Bangkok: Akranan Kankittinant, Deputy Minister of Education, engaged in discussions with the Japanese Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Thailand, focusing on strategies to tackle school dropouts and innovations in education. Mr. Akranan emphasized the need to increase scholarship quotas for the Social Science and Technology Institute (SSI) to facilitate broader international participation.
According to Thai News Agency, the meeting, held yesterday at the Embassy of Japan in Thailand, was attended by key figures including Dr. Linthiporn Warinwacharoen, Ms. Paramee Waijongcharoen from the Deputy Minister's working group, and Dr. Ketsathip Suphavanich, Director-General of the Department of Learning Promotion. The discussions aimed at exchanging insights to bolster educational cooperation, particularly addressing inequality and enhancing educational opportunities for diverse groups.
Mr. Akranan expressed his commitment to integrating Japan's advanced educational methodologies and human resource development strategies into Thailand's Department of Learning Promotion (DLP). This initiative seeks to re-engage youth who have exited the education system and provide reskilling and upskilling opportunities for the general populace. He underscored the importance of synchronizing efforts with various ministries to advance national human resource strategies.
The Japanese Ambassador appreciated Thailand's efforts in human resource development and shared Japan's successful strategies for reducing school dropouts, which include establishing guidance centers and providing mental health support for students. Japan is open to sharing these practices with Thailand, adding to existing collaborations like the TJSSF exchange program and the KOSEN system for vocational education.
Furthermore, the discussions also focused on supporting vulnerable groups, such as homeless children and children of prisoners, with Japan committing to provide transportation and scholarships to ensure equal opportunities for all.
Concluding the meeting, Mr. Akranan requested Japan's assistance in two major areas: expanding scholarship opportunities, particularly the Japanese Government MEXT scholarship, for students under the Office of the National Education Commission (ONEC), and promoting personnel exchanges to enable Thai education officials to gain insights from Japan's educational system, fostering a modern and sustainable educational framework in Thailand.