March saw the first ever outing of the General Aptitude Test (GAT) and the Professional Aptitude Test (PAT) as a replacement for the O-net and A-net tests for university admissions. The people who took the test were classed as “pioneers” as their performance will be used to evaluate how successful the new tests will be.

The scores from these tests will count under the new university admission system next year, which ordinarily wouldn’t seem to be a problem; however, when you look at what these tests are supposed to measure, it appears that our basic education system will not be able to prepare our students for these tests properly.

The GAT tests a student’s analytical, writing, problem solving and communication skills, whereas the PAT measures seven technical competencies in mathematics, science, engineering, teaching, architecture, fine and applied arts and a second foreign language other than English.

I don’t believe that I am the only person who is of the opinion that it is going to be very difficult for students to achieve a decent score in these tests. In fact, a student was quoted in a recent Bangkok Post article as saying that rote learning without analytical and critical thinking would be of little use in the new tests.

This was a Mathayom 5 student from Triam Udom Suksa School, a well known school in Bangkok, so what chance do students from rural schools have in passing the new tests? It is not exactly education for all is it!

The point I am trying to make is that it is not that the new university test is too hard; it is that the students in Thailand are not prepared enough to take them. Too many times in the past, I have heard Thai teachers ask for some kind of special dispensation when it comes to testing.

In my opinion, they have got it the wrong way round. Tests like this could have a positive backwash effect if the government were to invest in education and make sure that the 1999 Education Act was implemented properly.

Students need these skills and background knowledge to help them compete in the global economy. It is time to stop making excuses and asking for special dispensations and face up to the truth. At the moment, we are not good enough and we need to do something about it.

Many teachers have confided in me about the problems they face when they are teaching. Others have been very cavalier about the fact that they are not really that interested as long as the salary gets paid into the bank and that the pension appears a day nearer.

Either way, there are many Thai teachers of English who are not prepared for this new set of examinations and ultimately it will be our children that suffer in the long term. From somewhere there needs to be the leadership from the government, administrators, managers and teachers to work out a solution to this problem.

Many educational commentators have identified problems with Thailand’s education system; however, there are not many involved in education that will step forward and propose an option for change. The normal answer is that they don’t see how one person can make a difference. It’s a good job that Gandhi and Mandela didn’t think the same way. What do you think?

What realistic chance do any of these Prathom 1 students have of passing the new university entrance examinations in the future?
(Unedited article published in the Bangkok Post 16th June 2009)