Sustainability of Sufficiency-Based Schools

Abstract

Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) is an approach used to achieve sustainability in Thailand. SEP shares the same goals of balanced development as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It consists of 2 foundations (knowledge and virtues), 3 principles (moderation, reasonableness, and prudence), and 4 balanced outcomes (economy, society, environment, and culture). SEP focuses on developing people’s quality, particularly a sufficiency mindset. Therefore, it is important to cultivate this mindset at an early age. The SEP movement in Thai education started in 2007. Currently, there are 742 Best Practice Sufficiency-based schools and 205 Sufficiency-based Learning Centers that successfully foster the sufficiency mindset. By implementing the whole school approach, SEP is used in all school activities and administration. In particular, these schools use action-based learning, questioning, reflection, and role modeling to nurturing the SEP mindset. In this case study research, ten Sufficiency-based Learning Centers were studied in 2018. Interview, document analysis and observation methods were used. Approximately 13 persons/stakeholders were interviewed in each school. In order to sustain the cultivation of the SEP mindset in schools amidst replacement of school principals and others changes, the findings show that it is important to integrate SEP learning activities with class subjects, thus becoming a part of typical curricular learning. Continuous SEP training and involvement of teacher leaders, all school personnel, student leaders, new school principals, and Educational District superintendents are the key success factors for sustainability of the cultivation of the SEP mindset.