The Equitable Education Fund (EEF) is spearheading a major initiative, collaborating with 11 government agencies to reduce the number of children outside the educational system. Named the ‘Thailand Zero Dropout’ policy, the goal is to lower the current figure from over one million to 200,000 within five years.
The initiative, which has been endorsed by the Cabinet, involves ministries such as Education, Interior, Digital Economy and Society, and Social Development and Human Security. A strategic meeting is scheduled for June 14 to further outline the project’s details.
The campaign addresses an urgent need exacerbated by the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has increased the number of children at risk of dropping out of school. EEF Managing Director Dr. Kraiyos Patrawart noted that these educational gaps risk perpetuating intergenerational cycles of poverty and could keep Thailand in a middle-income trap as the population ages.
According to the Education Data Center, Thailand currently has about 11 million students. Yet, data from the Ministry of Interior’s Bureau of Registration Administration revealed that last year, 1.02 million children were not in the educational system for various reasons, including never starting school or dropping out early.
The “Zero Dropout” project provides customized educational pathways that cater to individual life aspirations, offering flexible learning options to re-engage children with their education. Dr. Kraiyos said the move is a vital step towards achieving universal education access and the long-term goal of fully integrating children back into the educational system. (NNT)
