Schools moving classes online as school year begins July 1

When Thailand officially closed all of its schools and universities in March due to the Covid-19 outbreak, no reopening date was announced. The summer holidays officially ended on April 21 and the third term was to begin the next day, but students across the nation remain stuck indoors due to the emergency Decree which is now extended until at least the end of May.

Thailand’s next school year is scheduled to begin on July 1, and many schools are moving classes online due to the virus situation and the prospect of continued travel limitations. Teachers will use remote learning technologies like videoconferencing software to enable a face to face learning experience.

Teachers can record their lectures and upload the video recording onto a virtual drive. Students can watch the videos and join online conferences on platforms like Zoom, giving them direct “contact” with the teacher and other students.

Some schools have also adopted Google Classroom as another platform, where students can upload their completed assignments.

As an example, the director of Ubon Ratchathani Primary Education Service Area Office 2 has held a meeting with related agencies to prepare online and remote classroom services.

The office plans to allow kindergarten, primary, and junior high school students to learn through the Distance Learning Television platform. High school students will study content delivered by the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

These remote classes will be tested from May 17 to June, ahead of the first semester of the 2020 academic year, which should begin July 1 and continue until November. The second semester will run from December 1 – April 30, 2021.

SOURCE: Chiang Rai Times