Adult and Non-formal Education

Apart from compulsory education, Thailand has organized adult and non-formal education to provide an opportunity for those who have missed formal education to have a second chance for education, to provide continuing education and vocational education as well as informal education services to those outside the formal education system.

In addition to the Department of Non-Formal Education, Ministry of Education, there are other government departments and ministries which have been carrying out non-formal education activities. Private voluntary agencies and various foundations have also been involved in the organization of non-formal education. Industrial factories have also organized non-formal education programmes for their employees.                 

Non-formal education activities can be classified into three categories:

• General education. In this category, the programme has been designed for those who wish to obtain a school equivalency certificate comparable to primary, lower secondary and upper secondary education.
• Vocational education programmes. These programmes are conducted by the Department of Non-Formal Education and other agencies, both government and private, using different courses of training prepared by those agencies. The Department of Non-Formal Education accepts credits earned outside as part of the requirement for completion of the certificate of general education as specified in the above category.
• Education for quality of life improvement. Training programmes other than those in the first two categories are offered in different fields: health, politics, economics, psychology, leadership, government, etc. Such programmes are conducted by many agencies, both government and private. The Department of Non-Formal Education accepts credits earned from such training courses as part of the requirement for completion of the certificate as specified in the first category.                     

 The responsibility of the Department of Non-Formal Education is to organize non-formal education programmes for adults who have missed the opportunity for formal schooling or have dropped out. The programmes offered are: (a) Literacy Campaign project; (b) functional literacy courses; (c) Hill Areas education; and (d) continuing education.                       

The Government launched a nationwide mass literacy campaign in 1983, the second in the nation’s history. The campaign began in 18 provinces in 1984 and was gradually expanded to cover the entire country in 1986. The Functional Literacy Programme which has been implemented since 1971 aims at achieving the dual objectives of teaching literacy skills and assisting the learners to cope with problems in their daily lives. The curriculum is divided into three parts: 60% of the content is region-based, 20% nation-based and 20% locally-based. At present, there are specialized curricula for the southern Muslims, northern hill-tribes, north-eastern, southern and central regions.

Hill tribes who live along the mountain ranges in the northern and western parts of the country are another major group of the illiterate population. In order to extend the educational services to hill-tribe communities which are not served by the primary school system, the Department of Public Welfare and the Department of Non-Formal Education jointly organize the Hill Area Education Project. The project, which has been introduced since 1981, aims at providing education services which are responsive to the needs and problems of the hill-tribe communities, and is thus a vehicle conducive to the improvement of quality of life and development.

Continuing education programmes provide people having no chance to study in formal schools an opportunity to increase their knowledge. The persons who are awarded certificates by these programmes have the same qualifications as those who obtain certificates in the formal education system. This type of education is normally provided in public schools or official premises, organizations, factories and associations by using buildings, teaching materials and personnel of day schools or other organizations. The Department of Non-Formal Education helps with teaching remuneration and learning-teaching supervision. These programmes–from the primary to the upper secondary levels–are available in three types: classroom learning, distance education, and self-learning.

The learning process for the three different types of study can be summarized as follows:

• Classroom learning. The learners have to attend classes similar to those of formal school but in the evening after they finish their daily work. These programmes are organized with the co-operation of formal schools which permit the use of buildings for the learning-teaching process.
• Distance education. Due to a lack of time to attend classes regularly, the learners can study through the following three methods of distance education programmes: radio and television educational programmes; studying correspondence materials and utilization of other teaching aids; and group meetings facilitated by teachers.
• Self-learning. The learners study by themselves at home. However, they have to meet teachers in groups for six hours per subject or 75% of the total meeting time.

The learners have to study at least two years and they can obtain certificates equivalent to those awarded upon completion of six, nine and twelve years of formal schooling; the credits earned are interchangeable.

Apart from the Department of Non-Formal Education of the Ministry of Education, other departments and ministries also offer non-formal vocational training, such as the Department of Vocational Education and the Department of Skill Development of the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, through the National Institute of Skill Development (NISD) and its six regional institutes.

The Department of Vocational Education provides non-formal courses of varying duration (one year, three months, or shorter) in polytechnic schools and Area Vocational Centres (AVCs). Training is given in industrial trades, graphic arts, crafts and business skills. Polytechnics are mostly located in urban areas. The AVCs also provide workshop-based practical courses for students in comprehensive secondary schools. Mobile training units are attached to each agricultural college to provide extension services to rural communities.

The NISD was established to formulate and implement policies, plans, standards, and skills testing for youth entering the labour force as well as to upgrade skills of those who are already employed. Six Regional Institutes for Skill Development (RISDs) have been established in various regions throughout the country. The main objective is to support the development of decentralized industries in the provinces. The National Institute supports the industrial sector in the greater Bangkok metropolitan area. Besides, several government agencies also organize short- course training in the form of development projects for rural residents or disadvantaged groups.

Private institutions under the supervision of the Office of Private Education Commission which also provide non-formal education can be classified into two categories: schools offering courses following the curricula of the Ministry of Education (adult schools offering general education and vocational schools offering vocational training courses); and schools offering non-formal education curricula approved by the Ministry of Education such as religious schools, tutorial schools, correspondence schools, art schools, etc.

Finally, welfare education is provided for those who are socially and culturally disadvantaged. It is provided for children who are deprived of opportunity to attend compulsory primary classes in regular schools covering a wide range of culturally and socially disadvantaged groups. Welfare education has been gradually expanded since 1985. The former offer of primary level only has been gradually extended to cover lower secondary level in the same school, although certain welfare schools send their graduates to neighbourhood secondary schools. Welfare students are not only provided with free education, but also accommodation, food, clothing, equipment, textbooks and other necessities. At present, there are thirty-six welfare schools, one in Bangkok Metropolis and thirty-five in other regions. Students are given special vocational training relevant to the locality of a particular school for future employment.

The total number of non-formal education students increased from two million in 1992 to 4.5 million in 1996. The highest increase was that of the Department of Non-Formal Education, Ministry of Education, which rose from 1.3 million in 1992 to 3.5 million in 1996.

With regard to informal education which has become increasingly important, various forms of mass media including television, radio, printed media and distance learning media have been utilized in order to enhance dissemination of knowledge and information to the general public. A large number of learning centres have been established to provide informal education to the public in addition to public libraries and village reading centres. Religious institutions have also been encouraged to play a role as part of the learning network of the people.

In 1995, it was estimated that the percentage of literates in the population was about 93.8% according to the Population and Housing Census.