Changes to Thailand's strict school rules welcome, but deeper issues persist

CNA

2 days ago

BANGKOK: As the new school year in Thailand enters its second week, students are finally getting what some feel are long-overdue changes.
Crew cuts for boys and bobs for girls have been part of a regimental practice that has persisted for decades in Thai schools, after a directive was issued in 1975 when the country was governed by a military dictatorship.
This has been strictly enforced by some school personnel. Videos of them haphazardly cutting students' overly long hair during morning assemblies, often in a jagged, uneven way, can be easily found circulating online.
But over the last decade, some schools across the country have gradually relaxed their hairstyle rules. This includes allowing girls to have long hair, for instance.
Inspired by university students who took a leading role in Thailand's pro-democracy protests of the 2020s, some student activists also filed a legal petition against the directive, arguing that it was unconstitutional and infringed on their human dignity.
Thailand's Supreme Administrative Court ruled in their favour earlier this year, finding that mandating how students should wear their hair violated individual rights and is out of touch with today's society.
The court decision was met with mostly positive feedback.
GAP REMAINS
Still, some like Laponpat 'Min' Wangpaisit, who was part of the movement behind the push for reform five years ago, cautioned that there is still a gap in the passing of the verdict and its actual enforcement.
Schools are now supposed to agree with students and parents on what standard to follow, which could mean sticking to the 50-year-old one or being more lenient.
'No one has said it's prohibited to issue (any) regulations restricting student hairstyles. No one says schools are not allowed to interfere with students' hair. That simply doesn't exist,' said Laponpat, who is now studying in university.
Laponpat added that if the education ministry wants to protect students' rights, it must clearly ban any interference with their hair, not just leave it up to schools.
'Equality isn't about restricting everyone the same way. It's about not restricting anyone's rights in the first place.'
As attitudes and rules about school uniforms shift slightly, some shops selling uniforms have also been affected.
A new directive by Thailand's education ministry now exempts students from having to wear Scout uniforms about once a week, in order to relieve parents of the financial burden of buying them.
Each uniform costs about 1,300 baht (US$40).
Bangkok shopkeeper Surapong Setteamee said that business had already been slow before the rule change.
'It's been very quiet this year, unlike the others. The shop would normally be full of customers, but it's been slow this year,' he told CNA.
QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN QUESTION
Despite a quiet revolution taking root this new school year, some experts said shortcomings remain in Thailand's education system.
'Schools are very strict when it comes to checking students' uniforms. But during the six hours that students are in class, can schools truly say they're providing high-quality education?' questioned Athapol Anunthavorasakul, director of Chulalongkorn University's Center for Educational Research and Development for Sustainable Development.
A significant amount of government funds is allocated to the education ministry every year - about 10 per cent of the annual budget - but that has not translated into better performance by Thai students.
In the last Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test in 2022, which is conducted worldwide by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Thai students scored below the OECD average in reading, mathematics and science.
They also did worse than students in neighbouring Malaysia and Vietnam.
In terms of creative thinking, Thailand scored significantly below the OECD average.
Critics have pointed to the core curriculum not being updated in over 15 years, the emphasis on passive rote learning over critical thinking and creativity, and an understaffed and overworked body of teachers.
Thailand's education ministry did not respond to CNA's requests for a comment.
'Nowadays, both national and international assessment results clearly show that the quality of Thai education is declining across all dimensions, whether its competency measured by PISA exams, language proficiency, or even civic knowledge,' said Athapol.
He urged education authorities to focus on improving educational standards instead of punishing uniform violations, such as deducting points for incorrect attire or barring students from taking exams for not wearing them.
While these kinds of shifts take time, the fact that the changes are already underway are a positive sign, said Athapol.
'Norms are created by humans, so humans can change them. They're not meant to last forever.'