Thai students want university entrance exams postponed citing fears over their futures

Thousands of Thai students are wanting their university entrance exams postponed over fears of their futures being impacted by Covid-19. #Courtpetitionsforexampostponement is now trending on Twitter after 6 students submitted a plea to the Central Administrative Court.

The Mathayom 6 students received help for their plea from Pheu Thai Party spokeswoman Arunee Kasayanond in lieu of exams scheduled to begin tomorrow, unless the Court intervenes. Nearly 10,000 students have signed the petition to postpone the exams, after complaining that Covid-19 has disrupted their studies and preparations for the Thai University Central Admission System.

The second wave of Covid, which started last December, saw students taking to online learning in 28 provinces, in which many say has not been ideal. Many are stating they returned to classes for only a month, and feel less prepared to sit the exams.

The TCAS matches students with universities majors of their choice using several admission rounds for applicants, with exam scores being the most important in determining which university they can attend. Despite the push to postpone the exams, education authorities have recently said that the exams will go ahead as scheduled.

According to Thai PBS World, Chulalongkorn University president and head of the University Presidents Council of Thailand, says exams will go ahead because more than 250,000 students had already prepared to sit the exams this weekend. Even more students are scheduled to take another type of university entrance exam next weekend.

“Many more students are worried about the exams being postponed. So, even though some have spoken up [against the exam schedule], we need to make a decision based on the bigger picture and the majority.”

But Athapol Anunthavorasakul, who teaches at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Education, has agreed with students’ postponement requests, given that they will be forced to sit for up to 35 tests in less than 1 month.

“Before [authorities] make a decision, they should imagine what it feels like to take 25 to 35 exams in merely 26 days.”

Athapol says that universityworldnews.com shows that several countries have already put off exams over concerns for their students’ readiness.

SOURCE: Thai PBS World