Analyzing the Thai state policy on private tutoring: the prevalence of the market discourse

Abstract

Private tutoring in academic subjects, which is provided for a fee and which takes place outside standard school hours, has become a global phenomenon. It is also very visible in Thailand. This paper draws on qualitative method including documentary analyses and semi-structured interviews with Thai policy elites, to understand the Thai state policy on the issue. Using a theory of the state, particularly the concepts of policy text and policy discourse, it analyses the Thai state policy responses to regulate private tutoring. While the state has given much attention to commercial regulations for safety and customers’ protection, little attention has been given to the educational aspects such as curriculum, quality assessment and qualification of the tutors. Analyses of policy texts and interviews with Thai policymakers at the Office of Private Education Commission and the Office of Education Council showed that the Thai state regulation on private tutoring is dominated by the market ideology. The Thai state was unequivocally embracing “public-private partnership”, treating students as consumers and endorsing private tutoring as a contributor to the development of Thailand's human resources. This paper contributes to the empirical evidence on private tutoring in Thailand and offers a theoretical framework to further analyze and understand the state policy on private tutoring.