. 

“We aim to improve the country’s teaching personnel in terms of knowledge and skills through real practices. The higher education institutions |will provide close support and guidance in order to achieve effective results,” Anek Ratpiyapaporn, an Obec senior adviser related to Technology for Teaching and Learning, said at a recent event.

Implementation of the project will begin next Wednesday and run until September 30.