"It is time that we rethink everything we know and understand about education"

iMOVE: The corona pandemic has a major impact on the economy, employment situation and vocational education and training of all countries worldwide. Which are the most dominant challenges Thailand’s education and training system currently faces?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: To date, the corona pandemic has been around for over half a year. So far, Thailand can proudly say that we have kept the corona pandemic at bay as evidenced by low mortality and no domestic transmissions in Thailand for many months. Despite the relative success, we remain vigilant. And like most countries, we are settling into what seems to be our new normal in all aspects of life, including how we can make our education and training system cope with the crisis.

Thailand's existing technical infrastructure for online or remote learning poses one of the major challenges to our education system in general. The corona pandemic took us by surprise, and forced us to speedily adopt the blended learning approach by combining traditional classroom and online methods. While smart phones are ubiquitous, effective online learning requires more proper devices such as laptops and tablets or even more sophisticated devices that can smoothly accommodate two-way communication and real-time response similar to the face-to-face classrooms. And this challenge is affecting students from a low-income background the most due to the lack of resources and conducive environment.

For vocational or apprenticeship training, it has been significantly affected by company closures and short-time work which also varies greatly across different industry sectors. Take Thailand's tourism sector as an example, the sector faces a dramatic reduction in business activity and a large number of workers in the sector have been made redundant for an extended period of time. Needless to say, there is no opportunity for any training. 

iMOVE: Which approach does Thailand choose to overcome the most pressing difficulties? Which adjustments will be necessary in the long run?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: Let's assume that we have all the technical tools we need for online learning; these still need to be well planned and well designed to accommodate the specific needs of each learning level as well as of individual students. And these processes take a lot of time.

At the outset of the pandemic, we were forced to adopt online learning methods for all learning levels without adequate time to prepare our students and to train our teachers. Our online learning resources are also limited. Nevertheless, as now school and universities in Thailand are cautiously resuming, the strengths of online and remote learning are now widely recognized. So we should turn crisis into opportunities by adjusting our education system in terms of content, methods and technical resources to reap the full benefit of blended learning methods. Indeed, the crisis serves as a wake-up call as it has been long overdue for our education system to take technology and education seriously and transform our educational landscape for better educational experiences and opportunities.

With the magnitude of the current socio-economic shocks being unprecedented in our lifetime, my concerns also extend to how we can prepare our students for a world that we cannot fully envisage. The pandemic has disrupted the global economy and overwhelmed us with a massive complexity of future business models and consumer behaviors. So it is more than ever before that we need to create a progressive and future oriented education system focusing on analysis and practical application of knowledge in order to bring about meaningful changes in our education system and emerge from the pandemic stronger. Indeed, the pandemic is a catalyst. It is time that we rethink everything we know and understand about education as well as to reinforce education-business linkages.

"Reinforce education-business linkages"

iMOVE: Many experts predict that the Corona crisis will boost the further development of digital solutions in society, in industry and also in education and training. Already in 2018, your government adopted a "Thailand 4.0" strategy to increase the global competitiveness of its key industries. Which role do vocational education and further training as well as training institutions play in this strategy?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: The corona pandemic is indeed fast-tracking digital transformation in all sectors. It has been imperative to digitally transform our business models and this means a high demand for a more skilled work force, where the challenges lie in how employers can match employees to new roles and activities and how employees can respond to new skill demands and accelerated need for digital transformation skills.

According to the survey regarding the necessary supports for Thailand's Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) during the pandemic conducted by the Office of National Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation Policy Council (NXPO) and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation in Thailand (MHESI), the key supports for MSMEs' business recovery are  the new models of logistics and delivery management, supply chain management, marketing software application development, as well as consultation on business and technology transformation for post Covid-19.

To respond to the new demand on digital transformation, the Thai workforce development agencies have offered e-learning and blended training to upskill and reskill people in different professions. Government agencies such as the MHESI, the Ministry of Labor, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Thailand Professional Qualification Institute (TPQI), along with private firms and universities have provided cross-cutting skills training free of charge or for a minimal fee. Government has also funded or subsidized universities and training providers to make it possible for companies to reskill and upskill their employees, and for furloughed workers to get new jobs during the economic downturn.

iMOVE: In the German dual system of vocational training, the participation of industry plays a major role in planning and realizing training concepts. This principle ensures that training measures are in line with the demands of the companies. But the pandemic puts much pressure on companies, especially small and medium-sized businesses. Apart from tax reductions, how can Thailand increase the active engagement of industry in training their (future) employees?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: Vocational education and further training in Thailand have moved in the direction of an industry-led system in recent years. Apart from a tax incentive, workforce development agencies have strived to systematically make training demand-driven and responsive.

For example, MHESI makes it a requirement that training providers who apply for funding in Covid-19 reskilling and upskilling non-degree courses must demonstrate their cooperation in training with industry and companies. NXPO and TPQI have conducted skill forecasting in key sectors and announced in-demand skill for these sectors.  The companies which train employees for the listed skills will receive tax incentives.

TPQI has established the Industry Competency Boards as a channel for industries to select in-demand skills for the future workforce of their sectors and endorse training courses. The Board members are industry representatives who will oversee and supervise skill forecasting to ensure that occupational standards are reviewed and updated to respond to changes in the nature of work, as well as to endorse and promote responsive and demand-driven training programs.

"Vocational education and further training in Thailand have moved in the direction of an industry-led system"

iMOVE: In Germany we see a growing focus on occupations which are directly relevant for the continued operation of the social system in our country, for example employees in the health and geriatric care sector. Which occupations and industry sectors in Thailand will be in need of more and better training measures in the future?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: Definitely our 12 targeted S-curve industries which are next generation automotive, smart electronics, affluent medical and wellness tourism, agriculture and biotechnology, food for the future, automation and robotics, logistics and aviation, biofuels and biochemicals, digital industry, medical services, defense industry, and education development. 

These industries will represent business strengths of Thailand and will be the foundation upon which both education and commerce will be focused in line with our Thailand 4.0 policy, aiming to achieve economic prosperity, social well-being, human values and environmental protection. 

I am pleased to share that Thailand 4.0 digital and economic recovery will be powered by 5G Networking. Since February this year, Thailand is the first country in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to auction off its 5G spectrum. Currently, the 5G networks have been introduced in various sectors such as in the smart airport initiative and in the hospitals across Thailand  especially for Covid-19 related innovations such as  telemedicine and robots. We expect to see at least 50 per cent of 5G deployment in our Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), our flagship cutting-edge digital hub and development under Thailand 4.0, by March 2021.

iMOVE: Several training projects have already been successfully realized in a joint effort by Thai and German partners, among them the "German-Thai Dual Excellence Education" of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce Abroad (AHK) in Thailand for their German and Thai member companies, the implementation of an adapted "Meister" training at the King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), the Eastern Technological College (E.Tech) as the first Thai school certified according to the German standard, and the Thai-German Institute (TGI). How do you judge the future demand for cooperation, especially with the German training industry? What kind of support will be necessary and useful?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: Since Thailand 4.0 policy has been modeled after the German "Industrie 4.0", there are possibilities that Thailand could benefit from the German training industry. I, in fact, have been fascinated by iMOVE‘s online networking platform for Training - Made in Germany, on which foreign companies can search for German training providers that match their specific needs.

However, we have to be realistic that Thailand's current main challenges are that Thailand's SMEs lack technological know-how, Science, technology and innovation (STI)  capabilities and skills base needed to move into more sophisticated, higher value-added activities. It is imperative that Thailand foster innovation. And by innovation, I mean: beyond research and development (R&D) as it also involves the actions taken by economic actors to upgrade their technological level, enhance their organization and production methods, develop new activities and enter new markets.

For this, I think we need to focus on supporting our SMEs. Though quite small in size compared to Germany's Mittelstand, our SMEs still represent the backbone of Thailand's industrial infrastructure. With the lack of financial and human resources for SMEs to tap into international training tools and advanced technology, I would envisage that we can gradually look into the establishment of local competency centres or centres of excellence as it would be a highly effective and cost-effective way to implement and sustain specialist capabilities and advanced technology for our SMEs to utilize and possibly leap-frog into a more competitive position in the future.

"Local competency centres or centres of excellence for SMEs"

iMOVE: With the development of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Thailand encourages foreign investment in key industries, which will also lead to considerable employment opportunities. How does Thailand ensure the availability of suitably qualified workers? What role does vocational education and training (VET) play in this context? What potential do you see here for international collaboration for example with the German training industry?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: The development of the EEC is at the heart of the Thailand 4.0 Strategy with the aim to transform Thailand towards a value-creating economy driven by innovation. The government has recognised that key targeted technology-based industries in the EEC, or the S-curve industries I mentioned earlier,  including, to name a few, next-generation automotive, intelligent electronics, advanced agriculture and biotechnology, automation and robotics, medical and digital technology, require skilled workers with digital skills. It is therefore necessary to develop Thailand's workforce to meet such rising demands.

According to the EEC Office, there will be more than 475,000 new jobs in the EEC within the 5-year period between 2019 and 2023. This promising opportunity comes with challenges. Thailand has to prepare for the needs of the future workforce. Thus, the Eastern Economic Corridor Human Development Center (EEC-HDC) was set up with the task of providing sufficient skilled workers to meet the demands of these targeted industries. The demand-driven education development approach is used in this regard. The EEC-HDC identifies the skills and numbers of workforce required by the industry and works with vocational institutions to design the curriculum that matches the demands of that industry. Besides, the EEC-HDC promotes a new method of vocational education and increases participation of the private sector through the work-integrated learning model, where students study in the vocational college and train in a real working environment under teacher or expert supervision. 

Nonetheless, an enduring key challenge to produce enough quality technicians which Thailand faces, lies in the prejudice towards vocational education. Many Thai parents want their children to attend universities or technological universities, not vocational schools. It is therefore important to promote better vocational education so as to help to encourage more enrolments in technical and vocational schools in Thailand.

As such, Thailand has been collaborating with international partners in promoting vocational training in our country. Best practices from Germany's vocational education system have been shared through the implementation of the German-Thai Dual Excellence Education (GTDEE) program. The German-Thai Chamber of Commerce has been working with German companies investing in Thailand such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Robert Bosch, to offer the program where apprentices work and study during the given period. For example, BMW has implemented the vocational training program on Mechatronics at its Rayong plant with two partner colleges, namely Sattahip Technical College and the Chitralada Technology Institute. This apprenticeship program allows BMW to develop its future workforce with the necessary and relevant skills in technology and manufacturing. 

We could also step up our cooperation for easy access to vocational training opportunities in Germany in a wide variety of industries. While we have to admit that the language barrier poses a significant challenge for this kind of cooperation, we hope it continues and expands as better vocational education will lead to higher productivity, which equals stronger Thai-German bilateral investment and trade ties.

iMOVE: In 2019, Thailand held the ASEAN chair. Do you expect to see a change regarding the image and relevance of VET in Thailand and the ASEAN region in the foreseeable future?

Dr. Dhiravat Bhumichitr: During Thailand's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2019, the Bangkok Declaration on Advancing Partnership in Education for 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in ASEAN has been adopted by ASEAN's leaders at the 35th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok. The Declaration includes an initiative to provide inclusive and quality education, and lifelong learning and training to respond to regional and global trends through formal, non-formal and informal systems. It also highlights the need to enhance equitable access to quality and relevant Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Higher Education to meet the employment demands of national, regional and international markets. I am very pleased to learn that the ASEAN Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Council is being established. The Terms of Reference of the ASEAN TVET Council have been adopted by the ASEAN Economic, Education, and Labour Ministers and has been supported by ASEAN's leaders at the 36th ASEAN Summit on 26 June 2020.

In addition, member states have been working together to implement and promote the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework (AQRF), an eight-level regional qualifications reference framework which will enable comparisons of education qualifications across ASEAN under the concept of a region-wide qualifications framework. It is quite unique as it goes beyond formal learning to cover informal and non-formal learning which include learning acquired through work. We hope that VET and workplace training will gain more popularity as, given the rapid changes in skills demands, VET and workplace training will become more relevant and valuable. 

To support VET, further training and skills training, ASEAN Member States have also worked together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to promote ASEAN in-company trainer standards. GIZ has cooperated with relevant agencies in different countries to train and qualify in-company trainers to improve the quality of workplace training and dual system education. Furthermore, GIZ has worked with different countries to develop and promote TVET teacher standards. Therefore, I believe that VET will be increasingly relevant to Thailand and ASEAN in the foreseeable future.

• The Interview was conducted by Silvia Niediek.