Kids aged 3-5 in one Northeastern school get exam points deducted if they cry

Kids aged three to five years old taking an entrance exam to one preschool in Maha Sarakham, a Northeastern province, get three points deducted from the exam if they cry during it. The school’s director told Thai PBS the policy was created to make sure the exam was fair because when some children cried, it distracted other children. The director said the school had used this policy for many years, but it has now revised it after an outcry yesterday.

Thai schools have a reputation for being strict in many ways, something many have criticised them for. In December 2020, hundreds of Thai students rebelled against mandatory school uniforms by refusing to wear them when the new semester started. Some teachers punished students who did this by separating them from their classmates, or sending them to counselling. A student activist group called Bad Student made a website with a list of schools and teachers that blocked students from boycotting uniforms. Some parents supported their childrens’ decisions to boycott their uniforms, and one mum even filed a complaint against Horwang School in Bangkok for not letting her son go to class when he didn’t wear his uniform.

Thai schools have also been criticised for teaching students through rote memorisation and lecturing. In 2020, Thai officials discussed how to promote learning outside the classroom.

Source: Thai PBS World | Thai PBS World | Bangkok Post