Homepage > Thai Youth Issues > Too many books in those bags

Date: June 8, 2001, The Nation

Young kids might find their packed schoolbags a daily hassle without much significance, but many adults have voiced concern that the heavy bags point to basic flaws in the country’s education system.

Suparerk Khamphan, 10, and 8yearold Pongpat Boonwanno complained that their shoulders and backs ached, while Apinya Saekang, 12, said she managed to solve the problem by using a bagonwheels. “I think this is the best way because my bag weighs more than three kilograms and each book left at school costs me five baht,” Apinya said.

But Natthawut Benjavejamrung, a 10yearold waiting at a bus stop, said he accepts the heavy weight of his schoolbag because it is his duty. “I also carry another bag for my exercise uniform on days I have physical education class. I carry related materials such as badminton rackets as well,” he said.

Although he did not complain, Natthawut said his schoolbag would be lighter if his teachers would tell students in advance which books are really needed. He said he had to carry all the related books – including exercise books and notebooks of a subject only to find out that some of them were not touched in class.

“I think the problem arises from learning by rote,” said Siporn Siriwatcharanapaporn, 18. “Students in our country are told to study so they can pass an exam, not to learn.”

Jamlong Timboontham, a father, said he doubted that proposed curriculum reforms would make much of a change.

“You know, my foreign friend even asked me if my daughter was going camping when the friend saw her lugging two bags to school,” he said.

Jaruwan Khwanjai, a mother, said some of the books listed in course requirements are hardly used. “And we have to buy those books in spite of their expensive price,” she said.

Dr Sompong Jitradab, an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University, said the philosophy of the education system was that “curriculum is books, books are curriculum” with the education business playing a key role behind the scenes.

“We have expensive books which are a burden to students’ brains and their parents’ finances. Our children have no opportunities to study in the way they should,” Sompong said.

Dr Srisamorn Poomsaard, director of the curriculum development centre at the Curriculum and Instruction Development Department, said the flaws would be corrected by the revised curriculum.

“CIDD is working to revise the curriculum for both primary and secondary students,” she said. “The revisions will be interdisciplinary. Teachers in charge of different subjects will join in how to conduct their classes.”

For example, Srisamorn said students in cooking classes could learn calculations and measurement. In English class, the pupils will learn vocabulary about rain simultaneously with lessons about weather or the environment.

“We will get rid of books devoted to a single subject. There will be supplementary books to encourage children to think and do also,” she explained.

However, Sompong expressed doubts about the claim that the revised curriculum would eradicate textbook problems. He said publishers would attempt to reach agreements with schools in order to continue their business unless the education ministry issues regulations limiting the number of books used in class.

Pliporn Sunnitkul

The Nation