Status and Integration of Education in Public and Private Upper-secondary Schools in three Southern Border Provinces

Abstract

This research aims to: 1) examine the status of education management in both public and private upper-secondary schools in three southern border provinces of Thailand, and; 2) study appropriate methods of integrating education congruent with the community’s identity in both public and private uppersecondary schools in the three southern border provinces of Thailand. The data were collected through in-depth interviews from 13 key informants and through a focus group of 29 key informants. Tools used to collect data for this research included: observation form, indepth interview form and focus group form.The data were analyzed using content analysis. The research results were as follows: 1) A clearer status of education management in both public and private upper-secondary schools in the three southern border provinces of Thailand. There are many responsible agencies that have been working on education management in these provinces, but the laws and other regulations in the field of education are not consistent with reality. In addition, the current situation of the problem in these provinces is a lack of encouragement for the teachers to work in the three provinces and some teachers do not teach the subject of his or her degree. The quality of education in ordinary courses in upper secondary schools of the three southern border provinces is at a low level. In addition, the proportion of students in private upper-secondary schools that provide religious education is higher than in public upper-secondary schools. 2) Appropriate methods of integrated education congruent with the community’s identity in both public and private upper-secondary schools in the three southern border provinces were found. There are 4 methods of integration. First is the integration of education management. It is necessary to establish a main agency to coordinate organizations related to education in the southern provinces and activities between administrators and teachers of Thai Muslims and Thai Buddhists should be promoted. In addition, there should be plans for cooperation between public and private schools for teaching Islamic studies and conducting an exchange of resources and materials for the teaching of Islamic studies. Second is integration of the budget. Allocation of budgets for private schools should consider the real situation of the schools. Third is integration of personnel management. There should be a program to train existing teachers who lack teaching experience and retired teachers which the ability to teach should be hired to alleviate the problem of lack of teachers and religious teachers from private schools can be invited to help teach religion in public schools. Finally is the integration of academic matters. To promote Islamic study, The Board of Basic Education should expand the intensive teaching of Islamic studies in public schools and development of the curriculum should promote the real and continuing integration of ordinary and religious courses.