The Ministry of Education has announced plans to establish a committee aimed at reducing high school dropout rates across Thailand. This initiative follows a recent survey showing that 394,039 children between the ages of six and 18 are missing from the country’s mandatory education system.
Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob, speaking on Wednesday, shared that the Office of the Education Council (OEC) has been tasked with creating a strategic framework to address dropout rates. Emerging from a meeting on the Thailand Zero Dropout campaign, he noted that the plan will be developed in collaboration with various organizations and stakeholders.
The Thailand Zero Dropout campaign was greenlit by the cabinet on May 28 under the Srettha Thavisin administration. In July, the then-prime minister instructed the ministry to accelerate efforts to re-engage students who had been excluded from or had left the education system. In support of this, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) will lead initiatives to reintegrate children into the education pipeline from Prathom 1 (grade 1) to Mathayom 3 (grade 7). The OEC will also address educational access for children in unique circumstances, including those in juvenile detention centers and Thai children living abroad, by exploring distance education options.
Minister Permpoon emphasized the importance of establishing a shared database, which will allow relevant agencies to track dropout cases efficiently. The Zero Dropout campaign includes four core strategies: locating children missing from the system, creating monitoring measures for out-of-school children, offering flexible education programs tailored to various student needs, and partnering with businesses to provide education for working youth.
This multifaceted approach aims to make education accessible to all, regardless of individual circumstances, ensuring that no child is left behind.
