The Ministry of Education is planning to reduce class time for students in the basic education system, in a bid to allow them more time to be with family or to take up extracurricular activities.
Education Minister Dapong Ratanasuwan said yesterday he has instructed the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to consider shortening the hours spent in some classes and to finish schools at 2pm.
“We want to lessen school hours and increase knowledge,” he said. “After classes, we will fill their schedules with relaxing activities such as music, arts or homework tutoring for the students who can’t keep up in their classes.”
Through such a measure, he said students would be able to loosen up after school and spend more time with their families. More importantly, the extra free time could be invested in extracurricular activities, encouraging the students to learn by doing.
The measure is expected to launch as a pilot program in 10 percent or 3,500 of all elementary schools in the next school term, which will begin in November.
Dapong suggested the OBEC adjusts its curriculum and makes the necessary preparations ahead of time while also creating an understanding of the new measure with the affected schools, teachers, students and parents, state media and Matichon reported.
Photo: OBEC
Watch the best Elvis impersonators in Southeast Asia shake their pelvises!
Reader Interactions