BANGKOK, Thailand – The Ministry of Education is working to make national testing more useful for students and schools while continuing preparations for PISA 2029. Deputy Education Minister Akaranun Khankittinan chaired a meeting on September 16 with education agencies to discuss assessment quality, learning outcomes, and expanded opportunities in science and mathematics.
Akaranun called for the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET) results to be put to practical use to improve students, teachers, schools, and the overall education system. Making the assessment more relevant to learners could also encourage greater engagement and help produce results that more accurately represent educational performance.
Thailand will maintain continuity in its preparations for PISA 2029, retaining approaches that have produced improved results while avoiding unnecessary changes that could disrupt progress. Representatives from key education organizations, including the Department of Learning Encouragement, the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology, the National Institute of Educational Testing Service, and the Office for National Education Standards and Quality Assessment, attended the meeting.
The ministry is also considering expanding science classrooms in schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission. More than 30,000 students have applied to science-oriented schools, compared with about 3,000 available places, prompting consideration of additional opportunities for students with strong aptitudes in science and mathematics. (NNT)
