Non-Formal Education: Reaching the Unreached

The Work of Non-Formal Education Department, Thailand

Origins of the Department of Non-Formal Education date back to the response to high illiteracy rates through the development of the Adult Education Division for the Ministry of Education in 1940. The Department was established in 1979 in order to broaden the scope of the Division’s work and target population. Major projects carried out by the Department include launching a major literacy campaign and conducting mobile general, equivalency and vocational education to increase the educational opportunities for people living in rural and remote areas.

Currently, adult and non-formal education (NFE) are organized through a national network comprising a central coordinating office, regional research and development centres, regional vocational training centres, provincial and district centres, and sub-district level learning centres. The Department also operates educational technology centres, as well as a string of national science education museums which cater for both formal and non-formal sectors. With the establishment of Sirindhorn Training Institute, the Department also specializes in personnel training and development.

The programming reaches out to people in the most remote areas of Thailand through a national multilevel network of well developed learning centres and programmes. For example, the Department has been responsible for developing NFE for more than 300,000 prisoners. Between 1993 and 1997 the Department reached 32.8 million people through its general and continuing education programmes and 18.3 million through library services. In 1997 alone, it established 30,906 village reading centres. Its Center for Educational Technology has produced 9,854 radio programmes and 3,453 television programmes.

Thailand currently boasts a 93 percent literacy rate. Many programmes implemented by the Department have greatly contributed to increased literacy levels over the past thirty years. The broad target group of the Department is anyone outside of the national formal education system. This group encompasses a wide range of sub groups some of which are prisoners, hills tribe members, farmers, religious practitioners and Thai people in foreign countries. Priority target groups include people from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. The Department responds to the current needs of these populations and tailors its programmes and activities to better assist these groups. Recently, it has carried out a campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS and drug abuse. Although many of the educational programmes are mandated by the Ministry of Education, the Department promotes the use of participatory methods for responding to the specific needs and learning styles of adult learners.

The Department uses a critical thinking model for its teaching philosophy. This encourages the development of skills in adaptation and adjustment to the surrounding environment rather than learning through traditional rote and teacher centered methods. Participatory methods used by the Department include using volunteers, community based approaches, distance learning and self-study programmes.

The Department receives support from the Ministry of Education and other national and international organizations. Its target population and modes of education have expanded rapidly over the years, and it is committed to expanding the accessibility of its non-formal education programmes. The Department is also committed to the development of its own human resources by sending its staff to local and foreign universities and institutions to be exposed to new concepts, practices and opportunities to be used in the NFE programming.

© 1997-2001 United Nations ESCAP.