Literacy improves among Prathom 1 students

07 เมษายน 2559

One of the most essential skills is the ability to read and write, so the Education Ministry's "zero illiteracy" policy is something everyone can support.

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Prathom 1 literacy rate improves

Dumrongkiat Mala

The literacy rate among first graders has improved, but is not making enough progress to eradicate illiteracy, according to the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec).

"Although the literacy rate of our first-graders [or Prathom 1 students] has gradually risen since last August, we're still not going fast enough," said Obec secretary-general Karoon Sakulpradit.

An Obec survey of students in 2,000 primary schools nationwide, in January this year, found literacy rates among first graders had gradually increased, from the first survey last August. The number of students who are able to read and write increased by 3.33% in reading and 9.36% in writing.

According to the survey, the number of Prathom 1 students who are able to read had risen from 92.6% last August to 94.2% last November; the number rose again to 95.9% in January this year.

The number of Prathom 1 students who are able to write rose from 84.4% last August to 92.3% last November, before reaching 93.8% in January.

Mr Karoon gave the credit to the Education Ministry's "zero illiteracy" policy launched in the middle of 2015, which aims to improve reading and writing skills, particularly among students in Prathom 1-3.

As well, last year Obec implemented the Brain Based Learning (BBL) technique, a teaching method based on how the brain develops.

The technique is based on recent discoveries in cognitive science that the human brain physically changes when it learns, and after practising certain skills, it gets easier to continue learning.

He also attributed part of the progress to the distance-learning television programme, aimed at improving access to education in remote areas.

However, Mr Karoon insisted Obec will have to work hard to achieve its zero illiteracy goal in the next academic year.

In the latest World Competitiveness Survey, Thailand was ranked 43 out of 61 nations for its illiteracy rate.