School Autonomy and Accountability in Thailand : A Systems Approach for Assessing Policy Intent and Implementation
There is a consensus on the need for Thailand to reform its education system to be able to compete with other high performing countries in the region. In terms of learning outcomes, the most recent evidence from the Programme for International Student Assessment shows little improvement over time. This paper uses the World Bank's Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) approach in Thailand to contrast policy intent and policy implementation in school autonomy and accountability. The policy implementation data were obtained from a survey of school principals of the schools that participated in the Programme for International Student Assessment and merged the data sets. First, the study analyzes the gap between policy intent and policy implementation. Then it examines the effect of the gaps on various schooling outcomes while controlling for covariates. The analysis finds significant differences between the Systems Approach for Better Education Results indicators of policy intent and policy implementation in all areas assessed by the indicators. Schools in Thailand exercise more flexibility in their personnel management in practice than what is intended by policy; student assessments need to address issues of content, reliability, and validity and school accountability needs to improve the interpretation of student assessments to make schools more accountable. There is a positive association between the Programme for International Student Assessment scores and school autonomy and accountability.
Summary: | There is a consensus on the need for
Thailand to reform its education system to be able to
compete with other high performing countries in the region.
In terms of learning outcomes, the most recent evidence from
the Programme for International Student Assessment shows
little improvement over time. This paper uses the World
Bank's Systems Approach for Better Education Results
(SABER) approach in Thailand to contrast policy intent and
policy implementation in school autonomy and accountability.
The policy implementation data were obtained from a survey
of school principals of the schools that participated in the
Programme for International Student Assessment and merged
the data sets. First, the study analyzes the gap between
policy intent and policy implementation. Then it examines
the effect of the gaps on various schooling outcomes while
controlling for covariates. The analysis finds significant
differences between the Systems Approach for Better
Education Results indicators of policy intent and policy
implementation in all areas assessed by the indicators.
Schools in Thailand exercise more flexibility in their
personnel management in practice than what is intended by
policy; student assessments need to address issues of
content, reliability, and validity and school accountability
needs to improve the interpretation of student assessments
to make schools more accountable. There is a positive
association between the Programme for International Student
Assessment scores and school autonomy and accountability. |
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