Centre for gifted children to be established

18 กรกฎาคม 2559

A Russian-inspired educational centre for gifted children will open in Thailand to provide talented youths with free specialised courses.

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Free courses on offer for nation's brightest

Dumrongkiat Mala

A Russian-inspired educational centre for gifted children will open in Thailand to provide talented youths with free specialised courses.

The courses will be taught by teachers who have been trained to teach high-ability students to help them reach their full potential, said the Office of the Education Council's (Onec) secretary-general Kamol Rodklai.

Mr Kamol said, under the plan, 600 children aged between 10 and 17 who have displayed an aptitude in natural sciences, arts, sports or technical creativity will be selected for the project from across the country each year.

"They will be taught by leading teachers in the sciences, the arts and sport," Mr Kamol said.

Russia's Sirius Educational Centre will be the model for Thailand's Educational Centre for Gifted Children.

The Russian centre offers talented school students 24-day programmes that incorporate specialised classes as well as general classes.

These include leisure activities, master classes and meetings with recognised professionals in various fields during the school year.

The Sirius educational centre for gifted children was established in 2014 upon President Vladimir Putin's initiative using the Sochi Olympics infrastructure.

The centre is named after the brightest star in the Earth's night sky. The centre's goals include early detection, development and further professional training of talented secondary school students who have shown aptitude in natural sciences, arts, sports or technical creativity.

Some 600 children aged between 10 and 17 come to Sirius from various parts of Russia every month. They are taught by some of the nation's leading teachers.

"Through the Thai version of this initiative, kids who are talented in football could have the chance to learn from coach Zico (Kiatisuk Senamuang) or professional footballers, while children gifted in painting may get the opportunity to study with famous national artists like Chalermchai Kositpipat," Mr Kamol said.

Mr Kamol said Thailand has never had an educational centre for gifted children before, so most gifted students have no choice but to study in regular classrooms. They are taught by teachers who have not been trained to teach high-ability students.

For many students with significant academic talent, much of the time they spend in school is wasted as they have already mastered what is taught in their schools, he said. Some might find it difficult to fit in with their schoolmates as a result, he added.

"A study has found that gifted students benefit the least from working in a mixed-level classroom, and benefit most from learning among other similarly advanced students in accelerated or enriched classes. I think it's time we created a place where these kids can belong," he said.

If there is no special place for them, social pressure would cause these children to play down their intelligence in an effort to blend in with other students, which would be a loss for the country.