Thailand’s Basic Education Commission (OBEC) is proposing to change Thailand’s academic calendar to align with the fiscal year and bring improvement to administrative processes. The said proposal aims to move the start of the first semester to May 1 (instead of May 16) and a possible end of term on September 30 (instead of October 11).
According to a NNT – National News Bureau of Thailand post, this adjustment is aimed “to streamline budget allocation for school meal programs, procurement, and other activities, while also synchronizing academic schedules with workforce management timelines”. The proposal continues that it will allow children born in early May to still enroll without waiting for the next academic year. 80.3% of 47,467 stakeholders (includes educators, parents and students), are in support of the change, pointing out “planning and better opportunities for students in critical grades to graduate on time.”
16.91% of the said respondents expressed concerns, pointing to extreme heat in early May, disruptions from overlapping public holidays as challenges for the said change. Critics also added that the said proposed change is only prioritizing “administrative convenience over educational outcomes”; that the current academic calendar is already effective and does not need any changes.
The Ministry of Education is assuring the public that OBEC’s proposal will be reviewed carefully in order to ensure maximum benefits to stakeholders.
Minister of Education Pol Gen Permpoon Chidchob said that the proposal is still under review, assuring the public that any adjustments made must lead to an “effective balance between improved administrative processes and a better education experience for students across Thailand”.